I quit my job at Sephora after years there. It's nothing like the golden days of the beauty industry.

• A former beauty advisor said Sephora has "changed completely" since they started at the company.
• The role was a highly coveted gig among makeup-lovers when they joined in 2017, they said.
• The former employee said it felt like a "soulless" sales job when they quit this February.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a 29-year-old former Sephora employee based on the East Coast who worked at the company from 2017 to 2019 and 2021 to 2024. The former employee asked to remain anonymous to avoid jeopardizing their career, but Business Insider has verified this person's identity and employment at Sephora. Their story has been edited for length and clarity.