Overall, I had a good experience with Hair Fusion in the sense that my hair did turn out beautiful…read morein the end, but I wanted to share some constructive feedback about the appointment and the process it took to get there.
I booked an updo for a wedding and, when I called to schedule, I specifically asked to be paired with someone who was experienced and comfortable doing formal/wedding updos.
For context, the style I requested was a very classic, straightforward low bridal bun--the kind of elegant updo you see frequently in wedding inspiration photos. I wanted soft face-framing pieces in the front, a few twisted sections in the back, and the hair twisted and pinned around mesh hair padding that would serve as the foundation for the low bun. I brought multiple inspiration photos with me so there was a very clear visual of what I was hoping for.
The beginning of the appointment was honestly the most concerning part for me. The stylist seemed unsure of how to approach the style and spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out how to build what I considered to be a fairly standard formal updo. The first attempt did not resemble my inspiration photos and did not look good, so I ultimately had to ask for it to be undone and started over.
After that, I felt like I needed to closely monitor the rest of the appointment and give direction throughout the process to make sure we stayed on track with the photos I had provided. Because of that, I wasn't really able to relax and enjoy having my hair done before the wedding. The final result ended up being very pretty, but it took a significant amount of trial and error to get there.
That was especially surprising because, when I made the appointment, I specifically asked to be paired with someone who was experienced with updos. Based on how uncertain the process felt at the beginning and how much guidance was needed along the way, the experience did not match what I expected after making that specific request.
Thankfully, I had also brought my own mesh hair padding with me for the appointment. At one point, the stylist called over to the receptionist to ask whether the salon had any available. Before the receptionist could answer, I pulled out the padding I had brought, so I honestly do not know whether the salon had any in stock or not. Still, because the padding was an essential part of creating the particular updo shown in my inspiration photos, it made me wonder what the plan would have been if I had not happened to bring my own. For formal services booked in advance, I think it would be helpful to make sure the necessary styling supplies are available or to let clients know beforehand if there is anything they need to provide themselves.
I completely understand that every stylist has areas where they are still growing, and I think additional experience or continuing education with classic formal and bridal styles would be very beneficial. My concern is less about the fact that the appointment took a long time and more about how much uncertainty there seemed to be with a relatively traditional low bridal bun.
I also noticed that the salon seemed very lightly staffed that Saturday morning. When we arrived, there was only one stylist working, and we waited an uncomfortable amount of time before being greeted. By the time we left, I believe there were only around three stylists working in total. While I was there, several walk-ins also came through, and it seemed like there simply were not enough stylists available to accommodate the amount of people coming in. For a busy Saturday in Durango, that was surprising.
Again, I was happy with how my hair looked when everything was finished, and I appreciate the effort that ultimately went into getting it there. The finished updo photographed beautifully and worked well for the wedding. I just think that with more training and experience in formal styling, stronger preparation for booked services, and perhaps additional staffing during busy weekends, the overall experience could be much more polished, confident, and relaxing for future clients.
