Highlights gone wrong - WWYD?

[hairdisasterbeforechristmas]

I have been going to the same hairdresser for over 15 years. It's a highly rated salon in London and costs significant money (hundreds) but it's my one indulgence. Today I had my usual appointment (colour and style) before going away to see family for Christmas. Unfortunately because of work commitments I had to leave it later in the day than normal. I think it has been a disaster- but I dont know if I am being unreasonable as I haven't been feeling well. .The hairdresser was running late - I had to wait over 4o minutes and at the end she left me with one of the juniors whilst she went to have a Christmas drink with the rest of the team. That would all be fine /understandable but the colour is awful. Literally just cheap looking strips/ blocks/ not blended. Really upset.

Please can you tell if iabu and WWYD? I am due to catch a train tomorrow and the salon is shut/fully booked til Christmas. Should I just buy a hair dye or cut the streaks out? WWYD?

Mascara until you can sort it?

I'm sure it doesn't look as bad in real life and no one will think anything of it, so don't worry or do anything drastic, but going by the photos here, if someone had done that to my hair, I'd not have left until they did a better job and I certainly wouldn't have parted with any money. If I couldn't see a manager there and then I'd have left my full details and said I'll take it up with the salon later, with a view to correction to my satisfaction. I'd also complain about being left with a junior due to Christmas drinks with the team, that's really unprofessional.

Was just about to say this! I also use some of my daughter's ink pens that come in lots of natural shades such as cool light brown.

Thank you. I will email them - sending photos. They are closed tomorrow. They are usually very nice so hopefully will sort it out. The hairdresser also owns the salon so should be able to rectify it.

I'm hoping she won't say it is meant to look like this as it has never looked like this before. I'm just gutted that I will have to go through Christmas looking like this. I always have my hair down - as some have said if I curl it or use a toning shampoo it may not look so bad?

£500 is a crazy amount to pay. Can you show us a photo of how it usually looks?

The right thing to do is walk in, and discuss. They need to fix, and fix again. Free. And right away.

I’ve had similar where the highlights were too bright and obvious. They needed to fix it twice, they got me in immediately.

Thats what they do when the eff up. Free fix right away.

£500!!!! 😳😳😳 WTAF!
That is absolutely ridiculous
Call Monday for a fix and research new salons. They have you down as a mug not a valued longstanding customer.

Yes, do contact them, to ask to have it rectified, as that's unacceptable.

I'm afraid, after that, I wouldn't be returning to a salon who thought this was an acceptable finish to send me home with. It looks almost like a DIY job.

I'm stunned at £500 even if it looked fabulous! Can you just tie back for once? I definitely wouldn't touch it at all but go straight back in Monday and don't leave until they fix it, good luck.

£500 cripes.....

Thank you all for your advice- glad you didn't think I was just being fussy. I have emailed them and hopefully will get a response (likely on Monday). The solution is difficult because I am supposed to be going away/home tomorrow and not back in London until the new year. I am hoping they might be able to recommend a dye or something. I had lots of fun things planned for the Christmas/New Year and look really ugly with my hair tied up!

Can you try your hair with different partings? Sometimes that can make a difference. Or pin the front back which might disguise some of the streaks.

Curl it over Christmas, it will look less obvious than wearing it straight. Other people won't notice as much.

Fire off a nice email, but insist it’s sorted on Monday.

Hey Clare

I came in to the salon on Friday and had my usual highlights and blow dry. I’m home and looking at the colour and it’s nowhere near the standard that it usually is - see pics. I’ve been coming to the salon for 15 years and can’t speak highly enough of your team usually. I think with one thing and another it was an off day as things seemed to be running late and I was left with the junior as drinks were going on. Can I come in the salon on Monday at 9am and get it sorted please? I’m away for Christmas and need my hair done before then.

Thanks ever so much

Agree on curling it to get you through the next few days - I always get my hair styled straight after highlights so I can see them properly - a curl always makes them look less obvious and more blended.

This. £500 for a junior to screw up your hair!

I'd be very disappointed. Don't try to correct yourself. Buy one of these wands:

L'Oreal Magic Retouch Precision Instant Grey Concealer Brush

They left a junior to do the work and still charged £500??

To be fair they normally do a very good job and they are really nice people- I choose to go there and know how much they charge. So the responsibility is mine. This is the first time I have had a problem and I should have flagged it before I left. I just doubted myself. I thought I would ask the wise people of Mumsnet for their opinion - thank you.

Hopefully they will get back with a response on Monday and I can I try and curl it over Christmas (I am rubbish though). Have also asked them about dyes, toner etc so they may have some suggestions. Fingers crossed- it's a bit sensitive at the moment but perhaps in the future I will be laughing about the Christmas I spent as a racoon!

Don't do anything to it op or they might not sort it out. Leave it as they've done it and cover with a wash out root touch up spray.

Loreal do Magic Retouch sprays and hair mascara in different shades. They wash out but I use them for my greys and have used them on stripey highlights before.

Don't do anything to it, not even silver shampoo. I recently had my hair go wrong in a salon that's always been fantastic. They were saying it was my fault for silver shampooing it and they'd have to strip it out. I was actually a bit nervous going in as I'd had to be quite stern on the phone and say it's nothing to do with aftercare, it simply hasn't been done well this time. The hairdresser agreed with me when fixing it.

It happens sometimes. It isn't to standard and it isn't what they normally provide. How they behave at this time is what makes them a good salon! Or not.

I'd be furious with that for £500. She knows what your style and colour preferences are by now, she's hoping you'll say nowt.

I'm not a hairdresser. However, if it was me, I'd be very wary of trying to rectify the problem myself, by colouring the hair. You may make it worse and as you've tried to rectify it, the salon may refuse to put it right and refund you. Personally, I'd send pictures to the salon, explaining that the highlights weren't up to their usual standard, and you want the issue resolved asap. Did I read correctly that your hairdresser left you with a junior stylist, so she could go out with staff for a drink?! If that's correct, then that is dreadful. She should have stayed to finish your hair properly, rather than rushing to go out, and leaving you with someone junior.

Have you rewashed and styled it yourself? Obviously won’t fix it, but restyling the hair can make it look less ‘blocky’, especially if you can slightly moved your parting.