Lionesse Beauty Bar - High pressure sales tactics, inconspicuous advertising of the company's no return policy. Haleiwa Hawaii
On October 28, 2018 at about 2 pm my husband I were walking through the shops in Haleiwa, Hawaii. We walked past Truffoire and a girl came up to us out onto the sidewalk from her kiosk in front of the shop and offered a free sample. She then said she had another one to give me and had me follow her into the store. Once in the store she asked her colleague (Leonardo) to help me with a sample, he asked me to sit down in a chair and I told him I was not interested in doing a facial or buying anything. He then told me that he was only going to be there for one day and then would be flying out to Hong Kong to service a special client who had nerve damage from a face lift. He said that consistent use of their product would give the same results as a face lift. He showed us many before and after pictures.
He put some of their โBlack truffle instant repairโ by my right eye, it tightened the skin as it dried and because it contained makeup, it filled in and looked much better then my left eye. He used the results to explain that he was actually one of the 4 owners and he was doing one day in the store like an undercover boss. Because he was an owner he wanted to do something special for me. At this point he was going to sell me the repair serum for $299. The normal price was $600 and he was giving me a deal. He was also including two facials with the serum and a free white truffle day moisturizer.
He went to his computer and said he didnโt have any openings for the free facial in the near future, but he could do a quick facial right now if I wanted. He took both of us into the room, my hubby was trying to google Truffoire at this point and Leonardo kept interrupting him. In the room he showed us more products, he explained that the products are a โnon-surgical faceliftโ. He also told us about his degree in cosmetology, and his 17 years of experience. He told us that he was doing a catalog and needed real people (not models) who would be willing to use their product and provide photo results to him. He said I would be perfect because he did not have anyone my age in his catalog.
He then said he would give me access to all of their products, that I would have to commit to only using their products and for $1500 I could have everything I needed to take care of my skin โfrom head to toesโ for the next year. He had a shipping form he wanted my husband to fill out (perfectly timed to hand it to him so he still could not google them). Eventually the form was handed to me to sign. He whipped thru it explaining it was just so the package they sent would require a signature. He showed me a giant receipt for stuff, never gave me a copy, or emailed me the receipt. He told me he was giving me some gifts to tide me over until I got home.
In addition to the syringe, He gave me:
Black Truffle feel Renewal Vitamin C
White Truffle cleansing set
Salt scrub
Body Butter
White Truffle facial peeling
Body crรจme
White truffle day moisturizer
When we left there, we went to lunch. My husband noticed that my face was breaking out with huge pimples. Once we got home, we did some research and discovered that they had many identical BBB complaints and had defrauded many other people. We also learned they had changed the company name several times โ I believe they were Oceane.
On 10/30 at 9 am I called the store and asked for a manager and explained that my face had broken out, and that they had used high pressure to get me to agree to the sale. They told me the manager would call me right back. At 11:30 am we went to the store with the product and discovered Leonardo was still there. I walked up to him and said, โyou are a liar, I want my money back and you can keep your productโ, he shushed me and told me to calm down and not make a scene. He rushed us to the back and put someone on the phone who was supposedly a manager who identified himself as Antonio Plabacio. At first he said he could not take a return in the store, that I had to exchange it, then he said he could not stop shipment on the products they had sent. I told him I would decline shipment and that I had already notified my credit card to stop payment and begin a dispute. Antonio then said he was driving and couldnโt talk, and that he would call me back in an hour. He never called back.
I told Leonardo that I wanted to leave the stuff there. He wouldnโt let me. I want to understand if I should leave it or take it.
The afternoon of Oct. 28, 2018 my husband I were visiting the shops in Haleiwa, Hawaii. A girl came out to us onto the sidewalk from the TRUFFOIRE store and offered a free sample. She said she had another one to give me and took me by the hand into the store. She asked her colleague (Leonardo) to help me, he asked me to sit down in a chair and I told him I was not interested in doing a facial or buying anything. He then told me that he was only going to be there today and would be flying out to Hong Kong. He said that use of their product would give the same results as a face lift. He showed us many before and after pictures on his phone. He put some โBlack truffle instant repairโ by my right eye, it tightened the skin as it dried and looked better than my left eye. He used the results to explain that he was actually one of the owners and he was doing one day in the store like an undercover boss. Because he was an owner he wanted to do something special for me. At this point he was going to sell me the repair serum for $299 "a $1250 value". He would also include two facials. He went to his computer and said he didnโt have any openings for facials but could do a quick one now. We both resisted but he promised to throw in some freebees if we accepted. He took us into another room; he explained that the products are a โnon-surgical faceliftโ and utilized "NANO and Stem Cell Technology" which was the equivalent of "BOTOX". He also told us he had a degree in cosmetology from Italy, and 17 years of experience. He said he was doing a million dollar catalog and needed real people who would be willing to use their product and provide photo results to him. He said I would be perfect because he did not have anyone my age for his catalog. He then said he would give me access to all of their products, that I would have to commit to only using their products and for $1500 I could have everything I needed to take care of my skin โfrom head to toesโ for the next year. He handed a shipping form to me to sign but I couldn't put my reading glasses on over the eye cream which had gotten into my eyes, so he whipped thru it explaining it was just so the package they sent would require a signature. He shoved a giant receipt in front of me to sign, never gave me a copy, or informed me of a "NO RETURN POLICY โor emailed me the receipt. He told me he was giving me some gifts to tide me over until I got home. He gave me: a cleansing set, salt scrub, Body Butter, facial peel, Body crรจme, and a day moisturizer. Later that afternoon my husband noticed that my face had begun breaking out. I tried calling with no reply. On 10/30 at 11:30 am we went to the store to return the products surprised to find Leonardo still there. We showed him my face that is when he then told us they had a โNO REFUND POLICY I told him I wanted my money back. He phoned his manager "Antonio Plabacio" who said โhe could not process returns at the store, that I could only exchange and that my order had already shipped. I told him I would notify my credit card company and dispute the charge. Antonio then said he would call me back. Leonardo refused to accept the merchandise and told us to wait for the refund from Antonio Plabicio.
Reason of review: Return, Exchange or Cancellation Policy.
Monetary Loss: $1570.
Preferred solution: Full refund.
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Comments
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I believe it. I was sucked in.
I took it back and they gave me my money back thankfully. I was prepared to be arrested.
Looks like it could fold up and vanish in minutes.