4 yrs, 10 mths ago

This salon forced me to pay more for something I didn’t even ask for or wanted. Do I have the right to get a refund?

Me nor my family aren’t in the best financial situation, but somehow on my 18th birthday I finally had about $200, which is a once in a lifetime sort of thing for me. My whole life I’ve majorly depressed and anxious and because of that, I have also always been insecure about my appearance. So on my birthday I thought “Now that I have enough money, I should go get balayage done! Maybe I would look better!”

What a horrible mistake.

I booked an appointment at the hair salon, and on the day, I walked in saying I wanted to get rose gold balayage done. The stylist fully understood this, but I don’t think she even knew what balayage is now that I look back on it.

She recommended I should use a darker pink, semi permanent hair dye so in less than a week it would fade out nicely and look like rose gold balayage, and I can just touch it up myself every so often afterwards. And because in this situation she was the professional and I wasn’t, I trusted her and gave her my permission.

When she was done, my hair was a burgundy colour, but the roots didn’t even blend into the tips. There was no blending or highlighting. Nothing. Literally just some unnoticeable streaks and my hair a basic colour, no balayage. It actually looked like she used the $10 box hair dye from big w on my hair.

(This link shows a picture of how my hair looked the day after:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WL41cjmubhzNdkueo2GqjCIjYMy0hr-I95HZoiErR_A/edit?usp=sharing )

(and this link shows a picture of how my hair looked less than a week later:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BpCn_t1jexMENa2y7TtvhPmFuij2Qi_hW5oQN1niTRU/edit?usp=sharing )

My hair never looked like balayage. It never had rose gold tones in it. And now that I look back, I shouldn’t pay over $100 for something that won’t even last a week, when I could do better for $10 and it would last a lot longer. Of course, I tend to get really nervous when socialising, so I tend to not think and just agree randomly which is why this never occurred to me at the time. And apparently semi permanent balayage actually lasts 6 weeks, so I don’t know what the stylist was doing.

I understand I should have known this, but she’s the professional, and it’s her job to know these things and inform me. Right?

But there’s more . . .

On their website, it says balayage for one colour costs $117 and for two it costs $140. I didn’t want to spend much, so I only expected to pay $117, even so, the stylist never talked about prices with me, she just expected me to be made of money.

For some reason, the stylist decided to use foils in my hair and not tell me it would cost extra, she just went ahead and did it without asking me. So the total price of everything was $220 – $250, thankfully the manager was kind enough to bring it down to $180.

Even so, I ended up paying more for something I never asked for or wanted in the first place, and it didn’t even look good. The stylist never informed me about anything, she didn’t work with me to get the best look for me, it just felt like all she cared about was the money.

Of course, I am naïve to hair styling and everything, so maybe you have to have foils in your hair, even though it costs extra. But in the price list on the website, it looked optional, and they never told me otherwise.

I contacted the owner and he just acted as though it was my fault and didn’t seem to understand. He offered to do it again for free, but I also spent more for something I never asked for, so I expect a refund.

Do I have the right to get a refund? And are they wrong or am I?

12 comments 32 voices

Replies

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    I’ve only just seen this and I sympathise like crazy, S K Taylor. I’m ancient but I still remember and shudder when I had the most awful colour done at a hairdressers I’d gone to for ages. I wanted to put my head in a bag for 6 weeks.

    I’d be reluctant to return myself. My experience put me off colouring forever. I’m really lucky that my natural colour is attractive but I can definitely understand how thrilled you were being able to have something that should have been beautiful for your 18th birthday and then the horror of the outcome which turned into a nightmare.

    If you go back, insist on the owner or most senior stylist doing your hair. Mega hugs and/or high fives and the very best of luck.

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    Thank you everyone for understanding, it’s nice to know that unfortunately this is a common issue and that I’m not just being dramatic. I will try and email him back asking for a partial refund and to take the offer to have my hair done again. Now that I think about it, that’s the most logical option : )

    • 4 yrs, 9 mths ago

      Just wondering what the outcome was for you?

    • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

      Not being dramatic at all S.K Taylor and knowing you were only 18 infuriates me as I recall my youngest daughter (only 17 and at school and using her casual job money to pay) splurged to have balayage done and it was a terrible job and she was not happy but wouldn’t say anything.

      I felt they’d taken advantage of a young student who wouldn’t speak up and complain – she never went back.

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    I’ve had a similar situation happen to me where a hairdresser went ahead and applied toner to my hair and a whole heap of stuff I didn’t know about until it came to payment- I just went to get my foils redone and at the register I nearly fell over when she told me the price. I walked out in tears because 1) I had NO IDEA it would cost that much and that she did all the extra stuff then 2) I was not even that happy with it (mind you I HAD gone to this hairdresser before and never had any issues)

    ON the way home I rang her back and told her how upset and disappointed I was with her and demanded she give me back the additional amount she charged me compared to other times as I did not ask her to put in the toner and all the extra stuff she did without consulting me. She tried to justify it but I would not accept it so I turned around and went back to get a partial refund. I told her she was dishonest and I would never step foot in there again!

    As for your situation and a refund I don’t think they would do it and the fact that he offered to do it again he is trying to rectify the situation so maybe give them a change to fix it and see how that goes as uncomfortable as it would be- just take a friend or family member with you if needed for support.

    If you went to department of fair trading they may say that because they have offered to fix that is a suitable solution but then again they may push for a refund too. Good Luck! Hope you get it fixed.

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    “For some reason, THE STYLIST decided to use foils”

    “the manager was KIND ENOUGH? to bring it down to $180”

    If you don’t know what the balayage process entails, then you’re not going to question the stylist applying foils to your hair. That’s not your fault! They should have only charged you $117 – that’s the price shown on their website! But they didn’t do the balayage right, either!

    I’d expect a full refund. I’d be reluctant to trust them with my hair a second time.

    I agree with Lisa – you should contact consumer affairs. I don’t know what state you’re in, in NSW, contact: http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/
    If you’re in a different state, do an online search.

    At 18, you’re still unsure of yourself in a conflict situation – we all were at that age. Now that I’m a crusty, cranky old 52-year-old, I can intimidate the hell out of inept shop staff, haha! I hope you get this resolved, S.K Taylor.


    [EDIT] I’ve posted a birthday cake on the forum’s birthday thread, here:
    http://www.beautyheaven.com.au/forums/anything-but-beauty/having-a-birthday-this-week-post-it-here-and-well-send-a-cheer?page=349#comment-4422767

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    This is sad that there are hairdressers out there that tell the customer, yes I know what you want, I can do that. Then, when it is too late the end result is not what you expected. Bottom line, it is not a communication issue from your side, it is the hairdresser just not listening to you and what you want and making their own assumptions. They should have told you the cost up front, the additional extras should also have been discussed up front. This could be both parties just not communicating.

    Moving forward, get back to the owner, ask what they are prepared to do for you, at no charge to you, ask to see example or pics, take in your own if you find exactly what you want and then book a time after you are absolutely sure what you would like them to do. They probably won’t give a refund or may offer a portion, but I would think the free do over may be a better option if you end up with the right result. Perhaps even request the owner, or the most experienced person in the salon to do this, and give the alternative of a refund if the end result is not what you are pleased with.

    Over the years I have had absolute disasters with my very fine light blonde hair. From very expensive salons and even at TAFE where there is a supervising teacher who should know better. These horror stories have all involved colour to my hair which has ended up a dirty gutter water grey, blazing yellow hair, green tinge hair.
    Colour stripper was used eventually, but it is a very distressing situation when our crowning glory is abused by someone who is not competent in colouring.

    Now I use supermarket colour packs and get such a natural end result, much better than any salon has ever done for me. It was a trial and error initially for the right brand, but I already knew my colour codes.

    Wishing you luck.

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    I would take up the offer of fixing it up and then chalk it up to experience.
    It sounds like you wouldn’t have been comfortable raising it on the day but if you gain the courage to get it done again be definite with what you want.

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    Can you take them up on their offer to fix it for free, take some photos in to the salon of the look you’re after. The salon I go to will give you a quote before they do anything to your hair so you know what it costs and includes. It might be worth asking for a quote in future so you know what the full cost will be upfront.
    Hope you can get this resolved, it is frustrating and unfair to spend a lot of money on something you’re not happy with. Despite the issues with your hair, hope you managed to have a great 18th birthday …

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    Im actually a direct honest approach person and would have asked for a quote and tell them you are on a tight budget. However all is not lost. If he is a professional he should be able to fix it for you and perhaps book a good time and let him so all the work and perhaps ask him for a complementary condition if needed as sometimes redoing hairstyles can dry the hair , but I am not an expert. I would not really stress over it because whats done is done and it is a bit of a communication error in the beginning as I never assume anything for anyone . Take this as a learning curve and book a time to so that you discuss excactly what you want and get a guarantee it will last 2 months if you know it should . Make sure that it is an expert who will be doing your hair the second time round . Also get him to clarify pricing as you think you maybe overcharged and he should be the one responsible for that too . You deserve the hair you wanted .

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    Unfortunately this is kind of why I shy away from salons myself – it’s really hard to effectively communicate your expectations at a salon. Even when I show specific pictures of what I want and tell them my budget, eventually I would often still end up with something that didn’t really look similar and cost more than I had said I wanted to spend. I think that’s just kind of the tricky part of the trade… they don’t know how your hair is going to react to products, they can’t read your mind about your expectations, and they don’t know how much product and time they will have to end up spending to get somewhere where you feel comfortable walking out of the salon.

    I think your best first step would be to speak to the salon owner to see if you can work something out (maybe a do-over?) – try to go in in a non-hostile manner so it’s not easy for them to write you off mentally as someone dramatic. Just explain to them that you saved up your money for this and it’s just nothing like you wanted it to be, and if there is any way this can be rectified. Good luck!

  • 4 yrs, 10 mths ago

    I think you will have to check with consumer affairs if you are entitled to a refund, the offer by the owner to do it again for free might be enough. They might have to reimburse you for the foils that cost extra, but not the entire service.

    The links you have posted for the photo’s don’t work, I can’t see the outcome ,but it does’nt sound like your hair is damaged , just not what you wanted? .

    It seems to me to simply be a communication problem, perhaps you should go back in with some photo’s of what you originally wanted and see if they can do that for you? . I know this is really disappointing for you, I don’t think you are in the wrong here., hairdressers should explain extra costs but many don’t.

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