A strange encounter with a hairstylist!!!

acarolinagurl

acarolinagurl

Cathlete
I had the most bizzare experience today when I went to get highlights today. I've had highlights many times in my life, but never have I experienced her "method" of doing the highlights. First this was my first time with this stylist. I told her I wanted some highlights and she asked if I prefered foiling or pulling through a cap. I said I'll go with pulling through a cap this time. The first thing that should have alarmed me about this stylist was she couldn't find ANYTHING!!! She had the cap right there, that I'm used to seeing being used in this type of highlighting, but she grabs a Hefty trash bag, yes a trash bag, and cuts it to fit over my head to go underneath the cap which by the way way GREEN RUBBER cap with holes in it. I looked like an experiment, but me being the person I am, and keeping my mouth shut not to hurt her feelings, I let her proceed with her weirdness on me. I wish someone would have saved me. When she started pulling my hair through I swear I thought she was pulling pieces of my scalp with it, I asked her to be a little gentler...her response was "we don't have much longer and this part will be done" are you freaking kidding me!? So, I didn't dare let her lighten as much as she wanted and thank God for that or I would probably have no hair at all. The highlights turned out okay, only because I requested to rinse NOW!!! She couldn't even style my hair, I have straight hair and she used cold water, cold air, and it was making it very hard for the comb to go through. It was pulling, then she gets her round brush out and gets my hair so tangled in the brush I literally about came out of the chair! She then proceded to beg me to let her cut my hair and I said NO, I do not want it cut! Needless to say she'll never get my business ever again, and my head is literally sore as I write this. I'm calling the salon owner Tuesday and complaining. I know I should have said something today and should have said it to the stylist. I don't know why I didn't I guess to spare a confrontation since I'm not good with those. I was just wondering about the rubber cap and trash bag...has anyone here ever experienced anything like this before???!

Thanks and wish me well please!
 
you are not alone

I feel your pain! all stylists are NOT created equal! I am sad to say that I have paid for the services of stylists in the past who should (in my opinion) never should have had a license to "style" in the first place! A good stylist is hard to find and moving does not help the matter any. Just when you find one... ugh!

I am very picky about my short, blond hair and have generally been dissatisfied with just about every haircut or other service that I have ever had. I always come home immediately after and get it wet and dry it all over again just to see if I can find any errors or problems with the cut.. invariably I find something, do my own self-repair and vow to move on to someone "better"! In the days of the $50+ haircut, it's an expensive enough proposition, let alone get a crappy result. My last highlight (just last week) was a small victory though and actually like the stylist this time, although I very much wondered about the first haircut as I didn't like it much. Even though we talked for about 15 minutes about what I wanted, looked at pictures I printed from the internet, and even a few hairstyle books from the salon, I still ended up with the same-o same-o haircut I was trying to avoid. Not sure what part of "something different" she didn't quite understand, I really liked HER! However, I WAS happy that she was willing to take the time and discuss (both before and after) how I felt about things.

I was honest with her this time (as I generally just "grin and bare it" and leave) and I think it made all the difference! so, I made a second appointment with her for both a HC and highlight... we had another conversation about the outcome of the previous visit and had a much better result this time! While it will take some time to "grow" into my desired new style, I felt so much better because I expressed my feelings about the first cut and she listened and actually took me seriously! I will be going back to her until the day she pi**es me off :eek: hope this is a long and lasting relationship! :D

As for the after cut drying and styling, I have yet to find a stylist (less one from 15 years ago) that could actually style my hair worth a hoot! Funny that they are supposed to be the experts here and should be able to transform your explainations and pictures to your hair, but always amazed that they can't figure out HOW to make their creation do what the picture shows! I thought that was the WHOLE point! I have never been able to figure that part out...

As for calling the owner/manager I truly wish you the best of luck! I too hate confrontation and avoid it at all cost and it has bitten me in the arse more than once! wishing you strength for the occasion! let us know how it goes. My guess is that they will offer some sort of refund or partial credit for future services, but I would be leary about using the place again. But if you do nothing, future customers will suffer her brand of service. My guess is that you are not the first to complain about this person, and the salon should really take stock in who represents them!
 
OMW, I feel your pain. I had the cap done a couple times when I had REALLY short hair and thought it was soooo painful. Don't know how long your hair is. Going to the hair salon should be fun but most times it ends up being stressfull.:mad::mad: I totally agree you should call the owner ASAP and complain.
 
Ohhhh, this post is PERFECT for me right now! After suffering through THREE haircuts with the last stylist (where the first two I had to go home, re-style it, only to discover so many longer pieces, she didn't cut into the right side like she did the left, etc. and have to cut into it myself), the last one was the LAST STRAW! I went in with a picture, as usual - which she barely looked at. It was the Lisa Rinna cut, which I've had before and which would require her to cut my hair shorter than it was at the time - no big deal. I should have known from the first two cuts not to show her a picture. She basically gave me a mullet! The front was almost three inches shorter than the back, she left too much on top and it was too heavy. Sad thing is - I left after checking out and making another appointment (which I WILL cancel) and forgot to leave a tip and didn't realize it till I got home - so I went back and left a tip ...

I asked a friend at work for her stylist and went to her to fix it and she did a good job... I just went back to her for the second round clean-up. This new woman KNOWS how to cut hair - but she has a horrible chair-side personality... she is the owner (and you pay for that - $60 for a cut vs. $30 for the other one. At this point with my hair, I have NO IDEA what to do - do I want to grow it out or not? I do know that I wanted her to take the back up even more so it was closer in length to the front. I showed her some different pics so she could get an idea of how short I wanted the back and maybe put layers in the sides more (I'm off the Lisa Rinna cut - I have a bad taste from the butchering and don't want to look at her picture) and she tell me "Well, if you have to decide if you want it to grow or if you want to cut layers in, which will take long time to grow". It wasn't what she said, but the WAY she delivers it. She's very matter-of-fact, acted like I was annoying her. I told her I was sorry that I was so all over the place, but I'm trying to figure out what to do with my hair after being butchered and once we find what I want I will not be so difficult. So we settle on a picture - and she does the cut - much shorter than before, but that's okay - It was what I said I wanted. So she is blowdrying my hair (oh, and she's not comfortable to with small talk - but I know that takes time with some people) and she is using a boar bristle round brush. I usually use the heated metal barrel brushes so I ask her "Do you like the boar bristles better than the heated barrels" and her response was "Weeeelllll, if I didn't like this brush I wouldn't be using it" I said "What I meant was, should I be using this brush rather than what I have?" It's all in her delivery ... I was thinking $60 is too much to pay for attitude - but my hair looks GREAT!!! Seriously, I was having issues with short hair, but if I can style it and keep it up, then I guess I will put up with her bad personality and stick with her.

I've NEVER heard of using a trash bag for highlights though - that's a new one!

Oh, one question for those of you out there that have a salon owner cut their hair. It used to be that you didn't need to tip the owner, but I tip this woman. What do the rest of you who get their cuts by the owner do? Tip or no tip?
 
I know, that's the same with me. I had a stylist about 5 years ago, and LOVED her. She knew that when I asked for a "trim" it meant trim, not cut an inch off! My hair was the most healthy then. She always gave suggestions and was always interested in my views as well. She wanted to please me, and wanted her work to reflect in a good way. I always gave her recongnition for my hair. Then she moved to another state or I would have followed her. I've not had the same stylist in five years. It's so hard, and Dani I hope you continue to have success with your stylist that you have now.

Thanks so much for your imput, I appreciate it, and I told my husband it's not just me being picky!!!

Thanks and good luck with your locks!
 
You sound like me!

Hi Mary,

I've been that way here lately...do I want to go short or do I want to stick it out with the dull boring style (if you want to call it that) until it grows out. UGH!

I specifically went in today for the highlights to see if that's what I needed to appease me with my hair for the time being! Not sure that it helped especially after all the torture I endured!

I hate that all of us have had issues with getting the right style, but hopefully we'll all find the right person out there. When I visit a salon next I'm going to ask for a consultation and go from there I guess, if I can hold out that long. That's another thing I'm paying big bucks to have my hair yanked on and tangled while styling from this one anyway, so you would think she would have been a little better than she was. But yes, I'm gonna call the owner on Tuesday, and let them know my experience. I know there are some good stylist out there that really enjoy what they're doing, but I just haven't found one yet!
 
Okay, that whole experience sounds just plain weird. Was she the only stylist working because i can't believe other stylists wouldn't drop everything to stare at her aghast as she cuts a trash bag for your head.

I know I don't regret dropping my expensive former stylist for the chick at Saturday's ($17 and she gave me the perfect haircut). My former stylist always put ten tons of STUFF in my hair which is a tip that the haircut isn't right, IMO. If it's the right cut you shouldn't need a bunch of mousse, gel, hairspray, and heat to make it work. I now have a cut with which I have to do limited stuff to get it to work and I am thrilled.
 
Sandy, sorry you had to go through that!

I have never had anything like that happen to me but maybe we should call Tabitha Coffee and have her take over that salon:p

Good luck to you :)
 
Ok, I've been a stylist and colorist for over 20 years. I've heard about and seen alot of different techniques. This garbage bag method sounds pretty strange, not to mention painful!!! In my experience, hair that is chin length or longer should not be highlighted with a cap. (or garbage bag!!) Foiling, painting on, paneling, etc., is much more precise, and not painful. Like I said, there are alot of ways to highlight. Why use a messy cap or bag that makes you wince, when there are so many more modern methods?? I definitely would talk to he owner, in a nice way. He or she will be more responsive and willing to rectify the situation if you complain "nicely". At this point, I wouldn't redo it; no need for further damage (and pain!). Maybe some sort of refund or product compensation?? A salon experience should be relaxing; never painful. Hope it all works out for you, Nancy J.~~~
 
I once went to a guy who was supposed to be good, but I have a feeling he hated women.

First, he pointed out the white hairs I was getting, and 'teased' me about them (in a nasty way). I told him to pull them out (there weren't that many back then), but he laughed and said no.

Then I told him I wanted to grow my bangs out, and he said that wouldn't work, and chopped off a hunk from them!

I was steaming, but not very assertive, so I sat through the cut.

Looking back, I should have stopped him right there, left and refused to pay.
 
I certainly hope you didn't tip her!!! How did it go when you called to talk to the owner, or have you yet?
Hope your head is feeling better.
 
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