To have been annoyed in the hairdressers?

[LargeGlassOfPepsi]

I had a hair appointment today. I turned up at 12 really looking forward to having my hair done and reading while my colour was put on. My hair takes 4 hours to do and I enjoy having a few coffees, reading and chatting to the hairdresser. I turned up and noticed the pram then the toddler running around while the hairdressers were trying their best to dodge her.

After being sat next to the parent I asked to be moved to another chair. The baby was 5 months old (mum repeated this numerous times), then there was the "Do you need your lunch, can you remove my gown otherwise he'll suffocate when I feed him and we don't want that do we?" "Oh look here's Sophie giraffe" then fucking Sophie giraffe was squeaked."My nipples must be elastic as you're just chewing on them." Then to the toddler "oh look at what that lady is having done, look over there that lady is having her hair washed, oh look that lady is having purple in her hair"

She was there 3 and a half hours. The above went on for the whole time mum was there then a hairdresser was asked to hold the baby while she had her hair rinsed.

I appreciate people need their hair done but FFS some of us want to relax and have our hair done in peace.

What a load of tosh

I don't want to fiddle with home efforts my appointments for my full roots and foils are 3 hours, with my blow dry etc. I have a chill out, luckily salon owner wouldn't tolerate ankle biters everywhere.

Neither would the clients

If you moisturise, put face mask etc have a beauty routine at home it takes no longer than that. It is no fiddling at all, those who say that simply have never tried it.

I disagree with DC in the hairdressers as it can be dangerous all the chemicals, scissors, hair straighteners.

Our local salon has a no DC rule, it is both hair and beauty with candles and hot wax do not mix with DC.

I think the salon need to make a notice up, no unsupervised children in the salon. Wandering toddlers are not good from a safety point of view never mind for everyone else involved! They should check with any parents that are arriving with kids in tow and say, "Is someone else coming to watch your tot while your hair is cut? If not we will have to reschedule due to health and safety."

When I've had no childcare and/or a toddler I've had a mobile hairdresser come to the house. Some people are so bloody self centred!

Even a non mobile baby in a salon is a bit much for me. I pay to go to the hairdressers for a bit of peace and pampering not to hear infant crying, and a running commentary about Sophie giraffe and mum's nipples. Again either get a sitter or get a mobile hairdresser.

I actually love kids. I have my own, I've been a single mum with no childcare, and I've worked with ages 0-5 all my adult life. It's not that I dislike kids, I just think people should think of others in this sort of situation instead of assuming everyone will think their child toddling about around hair straighteners, scissors, hot drinks, and people trying to relax or work is a sensible idea.

OP YANBU. Personally I'd be calling or messaging the hairdressers and asking them what their policy is on kids in the salon, and if it will be changed/updated/how it will be enforced. I wonder what would happen in this situation if the child had been cut or burned, or another customer left rather than stayed for their appointment.

Those saying maybe her childcare let her down, then that is when you call to apologise and reschedule your appointment. It may also need to be rescheduled due to illness, accident, etc - these things happen. Personally I'd be calling the salon to cancel/rearrange rather than rock up for a 3hr+ appointment with a baby and a toddler in tow and no one to watch them.

I think banning children from salons would be rather difficult to implement in practice, unless you stipulate that if they are not getting a haircut then they can't be there. Certainly though the hairdressers should make a point of prompting the parent about their child, saying things like "I'm using very strong chemicals here, just if you could, make sure your child doesn't get in the way" or something similar. It shouldn't be the hairdresser's job to draw the parent's attention to the child, but if I were a hairdresser I would not hesitate to tell the parent that their child is getting in the way. It seems in OP's case the hairdresser just let it happen, I can understand not wanting to upset customers, but still, it's the principle of the thing.

@SalemBlackCat

Do be quiet!

The same as at home? As if!!

At home you're trying to sort it yourself while doing dinner and every other thing going.

I like paying for someone else to do it. My stylist is skilful and she makes my hair and the other clients look healthy and cares for. They also know how to colour in various tones, not just one colour from a box that looks unnatural.

Don't put down their skills by saying "it's the same as the home stuff". They work hard to learn about mixing chemicals and getting the right tones. They work with multiple colours not just one.

Children unless having their haircut or a treatment just shouldn't be there. Either reschedule or use a mobile hairdresser if you don't have childcare.

@Thesnobbymiddleclassone So be quiet yourself!! No, you don't need to do dinner at the same time, unless it is in that 45 minute period when the colour is setting. Colour in various tones. Lol, what carry on! I've always had my colour look natural, and it came from a box. I see people that waste money on getting their hair dyed, and theirs look less natural. Multi-colours? Unless you intend to have hair like bozo the clown or or rainbow graduated hair (the latter which is a style which admittedly only a hairdresser would be able to do properly). It is not difficult at all! And it is better than sitting in a hairdresser's chair for 3 to 4 hours! Beep that for a joke - did it with my perms, been there, done that. The sitting for so long was the worst part. At least at home you can actually move around. Go to the fridge. Sit at the computer. You can DO things in the setting time. Not just sitting in one spot for 4 hours, doing nothing but sitting. And waiting.

salem I’m genuinely interested how you would put three different colour streaks in my long hair by putting it in ponytails. How would you stop the colours touching each other? I’m sure my hairdresser would love to know, she would save a fortune in foil!

I’m very much aware I could buy some tin foil and four different hair dyes and a couple of bowls and paintbrushes and get a friend to lob it on at home but that would cost almost as much as I pay anyway and I prefer to get someone trained to do it properly so I can relax.....

@sprinklesandsauce I thought it was obvious I was talking about ordinary dying of hair, not multi-colours. Ie one colour. I don't know anyone who gets streaks any more, certainly not 3 different colours! I've never used foil for my hair, ever. Never needed to, as I don't want multi-coloured hair. Obviously if you were getting streaks and multi colours then a hairdresser would be best for that. I was talking about ordinary hair dying. Nothing elaborate like that.

@SalemBlackCat clearly never had ombré hair.

After a day at work why would I want to colour my own hair and as for doing it at the weekend then why would I waste my time faffing about with it when I have a fabulous salon a 3mjn drive away?

Clearly your happy with a box at home, some just aren't. You carry on with your box and I'll carry on visiting my peaceful salon and being pampered.

So you acknowledge a need for foils after all then. Your post attacking valerie and other hairdressers isn’t very nice.

Can’t you just accept not everyone wants to do a budget hair job at home? I don’t spend money on shoes or nails or clothes but I like to get my hair done a few times a year.

My hairdresser does a great job and I’ve been going there for 20 years now.

Did you read Valerie's post to me? It was attacking me and very hostile. I took effort not to respond in kind. And yes, foils only if you are getting multi-coloured hair. Most people don't do that though tbh.

As for the pp 'faffing around', if you've ever applied make up, face masks, exfoliated and then moisturised, it is less faffing around than that. There is nothing 'budget' about it, when the dye is almost the same product as what the hairdresser's use (yes, a friend once worked in distribution/sales of the products), just less faffing around doing massages and whatever else to justify keeping you there for 4 hours for a one hour job and getting a sore bum/DVT. It is the same product. You are paying 5 times the price and paying to get a sore/stiff bum from sitting for so long. But, hey, if you are happy to waste your money, go right ahead. Your choice. Just trying to give helpful advice, that's all. Do whatever you want. Shrugs. Sometimes it's like people don't want any hints on how to save money.

SalemBlackCat To be fair I'd much rather just have it done at the hairdresser. I like being there relaxing, I like having it all done without having to even think about it or worry about stains etc. I have no interest in learning to do it myself. Definitely too faffy for me!

I'm fairly sure lots and lots of people still have highlights (not really called 'streaks') with two or more colours - I'd hazard a guess it was one of the most popular things to go to a hairdresser for. Maybe that and covering greys with a root touch up. Equally there are many people happy to do their own colour at home with a box dye.

Horses for courses, innit.

SalemBlackCat looking around my office, almost every woman has multi tonal hair, whether it's highlights, balayage, or any number of rainbow iterations.

I also think how relaxing a hairdresser is is entirely dependent on the person and the salon. My salon isn't noisy (a series of small rooms/sections with only 2-3 people in each, classical music, stylists who are more than happy to leave you alone). It offers other manicures whilst your dye is setting - and if you don't fancy that, it has brilliant wifi so I can crack on with work/browsing online.

I'm more than happy to spend 3 hours there every 4 weeks, and my hair looks amazing as a result. I had a period when I had to box dye it (living overseas with poor hairdresser availability), and my hair looked monotone, obviously dyed and really shit. I look back at photos from that period and cringe. Compared to my swishy, glossy, natural looking hair now - box dye doesn't even vaguely compare.

Not just sitting in one spot for 4 hours, doing nothing but sitting.

My idea of bliss.

Indeed. Saving money is very much secondary in my life to saving stress and my sanity!

YANBU OP, I don't think anyone would have an issue with a mum coming in for a quick cut and blowdry, but a 3 hour appointment is honestly a bit much to expect a toddler to sit still for.

Salem. Best laugh I’ve had all day
Are you actually aware how many women have highlights in the world?
Are you seriously suggesting that they are wrong and should be having an all over due like you ?
People ring my salon and we book them in for what they ask for .

Mainly foil highlights . Same as all other salons.
You comments about us conning people are most amusing .
Do you think we hold a gun to people’s heads and make them ring us up ?

Just because you are happy with a cheap dye and no doubt a £10 haircut with no frills please don’t assume that you are right or that others are wrong.
It’s a free country .
We have a waiting list of people wanting to be “ ripped off “ by us every week
All very happy with their decision.
Oh, and lots of people love the head massage with their reclined chair and nice coffee on a tray and new magazines.

Quite irresponsible of the mother to bring a 5 month old and a toddler to such lengthy hair appointment.

I would be annoyed too if an appointment I was looking so forward too was ruined by some self entitled mother!

Really tricky situation to deal with and you did well not to snap at her!

Valerie - god yes to a good head massage!

I hear you OP, its not just the hair cut / colouring, its the me time , the relaxation, a treat and the experience was ruined.

I would imagine Salem has jet black from-a-box hair and thinks it looks 'natural'

OP I'm with you, that sounds horrendous. I hope the hairdressers act accordingly next time.

or you end up with an employer asking you why you cant look presentable

Bollocks. You can look perfectly presentable without 3.5 hour hairdesser appts.

I didn’t go to a hairdresser for 5 years. Guess what? My hair grew long, but didn’t turn into some sort of birds nest or unmanageable mess.

I managed to turn up at work perfectly presentable. Sleek buns, high ponytails and grown up braids are all perfectly acceptable work hairstyles.

My lack of hairdresser visits were never noticed, let alone commented on. I even managed to attend job interviews and secure promotions...