Ruben came highly recommended to me by a coworker. Another coworker mentioned she had an appointment and I decided to call to inquire if he does relaxers. He stated that he did and asked me to come in for a quote/consultation. I thought that was a great start. It's been very difficult to find someone that relaxes hair. I go in, Ruben looks at my hair, gives me a quote, and schedules my appointment.
I was so excited! When I arrived to my appointment, Ruben asked what I had in my hair an I told him coconut oil. He said he had to wash my hair. I became confused because in my experience, hair can be unwashed. I asked, "for a relaxer?". He said, "yes"; according to him, the product wouldn't work if he didn't clean my hair. I asked him if he was giving me the relaxer that African American's used and he said, "yes." He instructed a young lady to wash my hair "three times" As I was getting my hair scrubbed, I became uneasy; I've never had my hair washed before a relaxer.
I thought about all the 5-star Yelp reviews, I thought about my coworker who RAVED about him, I thought about how he was well known in the community. I thought about asking for a wash and hair cut and forgetting about the "relaxer." I gave him the benefit of the doubt and trusted in his expertise.
He took me to the station and proceeded to apply something in my hair. It smelled like 80's perm solution. It smelled so bad he had to move incense next to me. I asked what it was and he said it was an Italian product. He instructed the young lady to comb, comb, comb for TEN MINUTES. My hair wasn't sectioned. They were both combing, combing, combing, from the top of my head down and around. At one point I thought he said it was a Japanese straightener. The combing was very aggressive, not gentle, very uncomfortable.
After that torture, I'm back at the shampoo bowl -- TEN MINUTES. I'm wondering what the world is going on. I'm wondering if I should pay for this. Back to the station for a blow dry. Again, my hair was not carefully sectioned. I have my hair flat ironed. I didn't understand why I was getting it ironed and getting it shampooed again.
BACK TO THE BOWL. OH MY GOD!!! I asked the young lady if this was the Japanese straightener. She responded that she honestly didn't know. I wanted out.
Back to the station ... At one point, there was another woman blow drying the right side of my hair while Ruben blow dried the left. Two people pulling and drying my hair in different directions with hair in my face. I was fighting back tears. He flat ironed my hair. My ends didn't look "finished".
He recommended Brazilian Blowout products. Priced @$35 and $32 for Shampoo and Conditioner. I'm still wondering what the world he used in my hair and asked if the box next to the products he was recommending were what he used. "No" I asked if he could show me what he used in my hair. He went to the back room and said it was taken out in the trash. He asked the young lady that was assisting him if she saw the box in the trash. He informed me that it was a professional product.
When it came time to pay/leave he charged me $10 more than the original quote. I paid because I wanted out. I tipped in cash, based on the amount I was quoted, minus the $10 he over charged. I felt like I spent what I planned to spend.
I wish this story ended here.
When I checked my debit card transactions, he took out AN ADDITIONAL $10. So, $20 over the price that he quoted me. I called the salon Saturday morning to speak with him - he was with a client. I left a message about the discrepancy in my charge and also asked about the name of the product and what it was used for. I got a return call (not from him) about the $10 and was told that it was a MISCOMMUNICATION and that I can pick up my $10. Wow. I don't know how the over charge was a miscommunication when I clearly drew a line through the tip line. Anyone that knows me, knows that I go out of my way to get $2 bills to use for tips and gifts, that's what I left on his counter.
STILL NO WORD ON THE PRODUCT THAT WAS USED IN MY HAIR.
He had no right to make a product choice for me and then not tell me the name of the product. Thanks to Ruben, my scalp is dry and flaky now. I feel it was all the aggressive combing. Now what? How long do I wait to get my hair relaxed ? I fear going to another hairstylist. I feel my hair is permanently damaged. read more