Have I had a run of bad luck, or are hair and beauty services always hit and miss?

[Mushroomwithaview]

I have very fair colouring and so I get my eyebrows lightly tinted every 2 weeks. Last time I went the lady randomly dyed them a much darker colour than usual. I looked like Alistair Darling.

Earlier this week I went to get a haircut. Asked for a short back and sides. The hairdresser persuaded me to try a "funky A-symmetrical bob" instead. He did it. It looked horrendous. He then had to cancel his next customer to start again and do the short back and sides I wanted in the first place. Even he couldn't pretend the bob looked nice.

Today I got my eyelashes done. I've got an event this week with official photographs and I want to look nice. I am fussy about my eyelashes so I have it written on my file exactly what I want, and I always check that the person doing them has checked the file for the style and length numbers. She said she had. I lay down with my eyes closed for an hour while she got to work. Mirror check at the end and she has NOT done what I wanted. It's far too long and thick and drag queen for my liking. She tried to put it right but I'm now considering going back tomorrow and getting them removed altogether.

I'm always polite, and I think I'm clear about what I would like. I'm massively apologetic when I have to say that this is not what we agreed and not what I wanted. I'm starting to get so anxious every time I get anything done because of the risk I'll come out looking like a knobber.

I dye my own lashes and DD does her own LVL and permanent lashes

It's so easy to do yourself

We do our own gel nails too with DD UV lamp kit

We also trim each others long straight hair and I dye my roots at home

DD self tans

We do so many other beauty things at home like waxing, DD plucks my eyebrows, I use my Philips lumea.

I used to get everything done at salons etc but I just don't have the time and prefer the convenience of doing it at home when I feel like it

I don't have that issue but I have used the same stylist & colour lady for the last 10 years. He knows how my very thick, straight, heavy hair needs to be layered to avoid it hanging like a curtain, and she know exactly how to get the right level of highlights to 'fix'.
The same with brows. Find a competent person you are happy with and stick with them.

I used to dye my eyelashes at home but I don't think I would be able to do my own extensions.

I also dyed my eyebrows during Covid - but I couldn't find my regular brand of dye and bought another 'light brown' which was actually ginger and it put me off trying again at home.

I had an amazing hairdresser but we moved too far away and I've never found a replacement. One was quite good but bloody expensive and the last time I went he couldn't be arsed to cut it and used a trimmer instead.

Maybe I just haven't found my reliable people yet.

I buy dybrow - it's so easy I wouldn't ever spend money getting mine dyed by someone else again. The best thing I did was get my eyebrows microbladed tbh.
I'd be mad about the eyelash place - hope you complained. It's really irritating when you are very specific about what you want and the person just ignores you and then gets it wrong or when you want something a bit unusual and the hairdresser is adamant they can do it and then makes a mess of it.
It's just trial and error until you get a good one though.

A short back and sides?

It’s a style of haircut, very much ‘what it says on the tin’

Yes, I know what it is. Just surprised at such a change from bob length. I always just imagine that as a traditional barber cut. Nothing against women getting it done though before anyone suggests otherwise!

Oops, sorry @CuriousMum27, I know I was confused when I first heard it!

I do think you need to find the right person, esp if you wear your hair short. A lot of hairdressers are not great at a precise, short cut on a woman. I used to have a great brow lady, and when she left I had a couple of not-so-great appointments, where I left looking very surprised.

Yes, I find this. I've had wonky uneven bobs, random long pieces they had tucked behind ear to hide them rather than cut them, eyelashes that made me feel ridiculous (I've stopped bothering now), streaky fake tan, uneven nails....

I now do my own BIAB at home, dye my eyebrows, self tan, box dye my hair and only go for a haircut once or twice a year and ask for a trim as I'm growing it out rather than trying for a style anymore.

If I cock it up at least it's cheap and my own fault 😂

I’ve had bad luck too, I’m still growing out a bad cut from last year and the first and last time I got eyelash extensions I came home with caterpillars. I specifically asked for a natural look with the outer corners to be longer and to taper down to nothing in the inner corners. They were all the same length, super thick and so long. It was awful.

This why customers stay with one person for years. Took me 2 years to find my hairdresser and 4 nail techs to find one that does my nails right. The first time I had gels done, they were absolutely dreadful. Different lengths and shapes. I was so shocked I couldn’t even complain, I just wanted out. Same with massage. I’ve had so many bad massages, which are expensive, until I found one brilliant lady. It is really mind blowing how many people in beauty industry do not listen to customers. I’m sorry for your experiences! I’ve been there!

I looked like Alistair Darling.

I'm sorry but I laughed out loud. Oh dear.

Never be persuaded by a hairdresser promising funky anything. Funky is guaranteed to be utterly awful.

I would learn to do things yourself, so you can get them spot-on. I only wish I could cut my own hair, absolutely resent paying for it.

I’m a hairdresser and I have struggled to find myself one !!!
my brow lady was good then got inconsistent!!
same with nails I feel like they get complacent and lazy and talk to much !
I’ve also noticed that when u go somewhere regular they don’t sit and do the chat /consultation anymore !
I always chat to my clients before I start . How’s your hair been has it been manageable, ect ect ect anything you would like to change so your always consistent!

I had someone who used to be ok but she's gone downhill
Think she is a victim of her own success as she got so busy I was constantly being told to 'come back in half a hour' when I went for appointments and then she rushed through and made me feel like she'd not really listened to what I wanted.

I used to be quite loyal to my hairdresser but no longer