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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Beauty salon.. AIBU?

42 replies

Greenleafer19 · 21/04/2019 23:35

Hi all,
Wouldn't usually post this kinda thing here but I have a text waiting for a response from me and I'm not sure how I feel about this.... Sorry if this is confusing..

About 6 weeks ago I went to a salon as a new customer for a set of semi permanent eyelashes (not strip, the individual ones) which were £75 for a full set. Had them done, all lovely very pleased. Went back there for nails, hair etc as nice people, nice salon.

Anyway, about 2 and a bit weeks later I needed a lash top up (was aware of this, usually require a top up every 2-3 weeks price starts at £35 for a top up). Appt made, turned up on the day, the technician wasnt there, 15mins after my appt time the salon owner called the technician, there was a mix up, the technician thought my appt was half hour later than time agreed.. No problem I waited.. Another 30 mins, no show. Salon owner and lash technician having a massive row over WhatsApp as this isn't the first time she's done this and then suddenly lash tech is no longer coming.... At all. By this point I'd been waiting an hour and 20mins. I had a few parties, birthdays etc, I really wanted my lashes done! Salon owner ended up sacking the technician as bad attitude, rude to her etc... . Anyways as there was no other lash tech there, the salon owner said it'd be another few days before I could get them done as she needed to find a new tech. For my inconvenience and time wasted she said I could have a full new set for the price of just a top up (£35-£40) as the new person won't want to work on the previous tech's work and by that time (nearly 4weeks since original set put in) most of my lashes would've come out so I'd need a new set anyway. I agreed but annoyed as I had a few nights out planned and I'd taken annual leave from work to attend this appt around flaky technician. I ended up wearing fake strip lashes to my parties as more of my individual lashes were falling out over the following 7 days as I knew they would.

I did try and book at another salon but couldn't get an appt around my work schedule.

Anyways 7 days later all was arranged for me to go back for my new lashes with a new tech. By then, literally all my lashes had come out (obviously me wearing strip lashes to hide the patches added to my loss of lashes) as it was now 4weeks later since new ones put in.. I turned up to the salon, there was a new lash tech, on time, very good. As I had worn some strip lashes 2 days before I had some glue still stuck to the roots so the new tech had to spend 20mins getting the glue out and removing the old lashes (the old tech had put in) , before putting a new set in. The first time I had them done with old tech it was about 2 hours, but this time it was 1 hour and 10 mins..... It was then time to pay. I took £50 with me as I was expecting it to be about £45 max (as remember... salon owner said I could have a new set for the price of a top up) and £5 tip for the technician. Anyways infront of me the salon owner started saying to the new tech all awkwardly 'I'm not sure what to charge her, I promised her just a top up price but you still need to get your money' to which the new tech said 'well my time is money, I've spent ages getting the glue off, that's got to be covered extra on top..', 'All your lashes had come out so you'd have to of had a completely new set anyway' etc etc.. Salon owner was coming out with numbers and new tech shuttin her down addin extra money on at every opportunity.. I could see how this was going, tad annoyed as I felt the owner should've told the tech the situation and not had that Convo infront of me plus taken into account none of the above was my fault. She then said the price was £65, I was getting a new set £10 cheaper than the usual salon price (£75) but had been promised a top up price of £35-£45 and I didn't bring enough cash with me so I said to the salon owner 'when I came for my appt where I was let down I was coming for a little top up cos that's all I needed, but where its now been left another week, more lashes have come out' to which the owner said 'but you have worn strip lashes so more of the individual lashes have fallen out so it's a bigger job' and I replied 'I only put the strip lashes on because I had no other choice, had I not been let down last week I would've had my top up and wouldn't have been patchy and wouldn't of needed to wear strip lashes'... The new tech was getting quite attitudey at this point, goin on about her time, her work etc. Anyways I went cash point and gave her the full price. New tech wasn't happy at all that I got £10 off for a new set but I felt I'd been turned over anyway as that wasn't what I was promised. I totally get its nothing to do with the new tech, it's not her fault what the old tech did however I think the salon owner should've been the one at a loss here, not the new tech. I think there shouldn't of been this 'I'm not sure what to charge her' infront of me, salon owner was clearly walkin on egg shells with the new tech and I don't think they'd had a conversation about this previously. Convo carried on with Lots of new tech saying 'my time is money' to me when I don't feel she should've been involved in this Convo plus what about my time? The wasted time of nearly an hour and a half and my wasted annual leave for the previous appt cos that's all salon owner could offer me? It just didn't seem they were bothered about customer service at all.

Anyways its now been 2weeks since my new set and I'm due a top up. In all honesty I was really put off going back after that so plan on going elsewhere from now on HOWEVER the salon owner has text me to tell me I'm due a top up and when would I like to come in...bit taken aback... I'm half tempted to tell her I'm not comin back and the reason why but then I think to ignore it.
Or should I tell her? She's only 22, running this business alone, with what seems flaky staff. I would've been spending a good bit of money in there for other things but I felt the situation was handled very wrong and unprofessionally, I'd rather take my custom elsewhere.

Am I being unreasonable to reply or should I leave it and ignore the text? (Trivial I know)

OP posts:
Bambamber · 21/04/2019 23:40

I would text her and let her know you won't be going back and the reason why

LadyMinerva · 21/04/2019 23:41

Ignore. Was probably an automatic message sent by the system anyway. Chances are she has forgotten all about you. If not, she will figure out pretty quickly why you haven't gone back.

PinkiOcelot · 21/04/2019 23:42

I would reply, telling her exactly why you’re going elsewhere. She didn’t keep her side of the bargain and you’re out of pocket, in AL and money.

Original poster
Greenleafer19 · 21/04/2019 23:42

Definitely not an automated message, it's her personal number via whatsapp

OP posts:
OwlinaTree · 21/04/2019 23:45

The salon owner should have paid the tech the difference. She's lost you as a customer by the sounds of it. Ignore the test and find another salon.

PineapplePatty · 21/04/2019 23:46

Just reply and say you feel you shouldn't have had to pay almost full price last time so won't be returning.

lewk · 21/04/2019 23:49

Definitely reply and explain (nicely!) why you're not going back. Really awkward but might actually do the owner a favour in the long run.

aibutohavethisusername · 21/04/2019 23:50

£75 on eyelashes???

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 21/04/2019 23:53

As a salon owner myself I don’t think you’ve had the best customer experience at all providing everything you say is accurate.

She should have honoured her offer.

They also behaved unprofessionally in front of you.

Take your custom elsewhere!

Chilledout11 · 21/04/2019 23:55

That's a really crazy amount for eyelashes!!! But your money to spend.
No way would I go back. Just ignore message or message back with the unprofessional manner in which all this happened - your time and listening to arguments etc

Etino · 21/04/2019 23:57

Text back, ‘I won’t be coming back, I felt uncomfortable at the last 2 visits and ended up paying more than I expected. I wish you well- it’s hard managing contractors.’
Also. WHATTHEACTUALFUCK
£75! to have someone poke at your eyes for 2 hours.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 21/04/2019 23:58

Chilledout11 £75 is really not a crazy amount for lashes. It takes a lot of skill and time to apply a good set of lashes. They are a luxury treatment and when it comes to your eyes, you really don’t want an unskilled person with two very sharp tweezers near them!

Sparklesocks · 21/04/2019 23:58

Really unprofessional for them to have not agreed the price with each other before your appointment, and then to awkwardly go back and forth in front of you.
I would go elsewhere in future.

lazyspoon · 21/04/2019 23:59

I'd reply and explain that you won't be returning and the reason why. They've acted unprofessional!

itsbetterthanabox · 22/04/2019 00:00

So she's got self employed lash techs in? But is organising their appointments and trying to decide prices. That's not how self employment works and she's not doing it right.
The salon owner shouldn't have offered you money (if the lash tech self employed) but as she did she should have paid the difference to the new lash tech herself not expected her to charge less.
If you are happy with the work then just continue from there and organise it all with the lash tech direct.

Original poster
Greenleafer19 · 22/04/2019 00:11

Thanks all 👍

OP posts:
Grumpelstilskin · 22/04/2019 00:12

You can get really good professional lashes on Groupon for less than half that amount. I've always had very good experiences but tend to only do it for special occasions or during the summer for festival season etc.

Purpleartichoke · 22/04/2019 01:23

I would text the owner and let her know why you won’t be back. If she offered you a discount larger than her cut, she should have covered the difference. Most importantly, the argument between owner and tech should have been private.

MitziTheTabbyIsMyOverlord · 22/04/2019 01:32

I'm sure you're beautiful, OP, without needing to spend ridiculous amounts of money to make yourself look like something other than you actually are.

But if this is something you want to do, then you need to be happy with it.

Candymay · 22/04/2019 04:56

Definitely text or call the owner to tell her you won’t be back and why. The eyelash tech is self employed so the salon owner would need to negotiate and cover the cost of your discount herself.

Your time is money too. I ran beauty business. If this had happened at my salon I would have given you your other treatments free of charge. So for example free manicure and whatever other treatments I could cover that would make up for your lost two hours and your patience. If you give away something that a freelancer does then that’s ok too but the salon owner pays the freelancer. For example- the freelancer will be either paying for the room or giving the salon owner a percentage of earnings. That’s the bit of money that the salon owner can give you as a discount. But none of that is for you to worry about.

Find another good salon and spend your money there! Good luck.

k1233 · 22/04/2019 05:16

Text back saying she has lost your business. After the messing around with your top up appointment, loss of your annual leave due to technician not showing, you were willing to give her another chance after her offer of a new set at top up price. However, AFTER the new set was applied, she renegged on her offer and expected you to pay near full price. That is not acceptable to you and you will be taking your business to someone who respects their clients.

ilikebeckerinmyoldage · 22/04/2019 05:43

I wouldn't go back and I'd leave a review about how unprofessional the experience has been from start to finish.

CalmdownJanet · 22/04/2019 06:57

I honestly can't believe you (1) went back after waiting for so long when someone no showed but (2) Did just put the £50 on the counter and say "Honestly this is outrageous, you can sort this amongst yourselves but I am paying the agreed price not a penny more" and left!

Text her and say "You must be joking Sharon, after the last two times? No way, your customer service is atrocious, I definitely will never be back.

BeanBag7 · 22/04/2019 08:01

The salon owner should have thought about this before offering you the discount. She should take the hit from you having a discount, that's part of business ownership.

I wouldn't have just paid the extra. I would have given them £40 and said "this is what I was quoted. I wont be paying more after such bad customer service both times." What would they do - take you to court over £25? They might refuse to offer you service in future but that's doing you a favour by the sounds of it!

I would definitely tell her that you will not be returning and why. "I had a poor service on X date and was offered a discount. When I returned you cancelled the discount without letting me know in advance. I will not be returning"

QuickThinkOfAName · 22/04/2019 08:35

I would reply stating why you wouldn’t go back. Plus I would leave a factual review of what happened on any website.

She handled this atrociously.
It’s not her fault the first technician was shit but everything after that she should have handled better.