I’m Afraid of My Hairdresser

OK…I admit it…I’m intimidated by my hairdresser and I know I’m not the only woman who is scared to say anything negative when they’re unhappy after an unfortunate hair experience. Why is it we won’t complain or even say anything when we get a bad cut or lousy color? Why do we simply accept what we get, walk out of the salon and then go home and grouse to our husbands, boyfriends, children, siblings, and girlfriends? Why are we such cowards?

Can you tell I had a terrible hair appointment today? My mom and I went to our longtime stylist to get haircuts and I was also scheduled to get a blond highlighting weave. I knew we were in trouble when my stylist, Hairdresser “L”, told me she would do my weave first but then she would have to cut another client’s hair before cutting Mom’s. Apparently Hairdresser “L” was having problems getting the woman’s hair to process so she was still under the dryer. So “L” begins putting in my highlights and foils. After finishing the top and left side, she pauses and tells me she needs to check on her other client’s progress and she’ll be “right back.” So I wait and wait and wait. When I look, I see “L” washing the client’s hair and this process takes 10 minutes. All this time, half my head has color on it which is obviously processing while the other half remains untouched. This can’t be good.

“L” finally returns, colors and foils the rest of my head and puts me under the dryer to process. Several minutes later, she returns and takes me over to the sink to wash and condition my hair. As she takes out the foils, I hear this audible little “oh” come from her mouth…this really can’t be good. Suddenly she offers to do some kind of “shine treatment” to make up for having me wait so long. Now…she’s made us wait lots of times before without offering us any little perks so I’m thinking this really, really can’t be good. I decline the offer and we proceed to her station. When she finishes the cut and starts blow drying it, I begin to get really concerned. Instead of the beautiful golden highlights I’m used to seeing, I see nearly white blond highlights on the top and left side. Duh…these are the sections which were highlighted 10 minutes earlier than the rest. I look like someone with salt and pepper hair…in other words, I look old!

When I point out the nearly white streaks to her, she tries to make excuses telling me she probably just highlighted too many sections and it will fade with time. When I put my head in my hands trying to contain my anger, she finally knows she’s gone too far and promises to make things right. So she puts some reddish brown goop in my hair, makes me sit there for another 5-10 minutes, washes it out and then blow dries my hair for a second time.

So what does it look like? It looks like I haven’t done anything to it. Instead of having the beautiful golden blond highlights I was expecting, it looks like I have flat light brown hair. She promises me it will lighten up after two washings but now I’m worried that it will lighten back up to the salt and pepper look. And what does she charge me for this mess? She has the nerve to charge me full price for the cut and highlighting…that’s right, not one penny less than I normally give her. And what I’m most upset about is that I was so intimidated that, not only did I write the check for the full amount, I actually gave her a tip! I’m so ashamed. Like I said, I’m a spineless coward and I’m not proud of it!