Alyssa's brow work was consistently great, and I was a loyal client of hers for nearly six years…read more Unfortunately, my experience with her business practices and customer service has been deeply disappointing.
I recently purchased a 10-session package for $430. I only learned Alyssa was leaving indefinitely because she casually mentioned it during one of my last appointments. As a client with a half-used prepaid package, I was never
proactively notified, offered options, or told how my remaining services would be handled.
To be fair, I genuinely tried to make the situation work. I even booked an appointment with one of the artists Alyssa personally recommended. Unfortunately, while they were kind, the results simply were not to my standards. That confirmed what I already knew: I purchased this package specifically because I trusted Alyssa's work--not simply because I wanted eyebrow threading.
Feeling stuck, and without another solution, I requested a prorated refund of the unused package. I didn't ask for this refund because of any changes on my end. I requested this because the provider whose services I specifically prepaid for became unavailable indefinitely. Had Alyssa not left, I never would have requested a refund. Instead, I was expected to absorb the financial loss caused by circumstances entirely outside my control, which I believe was fundamentally unfair.
Although Alyssa did agree to issue a partial refund, which I appreciate, she would only do so after retroactively repricing all of my completed appointments at the full individual session rate instead of the discounted package rate I had paid. As a result, my refund was substantially reduced.
I would never have chosen to receive these services at the full individual session rate. I purchased the package because the discounted pricing reflected the value I was willing to pay. Retroactively converting completed appointments to the full retail rate fundamentally changes the financial agreement I originally accepted.
I was told that Alyssa's policy only allows a package-rate refund "if an artist permanently leaves." However, "buying a one-way ticket", "planning to travel for over a year", and having "no return date"is, from a client's perspective, functionally no different. Expecting clients to leave hundreds of dollars with a business indefinitely in the hope that an artist may someday return is unreasonable and unfair.
Unfortunately, this experience reflects what I now recognize as a broader pattern. When the studio transitioned to the Fresha booking app, I accidentally booked with a newly hired artist because I didn't realize the new system assigned providers differently than before. Of course, I was welcome to keep that appointment, but I am very particular about my eyebrows, and for several years Alyssa had been the only person I trusted to thread them. Rather than proceed with an artist I didn't know, I immediately explained the misunderstanding and chose to forgo the appointment and wait for Alyssa instead. Despite being a loyal client for years, there was no flexibility or grace for what was clearly an honest mistake during a confusing system transition, and I was still required to pay for an appointment I never received.
Ive also seen disheartening posts on her business instagram page that appear to poke fun of clients who arrive late. While every business has the right to enforce a late policy, publicly ridiculing clients who support your business struck me as unprofessional and disappointing.
Even as someone who was never once late to an appointment, I still found these posts to be incredibly off-putting.
True customer service isn't only about offering clients a drink when they arrive. It is about showing respect for them in difficult situations, especially when your business can no longer fulfill its obligations. Although Alyssa's talent is undeniable, and I sincerely wish her the best with her travels, her talent doesn't excuse poor communication or unfair business practices. After six years of loyalty, I expected to be treated with far more transparency, fairness, and consideration than I received.
