I grabbed my things and ran for the door . . . long post

[Poetic]

I had written on Wednesday that I had scheduled a consultation and appointment for Thursday to have my hair detangled and braided. Having had my stylist phone to reschedule me for Friday due to conflict in her schedule, I showed up on this new appointment day an hour early for a consultation. My hair was separated into twists, and I informed the hair stylists she would need to keep my hair separated in medium size sections while she finished the detangling job I started. After stating this was fine, she proceeded to take down my hair, something I did not intend her to do. I would do it myself, I told her. This would be quicker and cause less damage. My hair has a tendency to tangle if taken down incorrectly.

Well she began to act as if she could not hear me . . . grabbing at a few of my twists and quickly pulling her fingers through to the ends, causing some of the hair to rip. I slapped at her hands and informed her to let me do it. She would need all of my hair down, she suddenly tells me, instead of taking it down section by section as she had only moments before agreed to. But she will, she assures me, make certain to separate out the hair on my head once down.

I got my hair untwisted, dodging her fingers at ever turn. Now I sitting there with my hair all down, waiting for her to pin it into section before it could tangle. This is when I realized I had a major problem. Because she had not been listening to me apparently, she was under the impression I was getting large size French braids in my hair (around 12), instead of the many medium size individual braids I'd requested.

She could not braid my hair she says, and would need to reschedule. Excuse me?! She could condition and detangle my hair for $40 and braid it the following day . . . for and additional $225, she tells me! I would need to leave a deposit for this service, she continues. Mind you, I was originally given the price of $65 to $75. Her excuse? She says, as if she only just realized, your hair is quite long and will cost more and the new smaller braids requires more of her time.

I suddenly realized way she insisted I take down all of my hair. As she knew my hair would tangle if left completely loose and undivided, she thought she would at the very least be asked to shampoo and detangle for the previously unmentioned $40. “I will do the larger braids today,” she tells me, “for another $75,” quoting the price she had given on the phone. Again, I think, “Excuse me?” Upset and realizing this woman had not been listening to a word I had said (in addition to the short consultation we had upon my arrival we spoke on the phone three times), I told her to put my hair back in its twists before my hair tangled. After helping her re-twist my hair, I grabbed my things and headed for the door. She grabbed her computer and played on Facebook until her next appointed.

I stood in my bathroom a good 24 hours untangling the mess she caused. She could not properly twist you see--she had wrapped my hair around in all directions. I can only imagine the state my hair would have been in had I allowed her to comb or braid it.

Bad news: My hair did end up damaged a bit from the experience.
Good news: I was able to get all my hair detangled myself for the most part and re-twisted.
Realization: I am never going to another stylist.

I have decided to spend the year wearing my hair in twists and pinned in various styles . . . while I go about the long process of growing out the damaged section in my head.

[Medievalmaniac]

OMG...how horrific! Did you report her??? I would have reported her! I'm glad you got out of there with your hair still (mostly) intact!! :O

[Milui Elenath]

What can you say to such a careless attitude?!? Ssome people seem to want to drive business away. I'm so glad you were able to detangle and very glad you didn't give her any money. Sympathies for the hassle you went through.

[Addy]

Come to my house! I will braid it and detangle it for free <your way> and be very gentle too! :cool:

As for the stylist... I can't believe her attitude and the increased cost she was trying to get from you! Good GAWD! :rolleyes: :poot:

[ladylibra]

I think warning sign #1 was the fact that she started taking down your twists. If you had to slap her hand to get her to stop... that would be the time to leave.


Come to my house! I will braid it and detangle it for free <your way> and be very gentle too! :cool:

As for the stylist... I can't believe her attitude and the increased cost she was trying to get from you! Good GAWD! :rolleyes: :poot:

Ditto! It's stories like these that make me itch to become a stylist, like yesterday! I could be rolling in dough by just doing something as simple as listening to the customer. :D

[halo_tightens]

Jeez, what is wrong with these people?!? I keep hearing more and more of these stylist horror stories, and I get angrier with each one. I am so sorry you had such a disappointing experience!

I haven't been to a stylist at all yet since I started actually caring for my hair properly. I'm really thinking that it's just not worth putting my hair into someone else's hands, especially those who are so used to typical modern hair "care."

Is it so difficult to just do what your customer is payng you to do??? You'd think they'd care more about satisfying you in a way that will create future business instead of ensuring your undying hatred and fear!

Again, I'm sincerely sorry to hear of your experience. You-- and your hair-- deserve much better.

[Charentais]

What a nightmare.

[ipickee]

This sounds awful! Hearing things like this just makes my resolve stronger to grow my hair out long enough to trim myself so that I never have to go to another stylist!!

[Ruvie]

That's horrible. And to think, they blow all that money (hopefully) by going to beauty school, and we've had too many bad experiences to go to any of them! I hope you sent in a nice long complaint, sounds like you dealt with a dropout with how she acted!

[heatherdazy]

$40 to detangle? And $225 for BRAIDS?! Was she planning to braid strips of sun gold in there or what?

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience.

If you're getting cornrows, have you considered going to a black salon? They're pros at that style so they won't spend all day doing it or try to charge you an arm and a leg for it.

[Speckla]

I am sorry you had such a bad experience. :(
That's horrible to be charged more for braids. I decline having my hair braided because my local salon charges about $7 per braid.
Not all stylists are so rough or uneducated. I took my son to a hairstylist the other day and she asked about my hair. I told her about not using shampoo and she agreed with the method and actually said that's the way hair should be treated. My son is a curly and she had bleached and straightened hair but did a really good job. I wouldn't have let her touch my hair based on the way that her's looked but she really did listen and knew what she was doing. There are good stylists. It's just harder to find someone. :(

[Fireweed]

Some people just don't understand long hair. Why do they think they have to be so hard on it?

[FreakyGreenEyes]

I'm sorry for your experience. I just don't understand why some people are so money hungry.

[LittleOrca]

From her actions as you left, it seems she didn't even care you were upset. It was a very "Oh well, I will have other customers." kind of attitude. Threads like these help remind me as to why I don't goto the salon.

[Lady Mary]

Ugh, I would inform the management about her behavior and her "prices." You had spoken with her MANY times and even had a short in person consultation. She had the information she needed to give you a proper price ahead of time. Plus, she ripped your hair. Totally unprofessional. I'm sorry you had to go though that.

[NurseMama]

That is ridiculous. Do you know if she works for the salon or if she rents space from the salon? If she works for the salon, I would call the salon owner to complain. I'm glad you were able to detangle your hair on your own! One of the most valuable things that I have learned from LHC is to be independent with my hair care (skin care too for that matter!).

[going gray]

What a story, really sorry to hear about your experience. Worse, now it's turned you against hairstylists, that's sad too, because there are good ones out there.

Good luck with your hair.

[Poetic]

Thanks everyone.:D I have decided to report her, just so the salon she works for will be aware of her behavior. On the upside, I shall have to pamper my hair for a while.:p Such is sure to make my hair recover all the faster. And who knows, maybe in the meantime I will learn to do individual braids myself.;)

[LittleOrca]

...I shall have to pamper my hair for a while....

Such a hard thing to do, isn't it? (<--- lots of sarcasm.:D )

[Poetic]

Come to my house! I will braid it and detangle it for free <your way> and be very gentle too! :cool:

QUOTE]

That is too sweet. Thanks!:flowers:

[QUOTE=ladylibra;735215]
Ditto!

And thank you! :flowers:


Such a hard thing to do, isn't it? (<--- lots of sarcasm.:D )

You know, this all gives me an idea. I am thinking we (all long haired persons and those who aspire to be) could meet up and throw a pamper party. :D Everyone could bring all their favorite supplies . . . and maybe some food.:rolleyes:;)l


$40 to detangle? And $225 for BRAIDS?! Was she planning to braid strips of sun gold in there or what?



If you're getting cornrows, have you considered going to a black salon? They're pros at that style so they won't spend all day doing it or try to charge you an arm and a leg for it.

I wondered about the sun gold myself. The salon was an African-American salon. I think she simply saw long hair and thought it her opportunity to make some money.

[Fractalsofhair]

Yikes! Might I ask how long your hair is? If you didn't tell her upfront how long and that it is curly, she may not have known how to braid it. (Since well, detangling long hair DOES take more time. Braiding it would as well!) Overall though, it sounds like the stylist has some problems with her job! You listen to the customer and do what they ask for! Not the otherway around!

[LittleOrca]

You know, this all gives me an idea. I am thinking we (all long haired persons and those who aspire to be) could meet up and throw a pamper party. :D Everyone could bring all their favorite supplies . . . and maybe some food.:rolleyes:;)

Ohhh! Being this is the LHC, we will have TONS of cheese... ok, not tons, but a lot. There is this new stuff I tried by boursin that is great. Lets make is a slumber party! *Packs her jam-jams, hair toys, combs, cheese, and stuffed orca.* I'm ready! :D

[Stephichan]

Wow, I'm so sorry that happened to you. Some people just don't know when to quit. I think that's why Wall Street is in the state that it's in right now.

[Renbirde]

Ditto! It's stories like these that make me itch to become a stylist, like yesterday! I could be rolling in dough by just doing something as simple as listening to the customer. :D
Same here. Maybe we all need to go to beauty school and form a longhair salon coalition. :D

[brok3nwings]

I really believe we should begin a comunity of stylists for LHC ... i am having nightmares with the day that i have to go for a trim! So afraid of that...
i really believe that most people dont really understand the pain they cause when dealing with our hair like that. They dont understand all the time and all the love, and the worst part is, it can be taken away in one second! i am sorry that this happened to you and very glad that you went safe at the end.

[Maddy25]

EEP! May I ask what twists are?

[JamieLeigh]

:grouphug: I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience!! It's awful when people don't even try to understand what goes into growing long hair, and the care that we put into it. She's obviously not used to being careful with someone's hair (which is I guess understandable, since most people she sees are coming in for a cut or a damaging process that will ultimately end in a cut). I hope that your hair recovers, and that you don't spend ANY more time in that place. :flower: