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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to ask for a refund for my hair?

236 replies

HairRaisin · 11/06/2022 21:06

I went to a local independent salon this week to get a balayage and cut, first time since before DC was born end of 2021 so I was very excited! I’d never been there before but the salon owner/stylist had good reviews.

At end of cut and colour the stylist insisted on curling my hair, and with the mixture of the curls and the soft salon lighting I didn’t notice how choppy and uneven it was. As soon as I got home and had a proper look I realised that she had done a really bad job and it’s not the natural looking balayage I’d asked for.

I’ve since been messaging the salon owner to let her know how unhappy I am, and have also been back to show her what I’m not happy with.

Not only did she play down how bad it was, but the only option she is currently offering is for her to ‘fix’ my hair by trying again, however I don’t trust her to try again and have instead asked for a refund so I can get it fixed somewhere else. She has no employees, it’s just her, so there’s nobody else there that could try to fix it.

Looking at what she did the first time (which took 4 hours, and cost me £160) I haven’t got the confidence in her to fix it, so I asked for a refund, but she is currently refusing - although asked for the weekend to seek advice on what her next steps might be. So she might decide next week to refund me, or might decide that she legally doesn’t have to since she has offered to fix it - and that’s that.

Not sure if photos will do it justice? But it’s choppy, patchy all over including underneath, yellow and grey in parts, and all a little too Friar Tuck. Plus the cut is uneven too! I’ve been left feeling quite sad after being so excited for this first little treat since DC was born!

AIBU to want a refund so that I can get this fixed somewhere else?

AIBU to ask for a refund for my hair?
AIBU to ask for a refund for my hair?
AIBU to ask for a refund for my hair?
OP posts:
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8
IvorCutler · 11/06/2022 21:43

Oh my good, it is awful (but you will get it fixed and it will look lovely, so don’t fret too much). Well done for standing up for yourself and asking for the refund.

Wheresmywoolyjumpers · 11/06/2022 21:43

I think it is usual to offer for them to fix it, but this is so bad, I am with you, would not allow her to do anything else to me.

Mooloolabababy · 11/06/2022 21:44

Shit op, that haircut is awful, so is that colour!! I'd definitely ask for a full refund and go elsewhere. I'd threaten to name and shame if she refuses!

FlosCampi · 11/06/2022 21:45

Are you sure she hadn't just broken into the hairdresser's ? You appeared and she panicked into pretending to be a stylist. Hence the speedy exit. You had really pretty hair before by the way, sorry.

Valhalla17 · 11/06/2022 21:46

Refund, 100%! I'm so sorry this has happened to you. If you're in London I know a fab salon that could fix...they are wonderful at balayage....

HairRaisin · 11/06/2022 21:47

FlosCampi · 11/06/2022 21:45

Are you sure she hadn't just broken into the hairdresser's ? You appeared and she panicked into pretending to be a stylist. Hence the speedy exit. You had really pretty hair before by the way, sorry.

Haha that would explain a lot 😂

OP posts:
ArtVandalay · 11/06/2022 21:47

I don't know which is worse - the colour or the cut.

Get your money back, definitely.

PurpleButterflyWings · 11/06/2022 21:48

Eeeeeeek that's hideous 😖 sorry @HairRaisin I would want the £160 back and another £160 compensation. I could have done it better than that with my eyes closed, with a £4.99 box dye from B & M. Hope you get it sorted!

Poppins2016 · 11/06/2022 21:48

HairRaisin · 11/06/2022 21:39

This is the photo I showed her of what I wanted, although I did say that I know it probably couldn’t go that light!

She asked to see the photo again when I went back to complain and she told me that the photo is part of the reason the dye is so high up, just like the photo!

That's a peculiar defence, as her work isn't anywhere near being "just like the photo"!

I can see why you want a refund and I think you should be given one.

Cherrysherbet · 11/06/2022 21:49

You need a refund op.

Do not let her near your hair again. I can’t believe she’s got a business if that’s what her work is like! Jeez 😒

Isaidnoalready · 11/06/2022 21:50

It looks like she has fried your ends too

HairRaisin · 11/06/2022 21:50

Mooloolabababy · 11/06/2022 21:44

Shit op, that haircut is awful, so is that colour!! I'd definitely ask for a full refund and go elsewhere. I'd threaten to name and shame if she refuses!

When I went back to the salon she kept telling me that it wasn’t that bad, and so I did ask if she’d be happy if I shared the photos on Facebook, and she said “NO! You wouldn’t do that surely?!” - So she does know it’s bad but thinks I owe it to her to let her fix it!

OP posts:
Chesneyhawkes1 · 11/06/2022 21:53

Oh your hair before was beautiful! Sorry that doesn't help!

Badger1970 · 11/06/2022 21:54

I'd post the photos to any local social media pages, and ask for a hairdresser recommendation to correct it. Don't name her and I'd send her a link to it saying that if she doesn't refund you in 72 hours, you'll name and shame.

smileyworld · 11/06/2022 21:54

That's awful! I'm so sorry. You need to stand your ground and demand your money back.

Funkypickle · 11/06/2022 21:57

I'm a hairstylist as well. And omg, I've seen apprentices do better than that on their first balayage models.

The picture you showed is combination of balayage and babylites/teasey lites. A set of baby fine highlights through the parting and a darker colour balayage through will blend it in. But will take several sessions to correct completely.

And there is absolutely no excuse for that cut.

It is totally unacceptable that she has charged you for that work. I would be demanding a refund. And seek advice from another professional on how to achieve your desired look.

NiqueNique · 11/06/2022 21:57

Don’t let her touch your hair again!! You need a full refund.

HairRaisin · 11/06/2022 21:58

Valhalla17 · 11/06/2022 21:46

Refund, 100%! I'm so sorry this has happened to you. If you're in London I know a fab salon that could fix...they are wonderful at balayage....

Thank you, I am going to go back to the salon I went to last year as I thought they did a great job!

Big part of the reason I went to this local salon rather than that one is as this one is a single chair salon in a quiet area and I thought it would be less stressful for DC than a busy town centre salon!

I’m exclusively BF and DC refuses a bottle, though my DM was there to babysit and just handed DC over for a feed (while I had foils on so DC wasn’t the reason this went so wrong!)

OP posts:
Sallypally0 · 11/06/2022 21:59

Have they employed Stevie Wonder?

sjxoxo · 11/06/2022 22:00

I get the impression she doesn’t know what a balayage is.. the cut is madness I can’t believe the ends are so different and it’s not like you have curly hair!! Maybe she is a fraudster? I’ve had so many shit haircuts and colours that now I only go to salons where I’ve seen their work on someone or on instagram etc. You definitely deserve a refund and regardless I think you should post a pic review to show others her handiwork. She might be great at mens hair or short hair etc bit deffo not on highlights/balayage!

OutDamnedSpot · 11/06/2022 22:03

Holy crap. That’s bad. As I read your post I was thinking “well, it’s normal advice to let the hairdresser fix it” but then I saw the cut… nooooooo! Do not let her touch your hair again.

I guess at ‘worst’ you could ask her for the cost price, so that you just pay for the dye itself rather than her time and the mark up, but I honestly think you should be pursuing a full refund by any means possible (social media / small claims / advice from CAB, etc)

blugray · 11/06/2022 22:03

Omg your before photo is beautiful! It’s probably the nicest grown out colour I’ve seen, you can’t even tell where your natural colour starts. People would probably take that pic as an inspiration for their own colour…you should go back to whoever coloured your hair the last time? They’ve clearly done a good job.

but this hairdresser has completely ruined your hair now. Literally nothing matches the spec, I would be devastated

blugray · 11/06/2022 22:06

Even if we ignore the choppy layers of the cut, she’s cut off so much more length than your inspiration photo. (Unless you asked her to which is fine)

Lou98 · 11/06/2022 22:07

Normally I would always say give them a chance to fix it before going down the refund/complaint route but looking at the photos I can completely understand why you don't want her anywhere near your hair!

Even the cut is ridiculous! I suspect she knew fine well what an arse she made of it and that's why she insisted on curling it and getting you out quick.

Definitely go back and ask for a refund, I wouldn't leave it

TibetanTerrah · 11/06/2022 22:07

FlosCampi · 11/06/2022 21:45

Are you sure she hadn't just broken into the hairdresser's ? You appeared and she panicked into pretending to be a stylist. Hence the speedy exit. You had really pretty hair before by the way, sorry.

This actually was a Mr Bean episode...