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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU? My hair is awful! What do I do?! Pics included….

133 replies

forgoodnesssakee · 04/09/2025 17:48

I went to a hair appointment this afternoon, which I was scheduled in for since 2 weeks ago. It was a free of charge ‘model’ appointment for the hairstylist, who was completing a trial session in the hair salon. (But many many years of experience in other salons)!

I was booked for today at 4.30pm - and messages at 4.05 and again at 4.15 to say I’m running behind as two taxis cancelled on me back to back, so I had to walk from home to the closest shopping complex (8’ min walk) to find a taxi that was available to get me to the salon, which was 22 minutes away.

On the way there, as expected, we hit every single red light imaginable and I ended up arriving at the salon at 4.36pm - so six minutes after my allotted appointment time.

On the journey there, the stylist was kept informed on my estimated arrival time etc. when I text to say I was 2 minutes away, the stylist text me to tell me their next client had arrived, and that they will no longer be able to do my colour appointment and will just be able to do a wash and dry.

Baring in mind that at this stage, I’d just arrived to the location and had paid £52 for the taxi as I was stuck in heavy stop start traffic almost the entire journey.

When I get into the salon, the stylist is rude and extremely unwelcoming and tells me - again, that he is not willing to do the color service. I explained that I was sorry for being late, and another member of staff came over to ask what the problem was.

The stylist then proceeded to tell the other member of staff that I was 36 (!!!!) minutes late for my appointment, and that I was actually booked for 4pm. This is categorically untrue and I showed them both my appointment confirmation for 4.30. Again, I explained that I was sorry for being late and at this point I was getting extremely upset and red and embarassed. It turns out he had a 2nd client booked at 5 and the salon closes at 7. He’s not left enough time.

The stylist then reluctantly tells me he will do some minimal ‘scatter’ highlights if that makes me ‘happy’ and that will be it.

Before I can answer he’s sectioning out my hair - no prior consultation to ask me what I’m looking for - and proceeded to start putting the bleach on. This literally happened in the blink of an eye. I had no time to react and didn’t even have a gown on at this stage.

Fast forward and he’s added some random highlights to diferent sections of my hair, and it’s left on for 35 minutes, before being washed out.

When washed out by the assistant, the stylist was asked if he wanted to check the highlights. The stylist then proceeded to come over and say they’re fine without even really looking, and when the assistant asked which toner they wanted to use, the stylist said none - my hair doesn’t ‘need’ it.

I’ve been blonde all my life and NEVER have I ever had highlights without a toner.

When I was back in the chair and my hair was being dried, the stylist didn’t speak to me.

Once dry he told me I’m done. The other member of staff then came and looked, signed off his work and I was told I’m finished and can leave. I’ve never felt so rushed and unwelcome in my entire life. I know this was a free appointment but I’ve left feeling even worse about my hair than I did going in.

Girls - what do I do? My highlights are uneven, chunky in parts and thin in others, some start up higher on my root than others, and they’re so brassy they look yellow.

Please give me some advice? I feel like I don’t have grounds to complain but I also feel humiliated and disrespected and like I was an inconvenience for helping the stylist out on their assignment.

I wouldn’t want anybody else going through this. I’m so upset I’m in tears.

I’ve tried to take a photo as clear as I can, and to be honest the photo doesn’t even do it justice, it’s so yellow and awful. The blonde is so yellow and it’s making my hair even look oily?

I don’t want to cause an issue as I don’t want to cost this stylist their potential job - but at the same time I’m really disappointed with the outcome. It’s only since I got home that I’ve noticed how bad it is! In the salon the lighting was very low and moody and it didn’t show so much.

AIBU? My hair is awful! What do I do?! Pics included….

OP posts:

Yourcatisnotsorry · 07/09/2025 08:48

If you can afford £50 on a 20 minute taxi rather than walk/get public transport it would be better to use that money towards a paid service in future. A model appointment is usually for the stylist to demonstrate something, it’s not for you to choose what you want so ‘what you normally get’ is irrelevant. If they are being assessed they aren’t necessarily going to chat with you like a normal client. You aren’t a normal client you are a freebie they’ll likely never see again. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. From the photos it looks fine and you can change your parting for a few weeks if you don’t want them so obvious.

Alexandrine · 06/09/2025 23:39

YANBU to leave a factual review complaining about the rudeness/brusqueness of the stylist if it would make you feel better. It’s reasonable to let people know about that, as having a personable hairdresser is important for many people. You were only just over 5 mins late, it happens and you apologised, there was no need for the bad attitude from them.

But YABU imo to complain about the actual work they did since it was free and you didn’t complain about it at the time. If you’d paid, I’d have suggested you went back to ask for a toner since the result wasn’t what you expected, but that might be a bit unreasonable now for a freebie.

It doesn’t look like they have damaged your hair or caused any real issues, it just looks more amateur than expected for a supposedly senior stylist - maybe a bit stripey and perhaps too warm/too much contrast with your natural colour imo but nothing that you don’t see everyday with a lot of people’s hair (so nothing to be embarrassed about imo).

You are right that a darker, cooler toner applied afterwards would likely have made a big difference, so I’d really try to let the negative experience go now and just accept that you’ll have to buy and apply one for yourself. It’s a pain but you’ve still saved a lot of money overall, bearing in mind the typical cost of highlights. And obviously a strong purple shampoo will help as well once the toner wears off.

Original poster

forgoodnesssakee · 06/09/2025 23:09

Fiddy1964 · 05/09/2025 20:25

So if your not in the UK, how come you posted that the taxi cost you £52?

Show quote history

Because I’m British and the majority of people on here are also - hence the automatic conversation to a currency the majority will be familiar with.

OP posts:

EmeraldShamrock000 · 06/09/2025 09:58

It is a chunkier highlight.
I only have a toner if I'm going for a specific blonde, it's not something they would throw in on a free trial.
Ring them back.
The horrible experience was avoidable, if you had arrived earlier.
I don't understand why you would pay £52 for a taxi for a free hairstyle.
There's no such thing as a free ride.

Lighteningstrikes · 06/09/2025 09:49

I think it looks really nice.

cakedup · 06/09/2025 09:45

Oakcupboard · 06/09/2025 02:17

My understanding is that if the appointment is free it will in the style of what the hairdresser chooses - perhaps he had a selection of looks to do for the trade test

A selection of looks? I'd love to know what 'look' this was. "Madam, can I interest you in the Amateur Shit Outdated option?"

GloryFades · 06/09/2025 09:27

I don’t understand why you don’t want him to lose the job. The point of the trial was to see if he was good enough, and he’s not. I doubt the salon want to hire a rude stylist who also is going to leave customers unhappy with their hair. That’ll cost them a fortune. So I don’t understand the logic that you’re okay to screw over the salon and future customers just so some guy gets a job that he’s terrible at?

Thalia31 · 06/09/2025 09:17

You could have spoken up when the assistant asked. In fact you could have spoken up many times, but you choose not to. The pic looks fine and far from uneven, go buy some purple shampoo

carchi · 06/09/2025 08:51

diddl · 04/09/2025 18:31

So the point of the appointment is for the stylist to show what he can do so that he gets a job?

And the person he wants to work for was there witnessing his rudeness & work or have I misunderstood?

Exactly and the fact that he booked one client in for 4.30 doing highlights and another for 5pm so just half an hour between is ridiculous or he made a mistake. Clearly he saw a way out by refusing to do you by using your six minutes late as an excuse. And then lied about the appointment time. Definitely wouldn't want a hairdresser like that.

VK456 · 06/09/2025 07:58

I thought £52 sounded a lot for your taxi journey - the currency conversion explains it!

LalaPaloosa2024 · 06/09/2025 04:16

forgoodnesssakee · 04/09/2025 18:08

Thanks all.

I agree it was a free service so I’m torn as to how much I can ask for really (in terms of quality I mean) although he did come highly recommended.

I feel mostly upset about the horrible experience. I did try my absolute best to get there on time but the traffic was horendous. A 20 minute journey took way, way longer than it should have but I kept him informed the entire time .

He bullied you and did a terrible job, maybe on purpose. Why are you tolerating this? I’d make a formal complaint and leave a bad review. This stylist needs the feedback.

Firethehorse · 06/09/2025 04:00

Just go somewhere else and pay to have it corrected and a toner applied. The stylist sounds awful - he was rude and showed he was prepared to lie as well as not being good at his job. If the salon does employe him it’s not one I would ever want to return to anyway. Sorry you had this experience

KTheGrey · 06/09/2025 03:27

Sounds like a nightmare way to get your hair done, with assistants and hustle immediately you’re through the door.

I would write and let the manager/employer know that I was distressed by the experience and will not be back. Detail the lack of courtesy.

Doesn’t sound like a reputable salon and I would point that out.

Then leave a review online. People should not feel hassled by a trip to the hairdresser, half the job is making the customer feel good.

Oakcupboard · 06/09/2025 02:17

My understanding is that if the appointment is free it will in the style of what the hairdresser chooses - perhaps he had a selection of looks to do for the trade test

PiggyPigalle · 06/09/2025 02:07

forgoodnesssakee · 04/09/2025 18:01

For starters I don’t live in the UK, so the way things are ran here are very different. It’s all about efficiency.

they have 2-3 helpers per stylist. The bleach was mixed, the foils were done - there was honestly a blink of an eye before the hair was getting sectioned by one lady and the stylist was applying bleach.

I dont want to be responsible for somebody potentially losing a job position, but I am really gutted with how it looks. It looks very chunky and uneven and not at all what I normally get.. Please also bear in mind that this is not a new or amateur stylist he has been doing hair for over 12 years in another salon.

How is anyone in the UK to know the rules there, you should have said in your OP it's abroad.
In the UK it's known as being a model. It's either for training nights, stylist's portfolio or interviews, portfolio and interviews the stylist/colourist would normally supply their own.

Models for training go for a free hair session, not to help the stylist as you stated.
It's incredibly difficult getting models with good reason, as they don't get much say in what they want.

Dancingspleen1 · 06/09/2025 01:31

Considering this was a trial session for him to demonstrate his skills, which as a hairdresser includes his customer service skills I would definitely complain. He was very rude and even if you were late it was only 6 mins and he handled it badly. If you don't speak up you'll regret it. If you don't get an apology for his bad attitude leave an honest review.

pollymere · 06/09/2025 01:18

I'd be ringing the salon and providing pictures of what your hair usually looks like. Don't feel bad — you wouldn't want anyone else to go through that.

They lied and said you were over half an hour late when you'd been polite enough to let them know you might be five minutes late. If it's an issue, my salon texts back saying they won't be able to fit me in. If your appointment was 4pm... They could have texted you that at 4.05 when you contacted them!

They then proceeded to do what they heck they liked with your hair and failed to use toner. Do you really want this person employed here?

SkaneTos · 05/09/2025 22:26

I think your hair looks all right, but I don't know much about highlights or hair dye.

But the stylist treated you horribly! That was not OK at all!

HatandCoat · 05/09/2025 22:17

It was a free of charge ‘model’ appointment for the hairstylist...

I think YABU to expect it to look the way it normally does with your usual stylist. Why would you expect the same service for free?

OnePearlOtter · 05/09/2025 20:55

As a hairstylist and salon owner for many years ,I thinkthat the customer service is lacking here. If you had an appointment card with 4.30 on then they should have given you the benefit of the doubt. He should not have done anything without a basic consultation. The foils look a little bit stripey which is due to his placement of the foils. If you are used to having a toner (maybe to tone the yellow and make it more ashey) then that is why it looks to yellow to you. Go back and explain that you are not happy. If he was on trial for a job, I wouldn't be employing him and a prospective employer would want to know about this. They could blend your highlights a bit more and tone your hair, after a thorough consultation.