Sally Beauty: Company Profile & Background Check FAQs

Sally Beauty was founded in 1964 in New Orleans, Louisiana, with a focus on selling professional-grade beauty products directly to consumers and licensed beauty professionals. The company has grown significantly since then and is headquartered in Plano, Texas, having relocated from its longtime Denton, Texas offices.

Today, Sally Beauty Holdings operates two primary segments: Sally Beauty Supply, which serves retail consumers and beauty enthusiasts, and Beauty Systems Group (BSG), which operates under the CosmoProf brand and sells exclusively to licensed beauty professionals. Together, these segments give the company a presence across thousands of store locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Chile, Peru, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Ireland, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Sally Beauty Holdings is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SBH. The company carries a broad assortment of hair color, hair care, skin care, nail products, and professional salon equipment, sourced from both well-known national brands and its own private label lines.

The company is a notable employer of beauty enthusiasts, cosmetology students, and licensed professionals. Store associate roles typically involve product knowledge, customer service, inventory management, and cash handling. Given the scale of its retail operations, Sally Beauty employs tens of thousands of workers across its store network.

Company culture and employee programs: Sally Beauty has positioned itself as a company with strong ties to the professional beauty community. Employee benefits may include health insurance options, a 401(k) plan with company match, paid time off, employee discounts on store merchandise, and access to product training and education. The company has also highlighted diversity and inclusion initiatives within its workforce programs. Specific benefits and eligibility details vary by role, location, and employment status.

Yes. Sally Beauty does conduct background checks as part of its hiring process. Store roles involve cash handling, access to professional-grade beauty products, and direct customer interaction, which are factors that inform the company's approach to pre-employment screening.

It is worth noting that background check practices can vary depending on whether a location is corporate-operated or independently operated, and on applicable state and local laws. Candidates should expect some form of background screening as a standard part of the hiring process, though the specific scope may differ by role and location.

A Sally Beauty background check typically takes three to five business days to complete, though the timeline can vary. For more general context on screening timelines, see background check turnaround times.

Several factors can affect how long the process takes:

Candidates can typically check the status of their background check through the portal link provided by the CRA.

A background check for a Sally Beauty position may include several categories of records, depending on the role and the screening package used. Common components include:

The exact components of the background check will depend on the role applied for and the screening practices Sally Beauty uses at that location.

In most cases, background checks in the United States are limited to a seven-year lookback period for criminal records under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Some states apply stricter limits. Certain types of records, such as convictions for serious crimes or positions with specific regulatory requirements, may be reportable beyond the seven-year window depending on applicable law.

Many states and municipalities have also enacted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process. These laws are designed to give applicants a fair opportunity to be considered on their qualifications before a criminal record is taken into account.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that governs how consumer reporting agencies collect and report information used in background checks. Under the FCRA, employers must obtain a candidate's written consent before running a background check. If an employer intends to take an adverse action based on the results, such as rescinding a job offer, the candidate must first receive a copy of the report and a written summary of their rights. This pre-adverse action notice gives the candidate an opportunity to review the report and dispute any inaccurate or incomplete information before a final decision is made.

Candidates who believe their background check contains errors have the right to dispute the findings with the CRA that produced the report. The CRA is required to investigate and respond within a specified timeframe under federal law.

Pre-employment drug testing practices at Sally Beauty are not uniformly published, and reported experiences vary. Some applicants report being asked to complete a drug screen as part of the hiring process, while others indicate they were not tested prior to starting work.

Drug testing policies in retail environments are often determined by a combination of corporate policy, state law, and local management practice. Several states have passed laws that limit employer drug testing or restrict adverse employment decisions based on off-duty marijuana use, which can affect whether and how retailers implement pre-employment screening in those locations.

For roles that involve operating company vehicles, managing large amounts of cash, or working in distribution and warehouse environments, drug testing is generally more common. Standard store associate roles may or may not include a drug screen depending on location.

Candidates who want to clarify the company's current drug testing requirements for a specific role or location should ask the hiring manager or recruiter during the offer stage.

The Sally Beauty hiring process for store associate roles typically follows these general steps:

The Sally Beauty interview process for store associate and beauty advisor roles is typically straightforward. Most candidates report one or two interviews, usually conducted in the store with the store manager or assistant manager.

Interviews tend to be conversational and focused on customer service experience, product knowledge or interest in beauty, availability, and the ability to work in a retail environment. Candidates may be asked behavioral questions along the lines of how they have handled a difficult customer situation or how they approach learning new products.

For roles at the Beauty Systems Group or CosmoProf side of the business, where customers are licensed professionals, interviewers may place more emphasis on familiarity with professional beauty products, salon services, or cosmetology industry knowledge.

Corporate and distribution center roles typically involve a more formal interview process, which may include multiple rounds, panel interviews, or skills assessments depending on the department and seniority level.

Candidates are generally advised to arrive prepared to discuss their customer service background, their interest in the beauty industry, and their scheduling availability.

For candidates going through the Sally Beauty background check process, several standard requirements apply:

Candidates who want to review their own background information before applying for a position at Sally Beauty or any other employer can do so through Checkr.

Checkr Personal Background Checks allows individuals to order a report on themselves to see what may appear in an employer-initiated screening.

Checkr Profile lets candidates build a verified background check profile they can share directly with prospective employers, which can help speed up the hiring process.

If Sally Beauty is using Checkr to process your background check, you can monitor your report status and get support through the Candidate Portal or by visiting the Checkr Help Center.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.

The resources and information provided here are for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Always consult your own counsel for up-to-date legal advice and guidance related to your practices, needs, and compliance with applicable laws.