To think £150+ is very expensive for highlights and a trim?

[Mischone]

I've been a bottle blonde for years and started letting my roots grow out last year to give my hair a break. I've got quite a bit of regrowth now and wanted it all done properly, as opposed to doing it myself at home as I'm used to.

I went to a well known salon today for a consultation with a senior stylist who has a great reputation and i was quoted £140 (minimum) For the highlights and then an additional £20+ for a small trim.

She recommended I opt in for conditioning treatment too but I can't afford that.

I paid the £50 deposit for the highlights and booked in because I really want it done, I've had a shit time of it this year battling depression and PTSD so i wanted to treat myself for once and feel like the "old me" again.

Now I'm home and the excitement has worn off I'm feeling quite uncomfortable about the cost. I'm not well off, I can afford to have it done as a one off but if that's the price I'll have to pay every 6-8 weeks there's no way I could continue to go there.

AIBU to think this is bloody extortionate?

Also have you seen photos of the salon/stylist’s work eg on Instagram? Seems like your basing your high opinion on text reviews, but photos will be a better guide of their skill

I haven't called again browz no, oo thank you for that voucher thingymabob I'll see whether they'll let me use one!

I'm quite anxious over the whole thing now which is the opposite to what I wanted from the experience, my own silly fault.

Current plan is to honour my appointment, have balayage done but make myself clear that I can't afford any extras and if the very small trim is more than £20 then I'll have to leave that.

I'm not going to be parted with more than the £140 I've been quoted for the highlights and the balayage is £10 cheaper anyhow.

I haven't seen any photos unfortunately, didn't occur to me to search on Insta.. I'll have a look.

Yep I've built confidence based on the reviews :/

Just checked Insta, found her page and the colour jobs look really good. Phew!

Wow ! I live very near to the Scottish borders, went to a new salon (to me) and had a colour and cut and blow dry. It was the first time I'd had a male hairdresser for a good few years and it was excellent. He gave me the best conditioner head massage ( bliss) I've ever had and even dried inside my ears once he had wrapped a towel around my head. OH and it was £55.00 !

I would definitely ring them before your appointment, might help to ease some of your anxiety as you know what to expect! Eg if a blow dry is included, if they have an introductory offer, charge extra for other colours, price for trim etc. Promise calling them is not as scary as it seems!

That’s good that her colouring is good! You must update us after your appointment!

This was me too. Blonde highlights every 12 weeks. I couldn't justify the cost of it any more so I asked for an all over colour to tone down my hair. My hair is now a dark blonde. It looks great I've had more compliments then ever before. Since I've been, I've used a non permanent dark blonde dye that covers up grey roots and washes out after 28 washes. My hair looks great.

Mines £120 for a half balayage and blow dry. The blow dry is £30 and they won't let you leave without one which is annoying

I only get it done twice a year though so can swing it

Cancel the trim and just have balayage, then get it cut at a little place. I know one on Stockwell that trims mine for £10

@AquaPris when you say they don't let you leave without having a blow dry, what if you were to say you don't want one because you don't have the money for it?

I'm a bit unnerved about all this not letting you leave without a blow dry stuff. Sounds illegal to me but then I am a complete stranger to salon etiquette

I think you can ask for a rough dry, if you don’t want it blow dried and styled.

I'm quite anxious over the whole thing now which is the opposite to what I wanted from the experience, my own silly fault.

That’s a shame. This sort of thing can be stressful though, so I totally get it. Hairdressers basically have the power to make you feel amazing, or totally rubbish. It’s a lot of trust you have to place in someone, and you’re parting with a lot of cash into the bargain! I really hope it’ll be worth it though, and it turns out how you want it. Will you update us once it’s been done? I’ve never been this invested in someone else’s hair before

😲 I live in Scotland and go to the nearest city for my hair colour at a little hip type salon place, there is a salon owner and then varying degrees of stylist based on experience who rent chairs, I currently go to their junior stylist for foiliage with shadow root. My last appointment on saturday just gone I went for some honey lowlights in with blonde and toner, cut and blow dry and it came to £75 that’s with the fancy L’Oréal bleach lightener they use. The most I have paid was £100 and that was to have the olaplex treatment which I get every other time or so but I don’t mind paying that for my hair as she does an amazing job and I always feel great leaving there.

I have left various salons without a blow dry with no questions, just say you're going straight home and don't need it. Sometimes they'll rough dry it for free! I have balyage on fine hair and it gives it a bit more oomp if you get me! Go for it, treat yourself!

I'll definitely update after the appointment and show you all how it turned out!

I'm a right drama lama aren't i, all of this faffing and panicking over a silly hair appointment.. Hopefully it'll go just fine and I'll be happy.. I'll make sure I'm clear about not being able to afford extras

I find that often I have a haircut I think is great at a new hairdresser. The next time I go though it's slapdash and like they can't be bothered. I don't know what that's about...

@Victoria do you mind me asking the name of the hairdresser you go to?

Silly question but what is balayage

Balayage doesn’t really work on straight hair, I think it jut looks like roots.. looks lovely on wavy hair though

i have straight hair and the balayage looks very good.

If the bayalage just looks like overgrown roots then it isn't a very good bayalage.

My bayalage looks lovely on straight hair.

Eastern European run salons are pretty good generally and often a lot cheaper. Seconding the balayage idea but ask for a root stretch / root smudge / ombré effect where the top is darker than the bottom because apparently balayage just means 'freehand highlights' in hairdresser speak rather than what 99% of consumers know it as.

You want a root smudge, "money pieces" (highlights around the face) and toner to refresh the bleached sections you already have. This shouldn't be anywhere near what you've been quoted.

A reputable salon won't let you leave without a cut and finish after a colour, to make sure you're happy with it before you leave.

I would shop around. Tony and Guy aren't the best, they follow set trends and do things to set directions. You want someone who is creative and good in freehand colouring.

If your hair is compromised, dry etc then just ask for toners.

I only have to get my colour done three times a year with this colour style.

If you can't afford it, wait. Or shop around! You need the trim and Olaplex if it is damaged and you want more bleach. Otherwise the hair is just going to split up the shaft and be even worse.
Headbands are in!

@Boneshere excuse my naivety but how do they enforce not letting you leave without a cut and finish?