I went to the City Revival/Metro Hair and Beauty training salon here, basically a hairdressing school. I started off with a hair colour skin test, which went ok. I made an appointment by phone for a colour consultation three days later. When I arrived, I was surprised to be asked for payment, because I hadn't committed to having anything done, I had just arranged to have a consultation first and take it from there. When I explained this, I was asked to wait, before being taken to the third floor where the hairdressing students have their training. A girl came to me and said that she had been assigned to me for a creative colour consultation as I was looking at having a few things done. We discussed my hair, the funky colours I would like, and I showed her a photo of myself with the exact colour and vibrancy I wanted. She agreed to do this. She also said she could refresh my bright pink streaks. Then an educator came over and they said I would need a semi-permanent colour done on my roots instead of a permanent colour as I had a "band" of colour at the temples which they said would be difficult to work with. The girl put the semi-permanent colour on my hair, and put slices of my hair in foils for the funky pink colour, and left it for twenty minutes, after which it was obvious it had not worked. I asked to see the educator again and told him I was not happy with the result. He told the girl to go off for her break and said he would apply a permanent colour on my hair himself instead. An hour later: still no result. By this time I had half my head coloured a much duller brown than when I had come in, with caramel-coloured wisps at the front and roots. The pink streaks of my hair which I had come in with, had also been dulled beyond recognition. I was really upset and disappointed. I told them I could not go out with it like that. I also had the distinct impression that the trainee had not been supervised properly in mixing the colour for my hair. Then the educator told me to come back in on Monday to have it re-done and sorted out. He also said he would email the salon to tell them what had happened, that they needed to re-do my hair, and that he would be there himself after 1.00 p. m. to help if needed.
When I came back on Monday at around 2pm, he was not there. I had waited all through the weekend until then specially so he could be on hand. But instead of this, the two women on reception refused me an appointment, said I could not be seen, and turned me away, saying all the students were out on work experience, the stylists were all on holiday, and they basically could not help me because there was no one available as it was the Easter break. I had to leave this salon with my hair looking worse and much different to what I had asked for. I looked really dull and flat, because ultimately I got neither the vibrant colour, the root tint or the blow dry I had asked for and which had been agreed. I had had to wear a hat over the weekend for an important event I was going to because my hair looked so different. I had been for three visits to this training salon with no result, having spent hours in the hairdresser's chair, and leaving looking much worse. I just had flat dull dark brown hair. I felt as if my personality had been taken away. I had spent considerable time with funky coloured streaks in my hair and now suddenly they were gone. I felt quite traumatised by this experience. I asked to speak to the educator who had recommended my hair to be re-done, but they would not allow me to. I had to insist on a refund, which I got, refunded on to my card. It still has yet to show on my statement as I write this.
I was not at all prepared for this experience I have had at this salon, in fact I was appalled. While I realise there is a risk involved because it is a training salon, nothing prepared me for this.
I feel it was inappropriate to offer me an appointment with this complexity of colour if they could not deliver what had been agreed, within the timescale expected, and taking in the Easter holiday period, which they were unable to. I was also promised that my hair colour would be re-done once the colour failed to take - which it was not. Furthermore I had the payment taken from me before the colour failed to work, instead of at the end of the appointment - which I felt was not good practice, becasue I ended up having paid for something which had not worked, and for which there was ultimately no one available to fix.
I could not, in all honesty, recommend this salon, neither the trainees, the stylists or the educators, after this. I am considering making a complaint to the college. read more
