Hey Cindy,

I hope you’re doing well! I just had to vent to someone about this ridiculous shopping experience I had the other day—and of course, you were the first person that came to mind. I honestly still can’t believe how it all went down.

So, last weekend I bought this skincare set from a new boutique store downtown. You know the one I told you about that just opened near the café we went to last month? It looked super cute from the outside, very “clean beauty meets minimalist spa” vibes. The lady at the counter was really nice, and the packaging of the products was honestly what sold me—so aesthetic! I figured I’d treat myself since my skin has been a bit off lately, and I’m trying to switch to more natural stuff.

Anyway, I get home, and the next morning I start using the cleanser and moisturizer. Within an hour, my skin starts itching and turning red! I’m talking serious irritation, and my cheeks looked like I had a sunburn. I immediately rinsed everything off and put on aloe to calm it down. At first, I thought maybe I was reacting to something else, but when I looked closely at the ingredients, I realized the moisturizer had essential oils that I’m sensitive to. Totally my fault for not checking more carefully, but still—not ideal.

So I go back to the store the next day, receipt in hand, and kindly ask if I can return the products. And guess what? The woman behind the counter (a different one this time) says they don’t accept returns *at all*, even for unopened items! I was honestly stunned. I explained what happened and showed her my receipt, and she just gave me a rehearsed line about “all sales being final due to the nature of personal care products.” I get the hygiene aspect, but the fact that they don’t even do exchanges or store credit was shocking. No sign in the store, nothing on the receipt either. Apparently, it's “stated clearly on the website,” which I never visited because I shopped in person!

It felt super shady. I didn’t want to cause a scene, but I left feeling really disappointed. It wasn’t even about the money at that point—it was just the principle, you know? I wish I’d stuck to Sephora or somewhere with a more customer-friendly return policy. Lesson learned. Anyway, that’s my little rant for the day. Have you ever had something similar happen? It really made me think twice about trying new shops without checking their policies first. Let’s plan a coffee catch-up soon—I clearly need it! 

Miss you and hope your week’s been better than mine.
Samia