Hair Salons

[indieanna86]

Hi guys,

just a quickie, over the last couple of years I've tried out a few good hair salons (the sort that cost a small fortune!) and have noticed that they all seem to think that everyone should have the same sort of hairstyle. Everytime I ask for a certain style, they ignore what I say and take off most of my hair. They thin it out so much it looks as though my hair is falling out and then (the worst bit) they whack the straighteners on! I hate having my hair straightened, it makes it look like I've just had a bucket of water thrown over my head and makes it look lifeless. Once I asked for a nice bob cut, and she gave me what I would say was close to a mullet (which all the stylists in the salon had)!!

I know I could always ask them not to do it, but shouldn't they ask you first?

Anyone else had a total nightmare haircut from a so called 'top salon'?

Anna x

[charliebaps]

Personally never had a bad haircut (touch wood) from a salon. when new trainee stylists join these companys they are taught a lot of specific cuts and styles that are 'trademark' cuts. they often try and make people have these styles for reasons of advertising as people recognise them and they have done these cuts hundreds of times so they are relatively easy for the stylist.

These are no reasons however for you to be bullied into having them. Always state what you want and if they don't deliver it then don't pay until you are happy. I don't mean cause a real fuss but not enough people stand up to salons. You have paid for a hair cut and should recieve what you expect.

Good luck next time!

[funnywebsite]

I never get what I want that is why I am afraid to go to the hairdressers. I have to drag myself there every 4-5 months. I end up tying my hair up to keep it tidy. I wish I could find a hairdresser that would give me a style I look good in.

[AliFlump]

i think it is true that if you dont like the way they have done it and it is not what you have asked for you dont have to pay. A woman in Japan was awarded �1000 last week cos they didnt cut it right and it was the wrong colour!!

i know what you mean about the straighteners tho, whenever i go to a new salon they ALWAYS say 'ooh isnt your hair poker straight wish mine was like that' then when they've done they put the straighteners on!!!

[indieanna86]

I reckon they use the straighteners on everyone just because they think its fun!!

[Hermia]

I avoid the posh salons like the plague! They either give you something totally different to what you want or have a go at you because you are not prepared to spend half an hour blow-drying every morning. I go to my local old ladies' salon if I just want a trim or to Supercuts.

Most of my hairdressing disasters have been in posh salons. The girls always seem to want to give you the hairstyle they have! The problem I have is that I am blind without my glasses so can't see what they are doing to my hair. I once went to a salon for a trim. At the time my hair was jaw length and had lots of long layers. The hairdresser had cropped hair and she gave me the same hairstyle - I nearly died! She must have cut at least 6 inches off. I looked dreadful and had to put up with weeks of teasing.

The other disaster occured because the hairdresser ignored everything I told her. I have a weird problem with my hair in that if the sideburns are cut too short they stick out from my head and nothing will make them behave. I explained this to the hairdresser and told her she'd need to leave that bit quite long. So, of course she cut them short and then looked horrified when she couldn't get them to stay down. She told me she thought I was exaggerating!

[indieanna86]

Also all the girls in the salon I went to last had one of those funny colour jobs going on, where the hair is black underneath and bleach blonde on top - it looks horrible!! It's not that I'm out of touch with style (I'm 19) I just think it looks really silly and when they look back at photos of themselves in 20 years they will wonder what on earth they were thinking!!

Apologies to anyone reading this who happens to have that style...

[phae]

I think I can explain. My brother recently became a hairdresser. At the college he was taught styling and creativity etc.etc, and then he was sent off out in the big world to WORK. Every salon he worked for loved his styling technique, but he wasnt FAST enough!!

Top salons work on a get 'em in, get 'em out basis. Easiest thing to do is whack out the straighteners, get it all falling in the same direction and it looks 'OK'.

For my birthday I went to Headmasters and booked a Director Cut for a whopping �80!. Showed him a picture of a wavy 'do' and explained I wanted to make more of my natural curl..... Whereapon he spent 5 minutes giving me a trim, pulled the straightners over it and sent me out the door!!

Mr advice... look for ads for home hairdressers. Many of these top stylists have children, leave the salon, and start working for themselves doing home visits. As they havent got a boss pushing the next customer through the door, they take a little longer, listen a little harder and they are still very qualified at what they do.

[indieanna86]

3 stars for you Phae, great advice - thanks!

[jerseyjane69]

lol,, as a hairdresser who works in a "posh salon" i find all your answers really amusing... even us hairdressers get nightmare haircuts....... i think the think is, to make sure you get a consultation which lasts more than 30 secs.. in my salon, especially for new clients, we are expected to spend 10-20 mins with the client trying to work out what they mean.... you wouldn't believe some of the ways people try to explain a haircut...... if poss take a picture,, part of the problem is misunderstanding.............. if at the end of the day, you don't feel like you have a rapport with the stylist,,,,,,, get up and leave!!!!!!!!!!