Gave me the wrong hair treatment and didn't tell me…read more
My experience with Kayla Wood at La Ti Da was unbelievable in the worst way. This was my first time seeing her, and she was recommended by locals on Facebook for Brazilian Blowout treatments. I walked in expecting professionalism. What I got was the exact opposite.
I made it painfully clear, multiple times, when making the appointment and in person, that I wanted the original, stronger Brazilian Blowout formula, not the light version. She looked me in the eye and assured me over and over that she'd be using the original formula. She literally even told me that she had to source the original formula for my appointment from someone outside of CA because CA no longer sells the strong original formula. Fast-forward a few weeks, my hair looked nothing like a real Brazilian Blowout. Frizzy, wavy, dull--nothing even close to the results I've had for 15 years with other stylists. I've had approximately 25 original formula Brazilian Blowouts over 15 years so I know exactly how my hair reacts.
So I reached out privately and politely via text, asking her for her advice, her opinion, and asking if maybe too little product was used and if next time she could use more. I also sent her pictures of my now wavy, frizzy hair. And that's when SHE CASUALLY ADMITTED SHE'D ACTUALLY USED THE LIGHT VERSION--the exact product I told her I did NOT want. She never told me this during the appointment. Not a word. I only found out because I asked. There's nothing "miscommunication" about that. That is a straight-up undisclosed product swap.
But the absolute icing on the cake: when I politely asked for a PARTIAL refund (I was willing to pay for her time but I wanted a partial refund because I now have to pay someone else to redo the correct treatment), she refused... and then sent me a message saying she'd filed a police report! And if I contacted her again she would file an additional report for harassment. Over what? Me asking why she used a completely different formula than the one she promised?
And as unbelievable as that is, something additionally wild happened during the appointment.
While she was in the middle of my treatment, she made a personal phone call right next to me asking her husband how much he'd been drinking and telling him he was too drunk to pick up their child from school. I just sat there stunned, stuck in the chair while she had this whole conversation inches from me. Meanwhile we weren't done with my service, and suddenly she had less than 30 minutes to get to the school herself. It was chaotic, unprofessional, and honestly uncomfortable.
Now, after telling me she had filed a police report, she claims I "left before the service was finished" and is using it as an additional excuse. That is absolutely not what happened. I did exactly what I've done for 15 years with every Brazilian Blowout I've ever had -- I chose not to have the stylist do the second wash because many clients prefer to leave the product in longer so the treatment sets better. Every stylist I've ever had has offered that option, including Kayla. She even told me a lot of her clients prefer to leave with the product in. So to see her later twist that into "you left in the middle of the service" was incredibly disappointing, especially given that the real issue was that she used an entirely different product than the one I requested in the first place.
I've never in my life dealt with a stylist who changed a product without telling me, admitted it, denied it, and then tried to intimidate me for asking about it. The whole situation went from disappointing to surreal.
I'm leaving this review because I wish someone had been brutally honest before I booked. If transparency, professionalism, or basic respect matters to you, please think twice. I definitely won't be going back.
Edited after owner response:
I'm posting this because the salon's response doesn't reflect what was actually communicated to me. I was never told the formula I requested was illegal--Kayla told me she had sourced the stronger formula from out of state and confirmed she'd be using it. I only learned otherwise yesterday when she acknowledged in writing that she used a different product, which contradicts the public response.
I was also never offered a free correction, only asked to "come in and talk," which didn't address the issue. And how could they "correct" the service when the original service I requested wasn't performed in the first place? I have everything in writing, and my review reflects the actual communication.
I even tried to resolve this privately with a 50% refund request since the wrong product was used, while still compensating her for her time. Kayla responded saying the salon does not offer refunds and she had filed a police report. It's unfortunate the salon chose not to resolve this professionally and privately.
