To expect the same hairdresser throughout?

[Haitchfromsteps]

Hi

Ive noticed recently in two hairdressing salons I’ve been too, I will book in with one of the senior stylists for a balayage but they will only provide part of the service. So far example, they will apply the bleach and root colour will mix the toner but then have a junior stylist apply the toner to the bleach. The senior stylist will then cut my hair but the junior stylist will blow dry and style it. However I’m paying senior stylist hair price for the whole thing. Is this normal?

The last time I went the blow dry wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great and it got me thinking about the rates I’m paying.

Well it's good that the senior stylist is doing the "important" bits, but yes I agree with you that I would want the senior stylist to blow dry and style my hair too. I have to admit I couldn't get too excited about the toner, if this was being overseen by the senior person though.

Is there an option to book online with this salon? If there is, each service is sometimes broken down stylist by stylist and you can choose who you have for each stage of the process. If you were to select the senior stylist for everything, you would then definitely be able to complain if you were charged the same price, for a junior.

Alternatively, just phone and chat (discreetly!) with the senior stylist and explain that you were expecting her to do the full colour process, and can she do that. If she says no you are obviously then in a position to ask for assistant prices for the parts she can't cover herself.

It’s always been normal for the junior to do the less important bits like washing and taking foils out… But I wouldn’t expect them to do the toner or style my hair!

Your original post did say the senior stylist mixes the toner - the junior just has to slap it on (disclaimer: I'm not a real hairdresser). So that would work for me, but I accept we're all different.

I used to get this in some salons when I was younger, but never now. Could they be trying to take advantage of you if you are at the younger end?

My stylist usually does everything other than shampoo/remove colour and he was even doing that in the immediate post covid period. I would be pissed off if someone other than him was blow drying/styling.

I have a junior do my colour, but the senior stylist does all the important stuff (cut, blow-dry, finish). I wouldn't expect the junior to be doing that, because that's the bit I'm paying for!

I used to manage hair salons, it is perfectly normal for someone else to wash the hair and apply the toner. Sometimes it may be a junior person, sometimes it might be whatever stylist is available when your colour is "cooked". This has to do with the booking system. Colour takes 45+ minutes to develop so there is usually a haircut booked for someone else in that time. If your colour needs to come out sooner, then you have a choice of sitting with wet hair while your stylist becomes available (not something clients are happy about, in my experience) or have someone else apply your toner. Alternatively, they can avoid booking another client during your processing time but, as you can imagine, this will push the cost of your service up considerably due to loss of business.
Having a junior to blow dry is sometimes done as part of the training BUT only with the client's permission. So I wouldn't expect it to be done just willy-nilly. However, if it is an upmarket chain, it is also quite common for them to have a junior stylist doing blowdries as a standard.

You nailed it! Anyone with a pair of hands can slap on a toner, as long as the stylist mixes it, it shouldn't matter.

This is normal.

That’s helpful to know about the toner - I have to admit I don’t really know the different between that and applying colour but if it’s standard practice I can understand it must involve a different skill level.

Tbh I don’t think I’ve ever given it as much thought before (as in which stylist does which bot). It’s just last time I came out feeling my hair looked limp and flat after paying £200 and it got me thinking about what I was paying for

The place I go, the two senior stylists do everything themselves, bar the shampoo (and even that sometimes).

I was chatting to a woman who lives near me: there is a high end salon on our estate: she stopped going there for precisely the reasons you mention.

I guess it happens… depends if you’re prepared to keep paying for it or try somewhere else.