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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU re hairdresser

51 replies

bigbadbadger · 13/05/2019 14:50

AIBU to expect the colourist to dry my hair before I leave the salon?

I haven't much experience of what to expect so would appreciate advice. I booked highlights and a cut which are done by different stylists but when I arrived the colour had to be rescheduled as her car had broken down. I had the cut last week, and returned for the colour this morning.

She did a lovely job, washed it and then said 'there you go' and charged me. I asked if she was going to dry it and she said no she didn't do that. I was a bit taken aback as I was going straight to work and hadn't considered it wouldn't be dried so I asked to borrow a dryer and she was very short with me but did get out this huge very heavy hairdryer that I could barely hold due to arthritis in my shoulder - I use a travel drier at home. Eventually, after a few aborted attempts an elderly woman sat in the waiting area came and offered to help me which was so embarrassing I thanked her, made my excuses and left!

Would you have expected your hair to be dried? I am not going to make a big fuss, I just want to know the norm as it seemed odd to leave with wet hair.

Thank you

OP posts:
Original poster
bigbadbadger · 13/05/2019 15:32

Under the hand dryer in the toilet I should add!

OP posts:
catsmother · 13/05/2019 15:32

I have checked the website and it says
Cut and blowdry £56
Highlights - full head £86

The price list at my hairdresser is also in this format - but I have never left after colour of any description (roots, semi, highlights) without my hair being properly blow dried. Neither have I ever encountered that approach at any other salon - I think it's pretty implicit that colour treatment also includes the finish or else how would you see the result? And that's before you take into account that most people do not want to go about their business with wet hair - I look ridiculous with wet hair and would feel very self conscious. If such an expensive service does NOT include drying - like just about every other salon ever - this should be made explicitly clear beforehand.

I actually think that's pretty rude to refuse to dry your hair, and appalling customer service. You're supposed to leave a hairdressers feeling pampered and styled, not like you've just been caught in a downpour! Definitely complain, particularly because they'd already inconvenienced you. Awful.

costacoffeecup · 13/05/2019 15:36

I have to pay for the blow dry separately, it's been the same in the last few places I've used. They do rough dry it though (I don't bother to pay £30 for a blow dry if I'm just going home.)

LittleMy77 · 13/05/2019 15:37

Here in the US, your color doesn't include a blow-dry unless you pay extra for it! Shock you're allowed to use their hairdryers afterwards but I think its a bloody cheek

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 13/05/2019 15:38

YANBU.
This has happened to me at two different salons. I think it is a thing, but not a nice one.
Having had highlights, the appointment was too long for the cut too so I had to have cut the next day.
I was told that the "blow dry" would happen at the end of the cut and very briskly told that they wouldn't be drying my hair after the colour. I said I would pay extra for just a rough dry, not styling blow dry which they also refused...I never went back.. but it also happen again, and this time they gave me the hairdryer and I dried it.
I really feel with the prices they were charging for cut and highlights (over £100) that they could have spent 5 mins making sure I didn't leave with wet hair.

Nanny0gg · 13/05/2019 15:40

Highlights or colour should have included drying and styling

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 13/05/2019 15:40

I rarely have my hair dried at the salon, I prefer it to dry naturally as it's thick and curly and looks awful unless it's dried straight - I've cancelled an appointment because they wouldn't let me leave with it wet but still expected me to pay for the blow dry. However, in your case I would be pissed off!

weaseley · 13/05/2019 15:41

That's awful but has happened to me in the UK when I've booked budget hair services. Your pricing doesn't seem low to me and I'd definitely expect it dried! I live in CA now and the thought of them not drying it is bonkers! They're supposed to make me want to come back! Even the little home salon in a basement I've been to finished it properly at no extra charge.

Andylion · 13/05/2019 15:41

Cut and blowdry £56
Highlights - full head £86

So, if your original, full, appointment had taken place, you would have come out with cut, highlighted and blow-dried hair? As it was her *fault, she should have dried your hair.

*I realize that it was not the colourist's fault that her car broke down either, but it was still down to her to make it up to the OP for the inconvenience.

Original poster
bigbadbadger · 13/05/2019 15:43

I didn't know there were different types of drying. My hair is just long and wavy so a 'rough dry' would be more than adequate. It seems this does happen, but is considered poor service. The hairdressers is too expensive for me anyway, I have stuck with it for years as they were a client but I will look else where now. Thanks

OP posts:
GarnierBBCream · 13/05/2019 15:44

I wouldn't go back. I'd also leave them a bad review. They were fucking rude. Like I said, I don't know how most of them stay in business because they rip people off so bad.

Belenus · 13/05/2019 15:54

Given that they messed up your initial appointment, I'd be annoyed. But a dry isn't standard and I do sometimes leave salons with wet hair. My hair is curly and can become very dry. I never blow dry it as it would simply be a total frizzy mess, even with a diffuser. I specify when I book that I would like to sit under heat lamps, as it's the best way to get it dry. However, good stylists who know what they're doing do not attempt to get my hair completely dry before I leave. It would look awful and doesn't do it any good.

I mention this because of the number of people surprised that anyone wouldn't want their hair dried. Some people don't and often the drying and type of drying is a separate charge.

Kedgeree · 13/05/2019 16:00

I once had to leave the salon with wet hair after a cut and colour - not their fault at all, I had forced asked them to squeeze me in as I was desperate and because the owner is a mate, he did. However, he was beside himself that I was going out with wet hair. I didn't care, I was going straight to the gym, but he still wasn't happy that I was leaving the salon in that state.
I think they should at least have rough dried it for you, but tbh, should have done the blow dry FOC because of the inconvenience.

Mosaic123 · 13/05/2019 16:00

I wouldn't go back either.

It's really not the way to treat a good customer after they made you come back twice. It would make up for them having cancelled.

Ask a friend who always has beautiful haircuts/colour where they go.

IHateUncleJamie · 13/05/2019 16:02

That’s ridiculous and YADNBU. My brilliant hairdresser had been overbooked recently so was running late (first time in 18 years); she was terribly apologetic and offered me a free hair mask treatment and scalp massage while I waited. Even when I book a wet cut and go straight home afterwards she insists on rough (not rough at all) drying it for free. You did the salon a favour by rescheduling, the least they should have done was rough dry your hair.

BossAssBitch · 13/05/2019 16:06

My hairdressers get a junior to do it (often they are better than the experienced stylists as blow drying is ALL they do all day). However, I used to go to Daniel Galvin and they didn't do a free blow dry, one of the reasons I sacked them off.

Cheeky fuckers should have dried your hair for you considering they caused you a lot of inconvenience in the first place asking you to go back after your cut.

LoafofSellotape · 13/05/2019 16:08

At my salon the hairdresser's don't let you leave with wet hair after a colour as they need to see how it's developed.

SolitudeAtAltitude · 13/05/2019 16:11

yes, time to move on.

Very poor customer service IMO!

StatisticallyChallenged · 13/05/2019 16:14

All the salons I've used recently have quoted a price for colour with "please add on a blow dry or cut and blow dry" or words to that effect. If you booked a complete package and had to split it because of their fuck up they absolutely should have given you a free blow dry at the colouring appointment. Fair enough to charge for a blow dry if you had only booked colour by choice (i get colour every 6 weeks but cut every 12) but you didn't.

funnelfanjo · 13/05/2019 16:14

My salon offers a rough dry service if you don’t want the full blow dry and straightening after cut and/or colour for whatever reason.

But they also provide an area with dryers and mirror for you to do whatever you want to do before leaving.

Rafflesway · 13/05/2019 16:18

I am totally gobsmacked at the prices you are all having to pay.

I go to our little village unisex hairdresser. I just have a dry cut and then colour it myself - no longer have highlights and prefer my own Nice 'n easy semi permanent colour. The cut is amazing and needs very little styling. I pay £10 plus tip! 😱

£86 and they refused you even a rough dry? On top of which you had been inconvenienced. They wouldn't be seeing me again for dust! 😡

OP, YADDDNBU!

LoafofSellotape · 13/05/2019 16:19

The cut is amazing and needs very little styling. I pay £10 plus tip! I don't think I've ever paid that little even in the 80's!

StatisticallyChallenged · 13/05/2019 16:44

There was a salon where I grew up - rough council estate - who charged 15 for a cut, about 15 years ago.

Original poster
bigbadbadger · 13/05/2019 16:52

It is an expensive salon for the area - they advertise as 'vidal sassoon trained' which makes no difference to me but I think that is the reason for the high prices. I will try another one and deal with the horrendous social awkwardness of bumping into the old client/hairdresser in a few months in the co op! Grin

OP posts:
NoBaggyPants · 13/05/2019 16:52

It's poor service, but it's the salon manager's fault and not the individual stylist. The stylist will have been allocated time to do the colour, nothing more. When the manager rebooked you she should have allocated time for a blow dry (with the colourist or someone else) as a separate slot, preferably free of charge given that you'd rebooked as a favour to them.

This is standard at higher end salons, and the more expensive they are the more extras you have to pay for!