I've been going to the same hairdresser for 3 years and we've always had a good relationship. I went in today for a consultation before my haircut and colour next week. I'm dark blonde and want to go lighter so I asked for balayage - I had it done by her two years ago for £200 so was expecting a similar price. Instead she quoted me £300. She also said that if I paid less it would look unfinished, blocky, dry, not shiny, and I would be disappointed - which made no sense, as I paid less last time.
I told her that, but she kept pushing and didn't suggest any alternatives (e.g. highlights) - it was basically "pay £300 or have crap hair". I know she's trying to recoup the money she lost during lockdown, and to make the most of people's desperation for haircuts at the moment, but a 50% price hike is ridiculous.
I had been really looking forward to treating myself and being pampered and instead I found myself being pressured and manipulated and told that my budget was no good, which was upsetting as £200 is a lot for me. I don't want to go back, even for a cut, but I'm struggling to find an appointment elsewhere.
Has anyone else experienced hairdressers hiking their prices to make the most of people's need for post-lockdown haircuts? I have a feeling it might backfire for them.
AIBU?
To be upset after hairdresser visit
carlottavaldes · 22/04/2021 12:48
I'd say if you can't afford £300 for your hair, you probably can't afford £200!
How does that work? If you know your hair is going to cost £200 every two months and set aside £100 each month, then you've got the necessary £200. The fact that you haven't then got an extra £100 lying around doesn't mean you couldn't afford the original price 
I think we tolerate bad hair cuts and colours far more than we should.
Very true. I used to find having my hair coloured so stressful because the salon got it wrong so many times - in the end I got them to tell me the colour combination so that I could check it was correct next time. I shouldn't have had to do that. I also had coloured highlights put in which didn't take because my hair was too dark - it cost about £150 and when I said afterwards that I wasn't happy because there was no discernible effect, they just shrugged and said it wasn't their fault that my hair was dark. No, but as the (so-called) expert here, you should at least have advised me and let me make an informed choice.
Similarly, a well-regarded local salon did a terrible hair cut on me - she said she'd cut in layers but she'd actually just chopped chunks off. No wonder she was so quick to offer to curl it for me "for a bit of a change". Once back it its normal straightness it genuinely looked dreadful and the sides were different lengths. When I went back and asked them to fix it, there was no apology just a lot of telling me why I was wrong (I can tell when one side of my hair is an inch longer than the other or has blunt chunks cut out of it FFS). I never went back to either of those salons.
I just have it trimmed now and dye it myself. Contrary to the "shitty box dye" comments up-thread, they're pretty easy to use and give good colours.
Further to PPs.... because £200 is in my view absolutely NOT an 'affordable' amount to spend on a hair service for anyone I know!
If £100 here or there is important to you, then I would question whether it is wise for OP to spend £200 on a hair service in the first instance. That says, she does this very rarely, but in itself I would question the logic of that because hair grows out and fades anyway.
I get the point that OP doesn't WANT to spend £300 on a hair service. But whether it's £200 or £300 I doubt that affordability alone is really the matter (attitude of hairdresser / potential quality aside).
I hope that helps 
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@MoreWater
If £100 here or there is important to you, then I would question whether it is wise for OP to spend £200 on a hair service in the first instance. That says, she does this very rarely, but in itself I would question the logic of that because hair grows out and fades anyway.
I get the point that OP doesn't WANT to spend £300 on a hair service. But whether it's £200 or £300 I doubt that affordability alone is really the matter (attitude of hairdresser / potential quality aside).
I hope that helps
I don't see how the fact that you don't know anyone who can afford £200 for a haircut could lead to the conclusion that someone who doesnt have £300 also doesn't have £200.
That still doesn't make any sense. As @GrannyWeatherwaxsHatpin said if you've saved up £200 you can afford the £200 cut but not the £300 one - isn't that obvious
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