Hairdresser never asked how I wanted my hair cut. Just started cutting and chatting.

[Footgoose]

I have Not been to the hairdressers for 2 years. It’s quite forgiving hair being a bit wild and very curly . It was starting to look a bit like a mullet and I wanted my Bob shape back. I Screen shot a few pictures of what I wanted to show the hairdresser.

I met my hair dresser for the first time ever at the door. She introduced me to the lady who was going to do a hair treatment and I went straight to the wash basins. No consultation. Hair washed and seated and my hairdresser appeared from behind and just started cutting and chatting . She was lovely but gave me no chance to say what I actually wanted. I just couldn’t find the right words to say anything that didn’t sound stroppy / shocked/ annoyed so I said nothing . She chatted / chopped/ applied products / dried all without a single question about what I came in for . Hair was finished and admittedly it looked better but no change to the overall shape. Just a bit neater.
I wondered if she perhaps confused me with a regular client with similar hair but the talking was mostly around me being new to the salon .
I never said a word of complaint. Left happy enough because I didn’t want to say anything that sounded like I was being off . Good enough hair cut and treatment but at 120 pounds later ( I bought some products too ) It doesn’t look much different. I was in and out in 50 mins which included a protein treatment . Never had one before so not sure how long it should have taken. It took about 15 mins I think.
Now, I’ve had an email asking for feed back . AIBU to bring up the fact I was never asked what I actually wanted. I don’t want to come across as complaining but I do think I should have had the opportunity to say what kind of cut I hoping for . How would you word it ?
My husband just laughed and said it could only happen to me.

You can’t blame the stylist if you didn’t say anything at the time. Take a photo next time if you don’t have the confidence. No point in complaining now.

£120 for a condition and cut?

This is why I don't go to the hairdressers.

I have had very strange things happen at a hairdresser. Different colour than i asked for, different length despite being super firm to the point of both of us talking in raised voices and people in the salon going huh? She still cut my hair shorter than I instructed.
So i am not at all surprised at this situation. Hair salon is a place where you often loose your voice, your money, and your dignity.

And of course she paid £120 for a curly haircut and a treatment. ‘Curly hair stylists’ class themselves as rare goods and therefore they charge ridiculous amounts. Plus, not everyone gets their hair cut in a garden shed

I think hairdressers have changed over the last 10 years. If you look on their social media pages they are very focused on colour and extensions.

I have an old school hairdresser that is a good cutter and does everything from start to finish, but due to this pandemic thing I looked for someone that I didn’t need to travel to in a big city to tide me over. What a carry on. I’m sorry to say I think the current young hairdresser does not have the full range of skills, most importantly cutting and customer care.

OP I agree, in my experience some just want to do what they want which is in their comfort zone, they are not equipped to do anything else. These hairdressers also get very shirty if you ask for anything out of that zone. Maybe it’s the current training they get, but I have noticed it is quite widespread.

My advice, if you see anyone even if it’s in the street or on a train with a good cut ask them where they had it done.

It’s soul destroying and very expensive to endure a bad hair salon experience. Also, when they give you the terrible cut and colour there is no way I would be asking them to correct it.

I have suffered 2 bad experiences during this pandemic, I’m definitely going to brave public transport and the big city for my next hair do with my experienced cut and colourist.

@mantlepiece

I agree with lots of that. I’ve had my hair cut short recently and spent a lot of time looking for a local salon to do it. The social media accounts show at least 90% of long hair styled in the same way. I ended up going back to a guy who’s expensive but has worked during periods where cuts were more diverse. He has technical skills that a lot of the younger generation possibly don’t have.

Omg am a qualified hairdresser snd you absolutely do not do this. You always have a consultation with every client both new and existing. Sounds very unprofessional! You were lucky it wasn’t a total disaster.
You must write and explain you didn’t have a consultation!!! This is the most important part… you should greet your client ideally before they have a gown on as you are looking at how they dress, shoes etc then you need to look at the hair, hairlines, any problem areas etc. You then discuss very carefully what your client wants and your job of a hairdresser is to interpret this and relay to the client what you think they want and make sure you are on the same wave length and also whether the look they want is achievable. Only then to you gown up and get their hair shampooed only applying a treatment if you had previously suggested and agreed first. You would also advise the cost before!

I also ask my client if they say can you cut off 2 inches to show me what they believe is 2 inches.

You will surprised !

I've been seeing my hairdresser for 15 years and every time she asks me what I want .

Find your voice and use it, seriously. There's no way I'd sit an let someone hack my hair without a plan!!

I can be nice to a fault , I've had my hair done when I was much younger said Thank you paid , and cried for an emergency appointment at anouther hair hairdressers now I'm extremely vocal amount what I want and how I pay A LOT for my hair to be done so I do expect it to look perfect , I also have hair extensions and before I leave I mess with it loads to make sure you can't see them with my hair up and down and have been known to make them move the odd strand but again your paying for your hair to be done it should be how you want !x

Too late now for what I'd have done but here goes.

As soon as she started showing me the back of my hair asking whether I was happy with the cut I'd have told her it look pretty good but not what I wanted and that she'd have known that if she'd bothered asking. So I won't be paying for this cut. I will pay however, IF she now starts the whole process over again, washing, etc and actually does what I came in to have done.

You wouldn't walk into a restaurant and just eat whatever they put in front of you without asking, then pay handsomely for it if it wasn't what you wanted.

OK...here it would depend on what you booked. If you booked "cut and style," then absolutely, you should have been consulted. If you booked a trim, you might not have been, although most would at least have asked how much you wanted trimmed! To have been asked nothing at all seems...off.

And yes, you should tell them that there was no communication, that the hairdresser began cutting without asking what or how much you wanted done. That you were no displeased, but would prefer being consulted with in the future.

OK...here it would depend on what you booked. If you booked "cut and style," then absolutely, you should have been consulted.

Yes many hairdressers have 'restyle' as an option and cut and blow dry that OP booked would be considered a trim.

Don't wait until the end and complain that's ridiculous advice. Just make sure you say at the start what you want and show pic then. Or ask for advice if you are unsure. The hairdresser should have asked but as she didn't you need to women up.

You mention your accent are you concerned that hairdressers are predominantly working class and you are worried that you will come across as snobby and speaking down to them?

Sorry that was to @Footgoose

Hi op, I dither over stuff like this -not helped by being pretty deaf. So I say firmly something along the lines of ‘excuse me, I might have mis heard but …..’
And arriving anywhere flustered always puts me off my stride, so I try very hard not to!
You are allowed to take up space and be heard in the world. Having said that I hate going to a hairdressers. Where I used to live I had a mobile hairdresser t’was great! Too far out of her area now unfortunately!

I voted you are being unreasonable because you've been an absolute mug!

There seems to be a lot of victim blaming on here. The hairdresser is the person at fault here, not the OP.

@Shell4429

There seems to be a lot of victim blaming on here. The hairdresser is the person at fault here, not the OP.

What is she the victim of, a nice haircut??

I honestly don't know how you sat there and never spoke up. How far would you have let her go? My hairdresser always asks what am I having done today even though I'm there every six weeks and usually just get a tidy up but sometimes want something different.

Victim? No crime was committed!

@Ohmygodyesthatsit.
Yes and I’m working class but it’s very different from the accent around here. When I moved here the comments were endless. Often lovely , sometimes draining . I’ve known people take an instant dislike to it as well and be rude . I don’t consider myself above anyone but my accent when I’m stressed or annoyed can be mistaken as exactly that.
Thank you everyone for your replies . It’s been a good read. It was a Rabbit in the head light moment as some did say in their reply. Reassuring to know I’m not the only one who goes a bit ga ga at the hairdressers .