I'm new to the area and was hoping Roots would be my long-term salon. I paid almost $400 for my…read moreservice and described the soft, blended look I wanted at my appointment. Something that could be maintained every 3-6 months as I have two small kids and a day job.
After a few washes, the top was very dark with a bright section below it, so it looked grown out after just a week. Pictures attached. I messaged my stylist with photos of the result and of what I'd expected. She was responsive, suggested adding highlights to soften it, and booked me at her first available opening. I'd let her know at our prior appointment that I am on work calls during that slot, and she said that was fine the first time, I presumed it would also be for this one.
Before she started the redo, I asked if we were totally clear on the look, and said I might not know the right technical terms, to correct me if i was saying something that wouldn't achieve that look, and we revisited the photos I had sent her. She said she absolutely knew what fix was needed.
I was mostly working for the 2 hour appointment. On the one brief break I had, at the wash station, I read a book (ACOSH, IYKYK) and chatted with another stylist about what we thought so far.
At the end, when it was improved but still not right, she was surprised i still wasn't happy and said that reaching the color in my photos would have meant "breaking my base", which she didn't do, because she didn't want to do that without asking me. The problem was, she never asked. I asked it if would be helpful to text my prior stylist so we knew what to do the next time. She said sure, and I asked her what exactly I should ask him. She said "ask if he used a brightener. Well, he might not know what a brightener is so you might call it ..." and I chirped in "oh he's been doing hair for 20 years, he's done Britney Spears hair even! I'm sure he'll know what it is" and sent off the text.
All that said, it was much better than my original appointment and I told her while it wasn't fully what I was going for, it was fine, and I'd check with my previous stylist to see what treatment they did and see her in January. I thanked her on my way out and had already booked my next appointment..
That evening the salon texted that the owner decided I "may not be the best fit." His public reply to my Google review says I belittled my stylist and that other clients stopped to listen, which is odd given I didn't raise my voice, ask for a refund, or even ask for her to try anything further that day. I even bantered with one other stylist on our book. I gave honest feedback to someone so that we could eventually get it right.
In my personal experience as a former business owner, rude customers making a scene (how the owners described me when n their response to my Google review) rarely book their next appointment on the way out.
In any case, if you're a client who will speak up when your color isn't right, I'd book somewhere else.