Hairdresser colour disaster!

[Pengwern16]

I better warn you in advance, this is a long one!! I've also posted it on the consumer vent board - I hope this is OK?

I went to my regular hairdresser on Saturday to have my usual semi colour and a trim (have done every six weeks for nearly a year) but the girl who normally colours my hair wasn't there (think she was ill). The girl who did it instead was obviously new to the salon and come from another country (can I just emphasise that this was not a problem though, the problem follows...). She couldn't find my colour card but I helped her find it, it's a pink card but some cards are a buff colour (I think these are for clients who have bleach / foils). So I thought she had my pink card but when she went past me saying she was going to mix my colours she had a buff coloured card in her hand. I said "I'm sorry I normally have just one colour, a semi" as alarm bells were starting to ring, but she said "yes I know".
Anyway, she brings the mixed hair colour through and it was white, and I thought to myself "I'm sure it's normally purple-y" but though perhaps they've changed their supplier or something. She brushed the colour on to my roots and came quite low down on my forehead, the colour normally stains my skin but this didn't. It did itch and sting a bit though :eek:
Part of me wanted to make a fuss but I though I'll leave it, they're the ones who know what they're doing. After about 10 minutes I noticed that my hair was lighter under the colour she'd put on so I told her, trying to be discreet "my hair seems lighter than normal". The boss of the salon (who cuts my hair) jumped accross the room (according to my mum who was having her hair cut by her at the time) and got one of the other girls to wash the colour off my hair straight away.
They put my usual semi on and assured me you wouldn't be able to tell the difference from normal. They were apologetic but I was in shock. I couldn't even look at the mirror when they dried it before putting the semi on - I've got dark brown hair and they bleached my roots!
Anyway, the colour came out lighter at the roots and the boss said if you can grin and bear it until next time I won't charge you for the colour. I just wanted to get out so agreed to this - i.e. I paid for the cut and blow dry. Others have told me I shouldn't have paid for anything but I just wasn't thinking straight and wanted to go. She did offer to reapply the semi but I didn't have time to stay there as I had to be somewhere else by 2pm.
It's really getting me down and it's going to look even worse when my natural (dark!) roots start growing and also when the bleached bits grow out (my hair is long and I love it!) My scalp's still a little bit itchy and I've got a headache too.
What should I do? I could quite honestly cry right now!!

Thanks for reading.

[louise1988]

Oh dear sounds like you have had a bad experience!!
Ypu should not have had to pay for your cut & blow dry as it was the salon that has messed up!
Its obvious she has put bleach on your hair for it to go light so quickly!
If i was you i'd either write a letter or ask for your money back some hairdressers are not insured for stuff like this.
Bleach can be very harmful & should not be applied to the scalp!
Reapplying the semi would of just knackered your hair even more!
Hope you are getting over the shock!
X

[skintchick]

Go back and tell them you want another colour applied for free to rectify the situation, plus a deep conditioner to look after the hair after it has been bleached. Give then a chance to make it right for you.

[milkybars]

The manager is right... after this assault on your hair, its best to let it rest a while, at least they are willing to fix the problem though. You were clearly happy at this salon prior to this last visit. I think the best way to move on is for you to book your next appointment making sure you mention the free cut and colour on booking. Push for the whole thing for free stating that you had to put up with it for 6 weeks despite trying to alert the new hairdresser to the mistake.

Best of luck.

[Pengwern16]

Thanks for your replies.
But they assaulted my hair, not me! I look after my hair as I love its length now I've grown it so long. I really don't think I can cope with having funny coloured roots for 6 weeks (and I mean funny, and it'll look worse as the semi fades and my dark roots come through!
I could cry, and I feel sooo down in the dumps about this. My beautiful dark hair has got bleach in it and it's going to take years to grow out :eek:
x

[skintchick]

I do understand how distressing this is but what else do you want them to do? They can;t replace your HAIR. You either have to have it redyed (at their expense) now, or wait six weeks, or wear a wig, or put up with it.

Could you put your hair up for a while to hide the roots?

[Pengwern16]

I'd be happy for them to re-dye my hair, but I'm a bit concerned about contacting the salon and about the condition of my hair. I'm still in shock that it's happened I think.
Wearing my hair up makes it look more obvious as I've got a fringe and it's the scalp and roots she bleached. I have bought a scarf/hairband thing which I'm wearing at the moment but don't really want to have to do this until it grows out.
I suppose I wasn't aware until people posted here that reapplying a semi will still fade quickly (it has been reapplied once and look orange - nothing wrong if you want orange hair mind) I think it's just hitting me know that someone else's mistake has possibly ruined my hair, and I paid them?!?!
What is the done thing in terms of going back to them? The salon isn't in my home town so I can't just 'pop in'.
x

[Baybee1984]

I had a bad experience with a colour once, it was awful. But like you was too much in shock to say much more. But after everyone egged me on to complain, I rang the salon and told them I really wasnt happy with it and that i wanted it re-doing by a senior member of staff. They happily agreed, apologised and made me an appointment for the following week. I got my colour re-done for free. And I then changed my hairdressers.. lol

[skintchick]

How far away is it? You could phone, but I think if you go in you will get a better result (mainly cos other customers will hear). It must be fairly local to you?

[annie_d]

Certainly I wouldn't go back to that hairdressers if I were you. How could you relax?
Could you dye it dark yourself? I have very long dark and use the Nice and Easy brand to dye it and it looks great. I don't mean that to sound as arrogant as it does but i understand when you say you love your hair.
If you have always looked after your hair one blast of bleach won't make a lot of damage.
If it were me i wuld leave it a week, do a deep conditioning treatment AT HOME and then dye it myself.
Good luck though with whatever you choose.

[Pengwern16]

Thanks for your replies. I still don't know what to do! I'm scared to phone them but I'm not sure why.
The salon is in a town about 15 miles away from the town where I live, and it's a much smaller town.
I just wish I wasn't so worried about ringing - I've woken up really sad because of my hair and dreading this phone call.

[Pengwern16]

I've just phoned the salon, they've said I can come back in and have a semi reapplied by someone else. The manager said it was a blonde tint that was put on my roots, not bleach, so a semi shouldn't fade.
I'm going in at 1.30, but I'm worried they're going to expect me to pay - what should I say if they do try to get me to pay?

[Keeping Motivated]

I would ring back now and clear the matter on the phone. Just say will I be expected to pay for this colour I have to have today and if so how much? If they mention a charge Iwould then say well Iwould like to dispute that as this is an error on your part and I should not need to come back.
I am sure they will say no charge though but its saves you feeling uncomfortable the whole visit and then going to the desk and have to ask 'in public'.

Good luck x

[jorichste]

sorry to hear about your hair (i'm a hairdresser). If you go back to the salon i really don't think they will charge you. Anybody can make a mistake and you can be pretty certain that the girl that did this feels far worse than you do about the whole thing. If it was tint not bleach then a semi will hold well on it and although it may fade over time it will be easy to top up . I would stick with the same hairdresser if i were you, but insist on being seen by a senior staff member.good luck!!

[Baybee1984]

Keep us posted how it goes. When you get there you should say, 'Im not expected to pay for this am I?' or something along those lines. Im sure you'll feel much better this afternoon, good luck :)