Hairdresser got the brief wrong

[messeduphair]

I am peeved. I haven't had my hair done since October 2020 and was really looking forward to a cut and colour. I couldn't get an appointment with my usual stylist, but they recommend another stylist at a different salon. I assumed all would be fine. It was not! Minor issues- managed to get dye all over my face and not try to wipe off until it was too late. Major issues - my hair is meant to be coloured a mid auburn (pics attached of my hair last summer). I showed these pics and used the word auburn. I've come out with a dark brown with horrible red shimmer in the sun. It is not auburn. I said at the time that it looked dark and not what I expected. She said it's probably the light. It absolutely is not the light. Usual hairdresser mixes a couple of colours and I mentioned this when she showed me the colour she thought was best. I mean, how can she not acknowledge that this is a long way from auburn?!

How is my regular hairdresser going to fix this without wrecking my hair and not costing a fortune. One positive- she put semi permanent on..... but not on the regrowth roots. So the top inch and a half is permanent.

I've always been careful about not going too dark as the usual hairdresser says it's hard to go lighter and now this mess up.

The cut was good.

Another pic to show how dark even with sunlight on it.

It is very different, I can see why you are annoyed! But it is still so beautiful now

They're very different, I'd be annoyed and tempted to request a partial refund on the colour. But although it's not what you asked for, its not sure and is very livable.

I'd be more worried about the potential damage from trying to fix it. Summer is coming, your hair will fade/lighten naturally, use a clarifying shampoo to speed things up and give it a bit of a breather for a month or two.

*it's not dire

I know it’s pretty different from what you wanted, and frustrating, but I think it’s lovely. It will fade and be able to get changed in the future.

It’s a lovey chestnut but yeah not what you asked for, I would be asking for a refund on colour and spending a lot of time in the sun!

It's definitely not what you asked for so I would ask for a partial refund. However I wouldn't try and get it re-dyed. It will become lighter as you wash it and in the sun and it looks lovely.

I don't feel brave enough to ask for a refund but I am going to live with it and hope my usual stylist can help. If I can't go back to what I'm used to I can manage but I really don't want to be this dark! My usual stylist knows the hairdresser who did my hair and hopefully she will think it's a bit off too but I don't think she's going to slag off her mates work. Thank you for the kind comments. It's still an improvement on the 8 month old faded and turned to washed out ginger! I think I was more annoyed that the stylist either was ignoring the massive shock colour or genuinely didn't understand what I wanted. If the latter, she must have a fair few disappointed clients.

I think its a pretty colour but I agree its not what you asked for

Have you been auburn before? What is your natural colour? Would you need bleach to turn it auburn usually?

I think I'd probably leave it for now, as PP said it will lighten in the sun and with time. Unless you are willing to go back and get a refund

@OrangeSharked the first picture from behind with navy dress is how my hair is normally coloured. That's a pic from the previous time it was coloured about 8 months ago. It doesn't need bleach and nornally takes well. I think the stylist didn't acknowledge what I said about usually having a few colour mixed to bring out vibrancy. It feels like quite a flat dark colour now. It is OK but not what I wanted!

Both shades are different but both look really nice. My hair is naturally dark auburn but I bleach it, looking at your photos I tempted to go back natural.

Oh I see, I can see why you feel disappointed as that's such a lovely auburn. I wondered if it was a colour that might be difficult to achieve on your hair but obviously not.

It does look nice now, but if you are not happy I think its probably worth contacting your usual hairdresser and just asking for some advise or a consultation. You can then go back to the hairdresser who did your hair armed with a bit more information

Id have thought auburn was kind of inbetween those two colours

I think you should complain, the colour you have now does look really nice (you have lovely hair actually) but it's the sort of colour you can achieve with box dye. Your previous colour is much more vibrant.

Maybe you could email your complaint if you don't want to call or do it f2f, thing is not only is it not what you asked for you now need colour correction to get it to where you need rather than a more straight forward job.

Missing the point of your thread but I would die for your hair! It's lovely Op.

It may lighten quite a bit - I'm a dyed coppery red just now but have been most shades of red and this has happened a few times. I'd probably wash it a good few times and leave it a couple of weeks before getting anything done. I know what you mean about the vibrancy but I think it will lighten which will make the fix easier.

I'd complain.

You should get a voucher/promissory note for your next colour and cut - with your preferred stylist.

Agree, it's not worth risking damage to have it rectified.

But ... that auburn colour is head-turning: beautiful. And it lifts your skin colour.

The chestnut colour is ... OK. But it lacks drama and doesn't make your skin sparkle.

You don't have to be confrontational. You can speak by phone or email. But you should complain.

There's no excuse. You had a photo and you talked to the stylist.

Management need to know, so they can discuss things with their stylist. At the moment, she's dismantling the reputation for competence I should assume they've spent time establishing.

I mean - you're very unlikely to recommend the place to friends. And you'll only trust 'your' stylist there, from now onwards. And if she leaves / I guess you'll leave with her.

So, contact the manager. The proper manager if it's a chain.

Did you show your "previous colour" photo to the new hairdresser?

I think your new colour is the opposite of flat. The light on your right shoulder in the pictures show a myriad of tones. It isn't what you wanted but it is a lovely colour job.

Your first photo shows a much more flat monochrome, albeit a lovely shade.

@BruceAndNosh yes I showed the photo and explained I usually have a mix eg 1/4 of one colour and 3/4 of the other. I did say at the time it looks a lot darker. I just don't want to wreck my hair and hope it fades then will see usual hairdresser and tell her! I think it might be a hire a chair place... though not cheap as quite a lot of stylists but will investigate.

It is totally different and be pissed off too if I'd provided a photo to work from. Go back and ask for it to be put right.

Dark hair with a red shimmer looks a bit like you did it with a packet at home and nothing like the beautiful auburn you had before!

I had this recently and they were lovely . I went back and they sorted it for free ! It wasn't awkward at all.

yes the colour is not what you asked for, and I would be very annoyed about it, but on the positive your hair is gorgeous, it really is lovely.

Do you happen to know what colour they use to get the first shade op, it's very similar to my natural (pre-grey) colour and I'd love to go back to it again, any time I've got it dyed to be my natural colour it's ended up like the second shade you posted - I feel your pain, it's not right!

It looks lovely OP.