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.