I debated writing this, but if I can save even one other person from a repeat of what I went through, it'll have been worth the energy.
First of all, this isn't about my hair. My cut and color were fine, no complaints. The one star is down to the harrowing experience I had in the salon on 8/26/21.
G Michael has a separate room that you go into for your shampoo/conditioning + developer and toner. Shortly after my stylist took me in there to rinse my balayage & do those next steps, another woman and her stylist walked in, yammering away. This room has dim lighting and stone-lined walls and is billed as a "relaxing/soothing" part of the salon experience. I think there's even a sign that asks people to speak in hushed voices? But it's not like I went there for a zen retreat; I went to get my hairs did, so whatever, talk away.
Except then, it turned out that this woman was going on non-stop--at full volume--with totally toxic nutjob conspiracy theory BS. The stuff about Target's secret agenda would've made me laugh if it was just that. The part about Jay-Z & Beyonce's "symbology" and how they're brainwashing people felt a liiiittle unhinged; but still not hugely offensive (unless you're Beyonce or Jay-Z, I guess). But my nervous system went on high-alert when she starting talking about the kind of dangerous stuff that gets people killed, touting Alex Jones, and how he has some pretty good ideas if you watch his YT videos. There was a whole screed about how any life, even just the tiniest spark, is a miracle, and [I'll save you her next extreme opinions, which I don't even want to repeat on the same day that women's bodily autonomy was dealt such a huge blow]. Then she went in on the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and how her [father in law? brother's girlfriend's dad?] was there fighting the good fight, and all the wild stuff he said happened and on and on and on like it was this fun antic. I live in D.C., just over a mile from the Capitol. Whatever your politics: that's not a fun story; it was a flippin' violent and terrifying event taking place in my neighborhood.
I get that the service industry doesn't get to choose their customers, but her stylist wasn't just tolerating this woman's spew. She was ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN IT the entire time. (Naturally, the woman also took off her mask when she walked in, coughed several times, apologized for coughing...and left her mask off the entire time she jabbered away.)
You can't really change your mind once all the gunk is in your hair, but by the end of 30-40 minutes of what felt like non-stop verbal assault, I couldn't believe I was giving my money to a business where this was tolerated. Every muscle in my body was tensed up, and I just wanted out of there as fast as possible. Despite my stylist's whispered apologies and a decent scalp massage, I left the salon with a giant migraine.
In conclusion: 0/10, not psyched I gave G Michael my money, do not wish that experience on anybody else. read more