AIBU to be angry my hairdresser took so long?

[Porridgeaddiction]

I just need to vent. I'm just feeling really frustrated.

Went to get my hair cut this morning, It was a half head of highlights and a trim. My hair is fine and shoulder length, so definitely not a lot of it.

My appointment was at 11, the girl took until 12 to do a half head of foils, then said she'd leave it in 45 minutes and went to do her next client. Over an hour later she came to check on my foils, got the Saturday girl to wash it (another 5 minutes later) then I was sat for another 20 minutes before she came to do the cut. I asked her not to blow dry it as I said that my parking ticket was due to expire and left. At this point it was 2 o clock.

By this time I was so hungry and just angry that I had been sat without any attention for so long during the appointment. I have a young baby, so it's rare that I get out on my own to do appointments like this and the way I'm feeling now I don't want to ever get my hair cut again. I just feel like my whole day was ruined.

Am I being silly?!

Its annoying but it is the way of hairdressers! I used to find the constant interruptions annoying and had to plan for the loss of half a day .
So fortunate my hairdresser comes to me now and that fits in with my life rather than the other way around

I was at my laval salon recently, having had my appointment changed because my stylist was off sick.
Had to wait about 15 mins when I got there but was offered a drink.
Colour went on my hair and then the stylist went to cut someone else's (there were only 3 staff in the salon - trainee, manager and the stylist). Manager wafted about, trainee swept up. I was taken to the basin by the trainee to have a treatment put on, but offered the choice to stay at the sink or go back to my chair for 20 min. Was offered more drinks.
Stylist got trainee to wash off whilst she put colour on next client. She then cut and styled my hair whilst manager swept and cleaned and trainee did lunch run.
All in, I was there about 2 and a half hours. Normally I'd be 90 min to 2 hours, so considering the circumstances, it was pretty quick.

Going to the salon is "down time" for me and I usually anticipate being there 2 hours. That said, I can walk there so unless I have other things later in the day, I'm not clock watching.

It can be about 3 hours for me which is annoying and my time is precious. I usually book 1/2 day annual leave because if I go on a Saturday I feel like it’s taking up my weekend.if I’m out I’d less than 2 hours & 1/2 I’m doing ok . Unfortunately it’s how it is they overbook to fit more in some peoples hair takes longer than others .

@Porridgeaddiction find a hairdresser to pamper you not ignore. There is always some waiting, but at mine you can order lunch in from the deli next door, they give you a hand and arm massage while having your treatments, supply endless tea and coffee and trashy mags (never buy any so it’s a little treat for me) and I feel fabulous when I leave. They also keep pretty much to time.

@Bagzzz my hairdresser has little covers for the arms of glasses so you can keep them on!

You could say i like coming to you as you do great work but last time i felt a bit like you were slotting me around other people a bit. What is the best time for me to come so you can focus on me more.

It is frustrating but that’s not unusual. The foils seem to have taken a little longer, but about 45 minutes for foils is typical and my hairdresser always has another client once foils are in.

I plan for 3 to 4 hours in the salon and take books, my to do list and sometimes some work. Usually I watch some Netflix on my phone with the headphones in (only whilst waiting on the foils).

I always book the first appointment of the day for my cut and colour/highlights.
I love my hairdresser and she is fast with the cut and colour or foils but she works alone and schedules other clients in between and often runs late.

Once I was there for 5 hours, never again.

That's what hairdressers in salons do. It's completely normal.

Weirdly my salon STILL isn't offering magazines,God knows why, you can't cat h covid from a magazine ffs! Lots of drinks though.

I'm in there for 3 hours for a full head of highlights, cut and finish. Hairdresser does my foils then moves on to someone else whilst they are developing which makes total sense.

I go armed with my phone, a charger and a book. Sometimes a drink too if I want something they don't have.

I do get twitchy if I have an appointment after but I give myself 4 hours between appointments just to make sure I'm not going to be late. Otherwise I sit and enjoy the peace and quiet away from the kids.

Cant someone invent something better than foils? (I think the hairdressers must get so bored doing it, I get bored watching it!!)

Did you have bleach foils? One hour and 20 minutes is excessive, would fry the hair.

@Strictlyfanoftenyears

The cap 😂. Much quicker but my god the pain…. Doubt that would return for longer locks.

I've had this at so many salons. I just stop going. Some of them seem to be in a weird alternative universe where there is no time pressure. For God's sake, don't book appointments too closely together then! There's always some lame excuse, but in my (working and personal)life, I've always stuck to the times I've arranged unless rushed off to A & E or similar. I think they imagine all customers are Ladies Who Lunch, who have nothing else to do.

I've been kept waiting nearly an hour to start (happy, chatty staff, taking their time and gassing away to customers), then forgotten about and left in a very uncomfortable state. I HATE hair salons, and I'm not joking when I say I'd rather go to the dentist - I'm absolutely serious.

Any hairdressers here - can you explain why appointments are so often delayed? It has literally always happened to me, except twice, in my whole salon-going life.

I'm a hairdresser and we allow 2.5hours for a half head of highlights and a cut and style but regularly overrun if for some reason the clients hair takes longer to develop, and it can happen. An extra 30 mins is not the end of the world and I think it's very extreme to suggest it's ruined your entire day? If you were tight for time, you should've asked how long it would take.

Next time, book, snacks and relax.

That is how hairdressers have to work though. They need more than one client on the go or they won't make any money

Mine too.

I am a hairdresser,
Saturdays are full and i work flat out with no break , i ofter run behind for the following reasons as do most other stylists

1.clients are often late , 10 /15 minutes which means i run behind the rest of the day.
technically i could turn them away , but if i did that id have no business left…

2.client turns up with very long/thick hair and do not mention it on the phone so it takes an extra 15 minutes.
If this happens i ask them to say on the phone next time that they have more hair, lots of them don't do this…

Oh , and the clients who mention half way through the colour application /development that they have to be out at a certain time thats impossible.

This happens to me all the time, and its vert annoying.
Don't have highlights if pushed for time and put more money on parking

I can assure you that i hate running behind and feel bad, but i cant always help it.
I certainly am not eating lunch while you wait.

I give clients nice coffee, beer , cans of coke, fancy cordials, recent magazines of every description.

If i rush a client then you will complain about a bad haircut, I never compromise on the quality

Please try and be more understanding , Its not fun for us too !

If we did no client in-between we would not earn enough , some salons do exclusive appointment, but you pay way more, for the time they spend with colour developing. If you don't want slotting in then get a mobile to your house.

I love having mine done! And my hairdresser also said she finds it very therapeutic.

So, so much better than that horrible rubber cap they used to have to use!

I would always allow 3 hours for my appointment - full head of highlights and cut and blow-dry. I love it. Take my book, have a chat - have been seeing the same hairdresser for around 15 years now, so we know each other quite well - a couple of cups of coffee. What's not to like?!

@NickyChavan but what do you expect your stylist to do while the colour is taking on your hair?! They can't just stand around for 40+ minutes until you're ready!

Yanbu I had someone like this and it was awful. An hour and a half for a basic wash and trim. I'm a busy mum and just don't have the time.

I changed salon completely and am much happier now. I just couldn't risk having her again!

My salon stopped offering drinks and magazines during Covid. They’ve only just restarted the drinks, still no magazines. That’s not a problem for me though, I can download them on my iPad and take a book too.

On my wedding day, I had 3 hours to get ready at the venue and my hairdresser took 2 hours 45 to do my hair - this was to curl it from dry and put it in a half updo, bearing in mind I can curl my own hair with about 5 passes of a straightener as it's so thin. I ended up having to ask a bridesmaid to pass me my makeup and balance it on my lap, doing my wedding makeup with my head pushed forward by the hairdresser and only occasionally being able to sit up to look in the mirror. THAT was annoying.