We have all had this
horrible experience at some point. Whether it was because you
and your hairdresser just completely misunderstood each other
or that you decided when you got home that it just didn't work
for you, or you simply ended up with the hairdresser from hell
who treated you to the "butchered look", the same question comes
to mind. What the heck do I do now?
As with most other goods you have
the right to go back to the salon and ask them to fix it. Pop
in and get them to check it over and re-cut if possible along
with giving you some advice on how to blow-dry it or other options
that may help to improve the look. Which ever of these options
you take, they should be free of charge as a happy customer is
what the salon wants and you will certainly be back if they fix
your problems without fuss.
Like any of us, hairdressers also
have their bad days or any number of other misunderstandings could
have occurred. The person who you originally saw is often the
best person to return to, as they have the knowledge of what was
done and a better understanding of where they went wrong.
If you are not comfortable going
back to the same person then ask for another stylist. It may be
good to have the original person consult with the new stylist
though. Most hairdressers will appreciate you giving them a second
chance to put it right so don't feel that you are a being a pain.
Any good salon will assist you without any complaint as you are
giving them the opportunity to retain you as a customer.
Most problems with not getting the
effect you wanted stem from the condition and length your hair
was before you started. Think about whether or not you were told
it would take "a few cuts to get to that look" or "we can make
you only a little lighter during this session because the condition
of your hair will not allow us to go as blonde as you would like".
The reason why I mention this is
because sometimes our expectations are such that we expect a complete
change of look to materialise after only one session when, in
fact, this first session was just a "half-way mark" on the way
to getting the look perfect. The even bigger problem is when you
rush back in to "fix" the problem, the hairdresser might then
try to achieve the very thing that in their first opinion was
going to damage your hair too much. So even though anything is
better than what you have at this point, really listen to what
is being said to you as the hairdresser is not just trying to
get out 'fixing your hair". They will probably have a genuine
concern about damaging your hair or changing the shape too soon
by rushing to the next stage. At the end of the day it all boils
down to communication: listen carefully to the hairdresser to
get what you want and always ask if you don't understand exactly
what they mean.
So if it is a colour or perm that
has not worked, ask lots of questions regarding the outcome of
changing to what you really want. Any chemical process puts stress
on your hair and damage occurs when another chemical process happens
straight after or on top of the first. You may feel it is worth
the risk, but remain clear headed so that the choice you make
is not solely based on hating what you got in the first place.
As with any complaint there is a
right and wrong way to go about it. If you scream at the hairdresser
(even though you may feel like it) the effect will be to terrify
them so that they cannot perform to the best of their abilities.
With most situations it is because you were not understood in
the first place and that comes down to communicating your needs
so that the hairdresser can work out what they are. See too our
section on making
sure that your hairdresser understands you.
Good luck with getting it right,
and hope this information will just show that we are all only
human!
Leading Australian hairdresser, Anthony
Whitaker has added a couple of extra tips:
"Be wary of hairdressers
who profess to 'have a vision' of how you should look. You are
usually the best judge of that at the end of the day it's not
on for the hairdresser to give clients there 'signature cut' and
for the person to race home and fix it. When a client cuts a client's
hair, he or she must understand the important thing is the client's
individuality, their tastes, lifestyle and needs, not the latest
cut".
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