Ok so this is more of a “what would you do” post than a review. I really hate confrontation and am not really ever sure how to handle these situations so I’m turning to you lovely ladies as the font of all knowledge to help me out.
Here’s the scenario:
I was invited to a blogging event and went with another bloggy girlfriend. She, being one of the luckiest women on the planet, won a gift certificate to a new salon as a door prize and, as she is also one of the most generous women on the planet, she kindly handed it over to me so I could get all spruced up before the baby arrives.
A few days later my darling Husbando is sorting through photos and comes across one of me at Christmas 3 years ago. I LOVE my hair color in it – lately I’ve been getting a bit hot and heavy with blonde highlights but I adore the coppery-ness of the color and figure an all-over color may be more forgiving than highlights for the next couple of months when the only thing I’ll be focusing on are ALL. THINGS. BABY.
So I book the appointment. Now I have to admit that I am no stranger to new salons. I know you need to be explicit in your instructions and simple in your demands – its never the same relationship as when you’ve been with the same stylist for years and want to do something new and different and they know what new and different means to you. So because I don’t want to be disappointed and because we have all been blessed by this thing called modern technology, I download the photo to my blackberry and take it with me to the appointment.
At the appointment the stylist looks at the photo and agrees its a great copper color and will look great on me, then she gets to work. I’m excited, she seems confident and so sit there and wait for my hair to be unveiled. Problem is, when it is finally rinsed of the color creme and goo it isn’t even really close to the color I asked for. Instead of a head the color of a shiny new penny by hair is a dark mahogany. Knowing my hair is still wet I wait for the blow dry before mentioning that its “darker than I had expected” but she seems unfazed by this and assures me that it will lighten as it fades.
Its at this point that I don’t know what to do. Its not a total disaster- my hair isn’t green or blue or falling out, its not trashed. In fact, its actually a good color job but its just not the color I had asked for. So after stumbling my words while trying to figure out what went wrong I telling myself it looked fine, paying and heading home. (The “its fine” thing lasted only until my husband saw me and said ‘What happened to your hair?’)
So what should I have done? Is it worth speaking up when I know full well there really isn’t anything they can do about the colour right away? Should I email or call the manager and express my disappointment in my experience? Or do I do what I do best: keep mum, voting with my feet to never darken their door again?
About Jo-Lynne
What you should do and what you do are two different things usually. You already know you should call the manager and tell her you are not satisfied. You asked for a different color. What you will probably do is never hearken the door again…we all seem to do that instead of complaing..
I really have no actual advice but it reminded me of when my mom (who had been blond for years) went back to her natural color – brown – and walked in from the salon with hair almost BLACK. We FREAKED. But, her stylist had told her it would fade and after a month or so of washing, it did…and it was really and truly her natural color. So maybe wash it a few times and give it a little bit of time? All-over color is almost always a lot darker to begin with.
Years and years ago, I had a horrible hair fail. It was suppose to be a cute above the shoulders cut; kind of like the Jennifer Aniston/Rachel Green look that everyone was getting (because it was that long ago). The lady cut my hair like she had Parkinson’s or something. All different lengths, and not in a choppy on purpose look. It was just horrible with pieces very close to the scalp. I went back to talk to the manager in tears the following day. She had another stylist fix my hair, which basically consisted of her cutting ALL my hair off. I was left with a boy cut. She had to cut it that short to fix what the previous stylist had done. Although I hated that my hair was short, I was grateful that it looked relatively normal.
Normally, I wouldn’t say anything, hair grows out after all. But when it’s bad and you hate it, and, you can’t look in the mirror without your spirit dying a little, I say, talk to the manager. You wont feel better until you do.
Hugs!
So sorry to hear about your experience. I would call and politely express your disappointment to the manager. If you prefer, you could send the manager an e-mail or a handwritten note. If the company is a good one, they will appreciate the honest feedback (and offer you a free coupon).
I also hate confrontation but as a man, bad things rarely happen to my hair. I know it’s hard to do but I would call the manager. In these tough economic times a good manager will want to make sure you’re happy.
At the very least, you have nothing to lose. Don’t think of it as a confrontation but rather as feedback for the salon manager who probably wants to know when a customer isn’t happy.
Most salons will offer a do-over if you’re really not happy, because they don’t want to lose your business. I know my current salon here has you sign a form before you start saying that if you don’t like your hair, you can come in for a fix-up within 72 hours.
I would stop in to see the manager, in person, and show the celphone photo and compare it to your current hair and explain that you would like it to be repaired. Keep a big smile on your face, because you want to indicate that you’re happy that they’re willing to solve your problem. People always cooperate with a smiling customer. 🙂
I agree with 32 – take your picture from the cellphone and see the manager and ask for a redo – what is the worst that can happen? You get told no – the best a redo and the color you want
I had a similar experience when I went back to my natural color. WAY too dark.
Good news – it did fade.
I would definitely express your disappointment to the salon owner -how else can they improve? At least you will be saving someone else from the same situation.
Maybe you could go back and get some highlights – for free.
Tough call. I bet it will fade – it always does.
well, I have had many, many hair disasters and in this case I would just take it for what it is and wait for it to fade….and never go back to her again. There’s probably not much she can do at this point anyway without risking damage to your hair.
and if you’re pregnant when you get your hair colored, I’ve found that the hair receives the color differently than it usually would. Just speakin’ from experience here.
great topic!
My daughter is a hair dresser, and I KNOW that people call and come back in if they’re not happy – it happens – PLEASE call or go up there, you will feel so much better if you do!
FYI – if you wash your hair a few times with dish washing liquid it usually will help strip/fade the color.
But seriously, they’re not going to think you’re a terrible person, they want you to be happy!
~TidyMom
I say, wait a week see how much it fades (give your hair chance to bounce back) and then go back with your friend for back up. Explain that this was gift and you didn’t get what you wanted. You will be happier for the small victory. Its totally worth it. Because it’s so expensive to get your hair done professionally.