Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Tony & guy

74 replies

LoveScarlet64 · 19/08/2016 10:47

My partner kindly offered to treat me to a new haircut and we decided to go to Toni & Guy. I told them I wanted something different, change in style suggestions I have nice brown hair,keep the length don't cut short. I also asked for highlights sort of a light brown I liked Chrissy's hair from Emmerdale. I showed them a pic of a balayage also in a magazine It looked lovely. They told me the highlights I wanted would not suit me and I didn't want to have that but they suggested the balayage would be better, with the cut it would cost £120 !! I told them I was going on holiday in a couple days for two weeks and would it not affect it, change it. They said it would a bit but be fine. I was very uncertain plus why would I pay all that money for it to look different after holiday. I dithered as I was uncertain. With them being a top hairdresser they should have been advising me to wait till after holiday for colour surely? I said I would come back after for colour and they just looked hacked off tbh. They suggested with a bit of an attitude that I just have the darker permanent colour and have the balayagebalayage after holiday it would only cost a small amount after, twenty something pounds she said. I said I didn't want a permanent colour so she looked hacked off and said we'll do you a semi permanent. They were really pushing it. I reluctantly agreed and they washed my hair. The male director stylist cut it in about six minutes without seeming to take much care. I said I wanted straight sharp edges on the ends but he said a layer would be better so put a shorter layer in near bottom. Then they put colour on and coloured it. When was dry I noticed it quite red need roots and panicked. They said it was just a hint on crown, rest hair was just a slightly darker shade than my original colour sad I asked them to curl it, she used tongs and put a few big wave curls in it, not curls like photo I showed. It looked quite nice so I paid £ 100 and £19 for special colour hair conditioner to protect it and left. Within ten minutes the waves had dropped out so I went back in. They did it again put more spray on. By time I had driven home it had started to go flat again. I've been on holiday for two weeks. I used expensive shampoo and the conditioner and looked after it. I'm home now, a week later I've been fretting and moaning cos the colour has practically gone. My style looks messy and untidy all the time with the layers. After I've dried it it looks dry and not in nice condition, I have to straighten it to make look decent and shiny. I rang them about the balayagebalayage out of curiosity to be told that would cost another £50-£70 even though I told her colourist said £20+ pounds. Plus she said the had only put a tint in and not a semi permanent! I I have not booked again and told her that was not what I was quoted. I feel ripped off and not listened to. I don't want them going near my hair again I don't trust them and don't like the salon attitude. It's cost me £120 in total and feel bad cos my partner paid for it and I feel it looks untidy, now practically back to my original colour. I'm scared to ring up and complain. sad it's not what I asked for and I feel it looks crap. It was meant to be a treat and feel pampered yet it was quite stressful. Upset. Angry. Don't go T'&G.

OP posts:
SheHasAWildHeart · 19/08/2016 11:40

& my balayage is still looking good a year later.

GingerbreadGingerbread · 19/08/2016 11:41

If you didn't want the colour to fade you should have had permanent so YABU about that but I agree with you generally about Toni and Guy I've never had anything good in there and the staff make me feel very uncomfortable indeed.

DiptyqueandDiamonds · 19/08/2016 11:41

I tried to be loyal to T&G but they changed my regular stylist three times without telling me. I arrived for the appointment and was just told the person I usually had no longer worked there. Interestingly, the new person was always the next level up. I ended up with a Director, who was perfectly fine, but for £80 plus I expect more than 'fine'.
I just eventually stopped going. The place was also jam packed though, so they must do something right.

StillSmallVoice · 19/08/2016 11:41

Same as everyone else's experience here. If you know someone who's hair always looks well cut and coloured ask them where they went and who did it and give that person a go.

Goingtobeawesome · 19/08/2016 11:43

I've been to two different Toni and Guy's.

Never again.

eyebrowsonfleek · 19/08/2016 11:46

If you're on FB ask on your local trading site for recommendations. When this happens on mine, self-employed and mobile hairdressers are more frequently recommended and they are cheaper than shops- especially chains like T&G.

danTDM · 19/08/2016 11:46

MrsGsnow is spot on with her points although I am so sorry you had this experience. I hate going to the hairdresser.

You need to be firm with what you want.

I don't know, I have used Toni and Guy and it is true their training is only 6 weeks, I always, always ask/insist/pay for the top colourist/stylist whatever and never pay for blowdry (after all it should be manageable myself) so I save 40 quid on that waste of time and pay more for the colour or cut. That seems to work well for me, although it is hit and miss.

Rubies12345 · 19/08/2016 11:46

Don't buy that special conditioner that they try to sell you. You can get deep conditioner from a shop and leave it on in your house if you want.

Enkopkaffetak · 19/08/2016 11:49

T& G like any other hairdresser depends on the person who is cutting your hair. Some you get on with others not.

Personally I do not think £120 for a cut/restyle and colour is a lot of money. However I agree with others who have said a restyle at first trip to a saloon is not a good idea.

Look around at friends and acquaintances and ask those who have a nie haircut who they use. Then once you hear a few name same saloon go there, However having said that I use 1 particular saloon in my home town as does 3 of my friends we all love him. 2 other friends hate him. So sometimes it is about finding the stylist who suits you.

Aeroflotgirl · 19/08/2016 11:50

That is why I stick to my wonderful mobile hairdresser like glue. She works in a salon and also does mobile. She is lovely, I have never had a bad cut from her, she advised me to wait until after my holiday before dying my hair. Always listens to what I want. She charges £15 for cut and blow dry😄😄😄

pigsDOfly · 19/08/2016 11:51

Another one who gave up with T&G. Nowhere near being a top hairdressers, they are a bog standard chain that relies on the fact that their name is well known, which it would be because they've got a branch in every high street.

They have a style of the week that everyone gets regardless of they type of hair. Awful place.

Trenzalor · 19/08/2016 11:59

Yup, went once. Never again. Hideous cut that took ages to grow out. The stylist based it on a men's cut. I then went to a very nice independent salon where the man took one look at me and said: "Toni and Guy?" He apparently used to retrain their trainers and didn't hold them in very high opinion.

davos · 19/08/2016 12:05

I don't rate Toni and guy at all.

However, this sounds like a mix of both you and them.

You wanted a new style, but no loose length. Apart from layers there isn't much they can do.

Going on holiday does change you hair colour a bit. They aren't going to advise waiting until you come back because they are a business and because tons of people have their hair coloured before a holiday. A holiday is no reason to not do it.

They gave their advice and you went along With it. You seem to be annoyed at advice they did give and annoyed they didn't give you different advice. Their advice is their advice. It's an opinion not a fact.

If you want a colour to last, it needs to be permanent. Not semi. It wouldn't have lasted. Even permanent colour fades.

As for the cost, it may cost an extra £20 for the service you wanted. If you are adding it on to an appointment. But will cost more if you are just having that done. You are paying for time more than anything.

I am sorry you had a crap experience and, as I said, I don't rate them. I don't think you for great service, but I do think you are partly responsible as well.

AlMinzerAndHisPyramidOfDogs · 19/08/2016 12:15

I know someone who used to work for Toni & Guy. Even she said they should be given a wide berth.

exWifebeginsat40 · 19/08/2016 12:22

I've never forgiven Toni and Guy for a terrible haircut they gave me many years ago. I had long hair and wanted something shorter and choppy. I must have said 'not a bob, I really don't want a bob' about five times.

I ended up with a fucking bob. haircutting pricks.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 19/08/2016 12:23

I don't follow all you're saying about the details of the cut, but agree with a PP that Tony and Guy are generally awful, and the one in Cambridge is appalling! I got a terrible cut (an asymmetric fringe that was a bugger to grow out, when I had repeatedly asked them not to do that, and they have no idea how to cut wavy hair). Went back a few years later, stupidly, and the hairdresser spent the entire time moaning at me about how short haircuts are not attractive, how men don't like them, and how she'd 'soften' it a bit (ie., not bother to cut ...). In the end it didn't even look as if she'd cut it, as I was worn down by constantly asking her to actually do her job.

KatsutheClockworkOctopus · 19/08/2016 12:26

I used to go to T&G. I found them generally fine, but quality and service varied greatly depending on who cut/coloured my hair.

I persevered but gave up when I had a colour last year and they charged for the blow dry in addition to the extortionate amount I paid for the colour.

During this (surprisingly pricey) blowdry they also burned my scalp with the dryer. It was fine quite quickly, but later I lost a patch of hair in that spot which I am pretty sure was a result of the burn, though obviously can't prove it.

Good news is my hair is now back, and I use a fab, very gentle mobile hairdresser who only charges 20 quid for DS and me. Smile

laloue · 19/08/2016 12:26

My hairdresser of 20 years went for an interview there. She was told the client must leave with one of their current season styles. When she challenged them with"but what if it doesn't suit them?", the reply was , basically, "tough". Thankfully she didn't join them.

Aeroflotgirl · 19/08/2016 13:07

laloue 😡😡😡😡😡 that is shocking, considering also people are paying for this, so should have a say in what they want. Customer service is not their forte.

Lettystotoe · 19/08/2016 13:14

I go to Toni and Guy to their model school only. It costs me £20 for half head highlights with a well supervised trainee. I have always been really happy with the results (and the price) and do feel their training scheme is excellent from what I've seen.

BikeRunSki · 19/08/2016 13:20

About 20 years ago T&g in Newcastle, Leeds and Epsom looked at me and said "We don't do curly hair". Sounds like I got off lightly.

choccywoccywoowah · 19/08/2016 13:28

Lottie - it's clearly your issue then, as everyone else is able to read it.

Queenbean · 19/08/2016 13:34

Toni and Guy is crap

But paying £120 for cut and colour is pretty cheap. You get what you pay for. If you want good colour you have to go somewhere better.

badtime · 19/08/2016 13:36

I used to go to the Toni & Guy academy to get my hair cut for a fiver, but I wouldn't pay full whack for it. I did have some spectacular cuts there, though.

HereIAm20 · 19/08/2016 14:30

Chrissy from Emmerdale has a bob. Is that what you wanted? Never heard if a balayagebalayage. Do you hsve the pic you showed?

Swipe left for the next trending thread