I’ve upset my hairdresser I think

[theresamooseloose]

Second-guessing myself here, I’m just wondering if I’ve done something very rude or not?!

Earlier this year, I started having my hair done at the salon in my village. It’s a small salon with a couple of stylists, one of whom is the salon owner . Hub of village gossip type place.

It’s a nice place and both the times I have been, for a cut and colour, the owner did my hair and made me feel very welcome.

On both visits, I’ve been really pleased with with the outcome of my colour, However, the cut was very average. I mean it was fine, nothing actually wrong with it, but just not quite how I hoped it would look.

I was due to go back again, and I thought this time I’d ask for something a bit different with the cut, but recently I met up with a friend and she had just had her hair done, and it looked so lovely, I asked her which salon she went to. I decided to go there, and I had my hair cut. I’m over the moon with it, it’s just what I had wished for.

However, this salon is significantly more expensive than the one in my village, so I’ve decided to stick with the new place for my cut, and the village salon for my colour.

So, booked in for my colour - well - just my roots this time - and went along today for that.

When I walked in, the owner looked up at me, and smiled, and then her face instantly changed when she realised that I’ve had my haircut elsewhere (total restyle, so very obvious). Her demeanour towards me was very different than the last couple of times..
she was very off with me, said “ I see you’ve had your hair cut already then?” And hardly spoke to me during the appointment..
this was a very different experience to previous appointments, and by the time I came out, I felt very anxious.

I’m not quite sure what I’ve done wrong. Should I have told her when I phoned up to book in for my roots, that I’d already had the cut done elsewhere?

I don’t understand the issue, the other salon is around 10 miles away, in a local town, so it’s not even like they are a direct competitor to our little village salon.

Anyone?!

I’ve started using two different stylists as well, a colourist and one to cut. My colourist is great but always takes off more than I ask for, so now she just does her favourite part and I go to another place when I need a cut.

Hairdressers that do this are such dicks 🙄

Just go elsewhere op.

She’s just trying to guilt trip you but she knows her hair cutting skills are shit.

Ignore her, keep going there for your roots unless you notice she’s doing a bad job there too.

To be honest, I’ve seen review pics where the cuts she has done look very good. Maybe she just didn’t get what I wanted. Anyway whatever, I’ll not feel guilty from now on! Thanks all.

Well if you never gave any feedback or said you’d like something different she might be feeling a bit hurt that you went elsewhere.

The thing is, it is personal for them - I'm going elsewhere it's clear you weren't happy with the job she did. It would be difficult not to feel hurt by that because no one wants to face being rubbish at part of their job.

But none of that is your fault and she's cutting her nose off to spite her face by being so unfriendly to you. The professional thing is to tell you they've done a great job and then to move on and discuss your colour requirements. As it is, I doubt you'll go back so now she's lost a regular client.

No reason to feel guilty.

You might try to turn it positively, mention that you were away, got your haircut there, enjoy this cut, would she be willing to do the same for you the next time?

I do exactly this - my regular hairdresser of 15 years does my colour and i go elsewhere for my cut. Mainly because colour hairdresser is amazing with colours and does just want i love (icy blonde) but her cuts (long shaped bob) are a bit meh. Shes fine with it and says herself colour is her expertise... the colour is more expensive anyway so i don't know why she's grumbling. I guess it highlights that she isn't as good at cuts.
Its your hair, you need to feel good. I'd keep doing what you are doing.

How unprofessional. I wouldn't go back. You are booked for a service, you pay for that service, you have done absolutely nothing wrong.

by the time I came out, I felt very anxious.
My reaction would be "fuck her, she lost a client with that attitude". You don't spend money on something that makes you feel bad.

You've done nothing wrong and you don't need to justify to your stylist (or anyone else!) why you got it cut somewhere different. I know some stylists can be really precious about things like this, but it's unprofessional of them to make that obvious to you! It's your money and your hair and you are paying them for a service; they're not your friend and you don't owe them loyalty.

Also, I think it's not that uncommon for people to prefer one hairdresser's colour work and another hairdresser's cuts - either at different places entirely or even when both the stylists are actually in the same salon! At the place I go to, they sometimes actually suggest that to clients because if a client has a very complex colour and a very basic cut (or vice versa) the client can save money by paying top whack for a senior stylist to do the difficult bit that needs the most skill, and then get the other process done by a junior stylist for half what they'd have to pay the boss.