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Original poster

Help! Hairdresser turned my hair orange!

26 replies

OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:19

Had an appt yesterday for a 'back to natural' colouring session.

Have been home-dying my hair for a couple if years and it ended up very dark, almost black and I have some grey so decided that going lighter was the way forward. I knew not to attempt it myself so decided to splash out and get the job done properly at quite an upmarket salon.

Spent 5 and a quarter hours in there yesterday morning and, long story short, it's ended up ginger. Also she cut it totally different to how I asked for it to be cut and I now look like I'm wearing a basin.

I almost ran out of the salon I was so upset, even though I know I should've complained, although I managed to pay the £135 bill first unfortunately!

I drove straight to my local salon and spoke with a lovely girl who has promised she can put it right for me on Friday. I was in such a state and so desperate that I didn't really listen properly to what she was saying although I know she is talking about 'painting around it' with a darkish blonde and then adding highlights. She also tested some strands of hair just to check it will take ok.

What I really want to Do though is go back to dark brown. Is this possible? I'm popping in to see her on Tues anyway so can ask her then but thought someone here might know in meantime as I'm still so upset - I was awake at 5am this morning just crying about how awful it looks.

I'm also scared of trying anything different incase I hate that too. I suit brown, I know it looks good on me. I think I could accept the cut itself too if I was happier about the colour. At least I know it will grow! Trying to laugh about it but honestly, I have never been so upset about a bloody haircut in my life. My confidence is on the floor already without this, I don't even want to see anyone I know Hmm

OP posts:
Hashtagwhatever · 26/05/2013 22:21

Ash colours are best to remove the orange tones

MrsBertMacklin · 26/05/2013 22:23

Hang on a minute, why are you paying for someone else to put it right?

If the 'upmarket' hairdresser fucked up, they need to put it right free of charge, or at least, give you a full refund.

Can you email them if you're not up to having it out on the phone or in person?

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:24

It was an ash colour that the hairdresser put in me after stripping the colour out!

Basically, after stripping the colour and then putting peroxide on and washing that off, I was left with hair that was white blonde on top that gradually got more and more orange as it went down the length if my hair. Now, after adding the ash blonde, the ends if my hair are liveable with - kind if a light brownish colour but the roots - which were so light to begin with - are really orange.

I look hideous.

OP posts:
Moche · 26/05/2013 22:26

Flowers just to say: hope it works out!

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:27

I know I should complain, but I'm not sure if it was their mistake really? Hairdresser kept telling me that there were no guarantees how my hair colour would turn out, it would be a work in progress blah, blah. She never said it would be orange though!
The cut is unforgivable though, I was very clear about how I wanted that .

My baby brother gets married in 10wks and I so need to look right by then!

OP posts:
Moche · 26/05/2013 22:28

Ps you sd get your money back at the very least! Insist on it.

hangsbyathread · 26/05/2013 22:34

I am training to be a hairdresser at the moment.
Sounds like the hairdresser made a mistake here.
When she applied the peroxide whereabouts on your hair did she start applying it? To your roots or on the ends first?

Panic not! There is always something that can be done when an experienced hairdresser is on the case.

Unmumsnetty hugs to you. I have left salons in tears before now. It's the worst feeling.

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:35

I know, and you're totally right.

Tbh, if I went back in that salon I would cry. Also, it's half term and I don't have anyone who could look after the kids apart from on Friday when I'm having my appt at other hairdressers. Fuck-up hairdressers is 30 miles away and they are fully booked 6wks in advance and it unlikely they'd fit me in this week and there's no way I can do school run next week with hair like this.

It's a cop out, I know, but I'd honestly rather just get it sorted ASAP even if that means paying for it.

OP posts:
Hashtagwhatever · 26/05/2013 22:36

Maybe a light ash brown and have some highlights.

Agree the salon should be correcting it for you tho.

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:36

She applied peroxide to ends first - started at nape of neck then worked her way round. It took hours as she then spent ages massaging the top part of my head. She just said colour hadn't lifted as much from ends as it did from roots.

OP posts:
emstats · 26/05/2013 22:37

This happened to me a couple of weeks ago, I also didn't say anything at the time as it had taken 4 hours to make me look that shit and I had my dd with me (2 months old) and just wanted to go home and cry!! My sister rang the salon and spoke to the manager, she rearranged appointments to redo my hair herself the next day, new colour and cut plus conditioning treatment and copious amounts of tea plus a full refund for both mine and my daughters cuts! Def complain to the salon, they need to put this right and give a full refund. The salon I went to were also lovely to me when I went back, they should want to put it right. (And yes, they CAN fix it)

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:37

Would a dark brown not cover it then?

OP posts:
MrsBertMacklin · 26/05/2013 22:39

There's a home version of this process where you can use products like Colour B4. I've just had a quick look to see if people complain about this turning their hair ginger and found this response from Scott Cornwall, who is the name behind Colour B4:

'You ultimately have to understand people that Colour B4 only removes artificial colour pigment it can't reverse any damage which has been done by previous hair colouring products. These are what turn your hair ginger or make the colour patchy.'

So maybe they get a free pass on the gingerness, but they still ballsed up the cut! They need to refund you for that or put it right, it's not fair that they don't and I'm sure they'll be happy to.

I'm afraid I have no help to offer about the recolouring process! Flowers

hangsbyathread · 26/05/2013 22:45

Hmmm. The hairdresser applied the peroxide correctly. And its hard for me to judge without seeing your hair but there is no way she should have let your roots go lighter than your ends. With peroxide it's all about visual testing. She should have stopped the process once she saw the difference in colour.

You can apply a brown. There may be some colour variation. Its hard to say without seeing your hair. You may also be able to lighten your ends more. Again, without seeing or doing tests, very hard to say.

I am positive something can be done though.

You definitely deserve your money back. There has been a massive cock up if you have colour variation after going to a salon! Reputation means a lot to salons. I would phone and politely request your money back. It's your legal right. You wont be the first or last to ask for it back.

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:46

They did do a strand test a few weeks ago though to check the suitability of my hair - surely that would've yielded the same gingerness if it was because my hair was damaged?

How funny that my autocorrect wants to change gingerness to ginger mess. Hmm Sums my hair up entirely!

OP posts:
hangsbyathread · 26/05/2013 22:48

No, they do not get a free pass on the colour correction. They should have advised you that if they carried out that treatment it may result in colour variation. You would then have had the right to chose whether to proceed with that treatment.

Any manager worth their salt will give you your money back. Its not worth the bad publicity. A bad service story gets round town a lot quicker than a good service!

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:50

I took a photo of my hair after she'd washed off the peroxide and dried it. It was meant to be one of those funny pics, you know 'oooh look how terrible my hair looked before the dye went on' type pics. Truth is, it looks just as awful now! On phone at mo but will see if I can add it to my profile in morning. Roots definitely way lighter than ends.

OP posts:
hangsbyathread · 26/05/2013 22:51

They may have done an incompatibility test but all that really tells is whether your hair will fall out or frazzle when used with the chemicals and dyes they use.

The hairdresser should have known from the look of your hair and from the history of dyes you have put on whether they could carry out that service. The hairdresser doesn't have a leg to stand on here.

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 22:52

Nope, never said anything about colour variation. All she said was that they might not be able to get it as light as I originally wanted and it may end up more of a light brown. Haha, if only!

OP posts:
hangsbyathread · 26/05/2013 22:53

Yeah, lighter roots = bad service!! That's why you pay more to go to a salon, so you don't end up like that!

If you are thinking you cant hold on til Friday and need to put a box dye on (please don't!) then make sure you go for a brown thats at least as dark as the ends of your hair.

hangsbyathread · 26/05/2013 22:58

Please don't use a live XXL colour either! They use quite a harsh peroxide.
Might really damage your hair.

LynetteScavo · 26/05/2013 23:03

So, you've had the colour stripped off, which will have involved peroxide, and so I don't think they should have tried to lighten it any more....you would have needed to go slightly darker than the ginger to ensure it was an even colour, and then adding low light.

Your hair will have taken some beating, and won't be in the condition, so taking it even lighter now would worry me.

Use a really good conditioner, and Moroccan Oil.

Original poster
OhThisIsJustGrape · 26/05/2013 23:13

You've all been so helpful, thank you Smile

I really don't want to go lighter now, I'm too scared. I just want my dark hair back Hmm

OP posts:
Ambassadoryouarespoilingme · 27/05/2013 08:07

Hi there, I had this done by my hairdresser last week. She comes to my house and is a friend so could be honest. After the peroxide bit, where she kept checking how the hair looked all over, she blasted the roots with the hair dryer to even out how the bleach stripped the roots compared to the ends. When she washed it all off it was horrific. Grey roots all over and ginger ends. Then she put on a chestnut brown tint with lighter highlights and its now fab. Looks so much better with my skin tone and I'm less Morticia now. It. Can be a success so hang in there and it'll be a world of difference by next Friday. Sounds like the first salon screwed up though.

HaveAGoodDay · 27/05/2013 17:16

My hairdressers fooked my colour up last Thursday - instead of a dark chocolatey brown I got glowing red roots & patchy browny lengths! It was their mistake! But I told them about it before leaving - and they wanted to charge me for a correction! Pfft! Managed to get that for nowt. They put a brown over the top, which helped a bit but then they said they mid-quoted me in first place & bumped up my total price by another £8! My colour is crap, I'm gutted, but at least they knew about it!

Go back to the salon & complain! Do it! Friggin hairdressers, some of them just haven't a clue! Arghh!

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