AIBU to ask for a refund for my hair?

[HairRaisin]

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?

DH cut my hair during lockdown and it was a lot better than that cut.

I don’t see how she can defend it really.
Have you a friend who would go with you for moral support?

Was she drunk when she did it? Bloody hell. I could do better and I'm no hairdresser.

Yikes I just saw your hair before pic. She should be paying YOU she ruined your lovely hair!

OP, you need to demand your money back for sure. AND post the pictures on fb if she is difficult.

i know it’s not much comfort, but hair does grow.

This is shocking. She needs to refund you.
I had a not great experience today- roots didn't cover properly so grey still showing through. Hairdresser immediately noticed and offered to do it again but I wasn't feeling well and couldn't stay any longer, but she has said I can go back and get it sorted. Thought she might knock a bit off my bill as she has just raised prices 25% but no !!!

I've seen this exact thread at least twice before. It's put me off ever getting balayage!

@Invisimamma I’ve only ever had my hair coloured once before this at the end of last year, but they used foils then and the colour was amazing and the blend from colour to natural hair was completely unnoticeable so I didn’t think anything of it when she used them!

@Babyroobs oh no hope you’re feeling better and you can get it redone soon!

If she doesn’t give you a full refund go to small claims court. Not sure how much it costs but even if it costs a bit I would do it. Also put the photos on local community boards with an honest review.

In lockdown I once got a couple of really nice beers for DH as bribery to persuade him to have a go cutting my hair. Unfortunately he had a go at the beers first and by the time the kids were in bed, the kitchen was clean and he was ready with the scissors, he had more confidence than skill.

It was still straighter than your cut.

Sorry but I’m baffled why the hair in the first three pics appear to be of a completely different texture to the hair in the second three pics.

It can’t be because the bleach must’ve made the hair go thin at the top as it’s not even touched the roots.

That hairdresser has made a right mess of your hair ! I'd certainly ask for a refund and if she wpn't give you a refund, seek advice from the CAB or some other community advice centre or trading standards authority regarding your legal rights in this situation.

Next time you go to a hairdresser, ask for reccommendations beforehand from friends or colleagues.

Sorry its awful but its telling that she panicked when she thought you would put pics on sm-i mean if she thinks its ok whats the problem?

Aww you’re welcome OP! please check if your old salon has any availability to rescue it!

I think the most she would give you is a refund. Regardless you should post a review with these photos on her social media asap. The photos truly speak for themselves

@Mintymoonlight hmm my hair can be like that and I have a (proper) balayage. My roots look greasy easily and my ends are dry so it sometimes looks fine at the top and thicker at the bottom. In reality it’s the same thickness all the way down, or if anything my ends are thinner. When it’s freshly washed it looks more balanced.

@Mintymoonlight I think the ends look quite frazzled because of the bleach but the roots haven’t been touched so that’s more like my natural hair texture! It’s always been fine but the postpartum hair loss hasn’t helped so admittedly it looks a bit thin! I had a full on receding hairline at the front after having DC but thankfully that’s just started to grow back..! Swings and roundabouts eh 😂

Fuck me, I'm sorry but the cut is very bad, the bayalage isn't bayalage either!
I do better, half blind with my kitchen scissors on myself!

If she continues playing silly beggars ask for her insurance details,
Claim off of them for the nicest salon you can find to put it right.

If a refusal for a refund, then I would. Its not something I'd want to do either. But this is so bad! I'm not a hairdresser in any way. But cut my own in lockdown, and done a much better job!

If she refuses to refund you in full again, I'd get an estimate from another salon of the full cost to get your hair back to how it was/what you wanted, and add that to the £160. Then send her a letter before action, telling her this is the amount you'll be claiming from her via the Small Claims Court process if she continues to refuse. Then go through with it. There's a small fee but you get that back if you win.

I can see why you're not happy to have paid 160 for that.

x

Your hair was glorious before. I could have given you a better cut blindfolded with a pair of blunt kitchen scissors. The really badly applied streaks (that ain't balayage) remind me of ones I had done by a hairdresser who was out of it on pills. Had to go elsewhere to get reverse streaks put in (in brown) to rectify it. Your hair may look "thin" to you but it is not thin, or thinning, it is lovely and thick. Hope you get this sorted.

Fucking hell fire thats bad... very very bad! 😱

I'm so sorry that you hair looks like this. You are definitely needing a refund. Please do not go back to this place to get it fixed! I don't even know what a Bayalange thing is. Sorry, spelling is wrong, which suggests the word is wrong. It suddenly highlights to me, that after a lifetime of curly hair, I'm actually quite lucky. I think. Not. I HATE my curly hair!!!! It takes 3 hours!!!!! to straighten it. Sorry. Hijacked.

OMG. Sorry but it really does look as if you had a fight with the lawnmower.

There is an opening to a Simpsons episode where Bart has to write ' I am not a hairdresser' over and over again on a blackboard.

I think she might need to do the same. He can't have done any worse!

Luckily your hair can be mended but she owes you a refund (if not compensation) and you should display her work to all - for their protection.