This is something that astounds me more and more these days. I had heard of the occasional "I had a shit cut!" here and there, especially over on the forums but I hear about six of these a DAY. I work for a high-end salon-- you know, the fancy, shmanzy salons that don't offer style books because each cut is one of a kind type of salon. Most women who call in are fed up and annoyed with bad cuts. Either the cut doesn't look right, too much was taken out, she asked for A and got C.. that kind of thing.
Mostly we're fixing mistakes from other salons. More often than not, however, we're dealing with a traumatized client who had a shit experience at XYZ location years ago and it STILL affects them.
I'll give you guys my mother for example.
Mama had LONG, amazing hair in the 60s and 70s. She chopped it short when she went back to the work force in the 80s and kept the terrible cut and perm until the early 00s. It took a lot of coaxing from my sisters' half and gentle guidance from moi (I.E merciless teasing. I blame my teens and her penchant for calling me Shamu even when I asked her not to) for her to finally stop perming. She's got gorgeous wavy hair that women would kill for, an amazingly breathtaking SILVER that many pay for and yet she thought it was terrible.
I started growing out my hair, on a whim three years ago. I started getting serious about it last September. Since 09/10 my hair has gone from shoulder-lengthish hair down to my waist. When she visited in November it was somewhere around BSL and shinier than it had been in years. It spurred my mother into finally taking the plunge and growing it out.
Finally, I had something decent to talk to Mom about. xD (Hey, I was her Surprise at 38. We have very opposing views on a lot of things and have had a very turbulent relationship). Before she went on vacation, her hair was finally past her shoulders, perhaps BSL when stretched out. She needed a bit of a trim to reshape her fro (read: she was visiting a VERY humid location with very hard water. Mama didn't know what to do to tame it. Too bad she couldn't make an international call for my advice. )
So, she decides to go in for a trim to thin out her thick hair.
She walked out in tears and tells me about it two weeks later, still so angry she starts crying.
Apparently she wound up with a scissor happy, stubborn biddy who decided she knew what was best for my mother and hacked her hair off. Sure, to a lot of readers they'll go "Eh, its just hair, it will grow back!" and they are right, but they also have to understand that sometimes it is more than 'just hair'. There is an emotional involvement when a person decides to do what is best for their hair for whatever reason. It is a commitment and when some banshee decides she/he knows better and takes away a person's choice, that shit hurts.
Eventually she got calm enough for me to ask her "Did you ever tell her to stop?"
Mama blinked a few times and timidly say no.
Women , men...you DO have the right to stop a stylist in the middle of a cut or style -- hell, you NEED to speak up in general or you'll be screwed. And this same advice can be taken in all aspects of life. Your stylist, your doctor, your friend and even your dog: If you are uncomfortable with something, SPEAK UP. You don't have to be a jackass or a bitch, you just need to be firm.
"Hey, I don't like what you're doing please stop. "
9 out of ten times, the stylist will pause and recoup.
Stylists are NOT mind readers. They may think they understood your desire are are trying their best to give you what you want, but they are human and so are you. If they misunderstand, it is your job to say something.
If a 'stop' doesn't get the hint, feel free to stand up, thank the person for their time and walk out to the front to find a manager.
No salon manager or stylist wants you to walk out of that salon with a style you hate. The final product is a representation of their work, and if you're not happy about it, chances are you will tell everyone you know, therefore, losing the place a ton of business. Chances are you'll either get your money back, be placed with another stylist (hell, even the owner himself) and or both.
And if you're at a place where neither stylist nor manager listens to your query, then you know what? They deserve for you to stand on the top of the loudest building and tell the world on how shitty their service is.
So to recap:
1) Be very clear on what you want with your stylist. Bring a picture if you need to. (If the stylist gets offended, then chances are you don't want to work with him.)
2) Have the stylist tell you, in his own words, what it is that YOU want from them. If they didn't understand you'll catch it before scissors touch your hair.
3) If the cut is still going wrong, then ask them to stop.
4) If they insist they're wrong, you're wrong. Stand up and walk away.
5) Speak to a manager.
No one should have to put up with a shit cut because XYZ said so. What's the point of the person having an It cut that makes them look like they're hotter shit than Selma Hayek if they feel more awkward looking than Carrot Top? Seriously. Grow a back bone.
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