My hair is too dry to cut/straighten???

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

So I had my appt with Aveda today. I was really excited about getting my hair colored. Plus, I was going to get a trim and flat iron for the first time in forever. But I left very disappointed! I thought I was going to cry...but then it could just be the hormones.

So first I get my hair colored by this white girl, whom I love btw. She was fantastic. Even though my color came out a bit lighter and brighter than I would have liked, I was still pleased. And she went thru everything she did step by step for me. Explained what she was doing, what product was used and why, etc. She didn't push products on me and accepted my opinions. She didn't act like she was the expert on MY hair. The suggestions she did make were kinda generated by my questions and I bought those products.

Part of the whole experience included a neck/shoulder massage, which I immensely enjoyed and the facial. Again, she explained what she was doing etc- why she used lavendar oil and not peppermint b/c I'm preggers (I already know why, but it was nice that she did too!)

So the bad part came when it was time to get my cut/flat iron. It was a male stylist. Now usually I have good experiences with male stylists. But this guy was one cocky SOB....I should've known He kept acting like I didn't know what I was talking about re MY hair. Hello! I told him I'd prefer my hair cut dry/straight and I'm not concerned about the shape or how even it is b/c I don't normally wear it straight anyway. HE was basically trying to blow off my concerns and gave off the vibe like "I know more than you." Well when it came time to dealing with my hair, he was hacking at my hair with a brush! Yes, I said a brush- while it was almost dry- no conditioner. He was kinda rough with my hair and I told him to be a little more gentle. He kept commenting on how "dry" my hair was and how it must be "so damaged"....really from what? The colorist said my hair was in very good conditon. I havent had a relaxer since last year and I don't use heat...until today. He said TWO inches of my hair need to be cut (mind you last time at the consultation it was only 1/4 inch).

Anyhoo, he managed to straighten only a very small section on the left side before he basically gave up. He wondered if I had any trouble at home doing my hair. I told him I had NO problems at all.

He left to consult with another stylist or whoever and came back. HE said he thought another treatment would be good for me before he tried to straigthen again and cut my hair. I told him I'll talke the treatment and just leave wearing my hair curly. So he gave me the treatment. Then he gave a half a$* attempt at "twisiting" my hair while another girl helped before he took off for his next customer. The whole time he acted as if he were sooooooo uncomfortable trying to do my hair. The other girl that stayed was no better. I pushed their hands away and told them "that's ok."

They had these erplexed looks on their faces and asked me if I was ok. The girl that did my color came over and asked if I was all right and if there was something wrong with the color. I told her I loved the color but I was very frustrated about the styling part. She asked me what did I want and I told her to just bring my hair pins and I'll wear my hair natural. She asked if I needed any product and I told her just something like a leave in so she put some of the universal styling cream on my hair and helped me work with wearing my hair natural. She apologized and seemed to be genuinely sorry that I was upset. Meanwhile the other guy that abandoned me was busy doing his white clients hair.

I didn't get charged for the "haircut" and I only paid for the color service and the proucts I bought. I am not happy b/c I wanted to get my hair straightened. But I did at least get my color and my hair feels pretty good. I will return to see the same colorist. But I REFUSE to see homeboy that couldn't handle my hair again.

So now I need to find someone that can cut my "dry" hair.

 

[danigurl18]

aww sorry to hear about that.. last time i was at aveda, i had a lovely stylist who straightened my hair beautifully.. i hope you find someone!

 

[Junebug D]

How ignorant. erplexed Stylists who act like they've never seen nappy hair before really ruffle my feathers, especially if they are Black themselves. Just plain ignorant and trying to pop an attitude like there's something wrong with YOU rather than with THEM... Sorry you had such a bad experience with him.

 

[*Michelle*]

Oh man, maybe you were better off not having him keep at it! Glad the color came out well though! Hugs

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

He was a Filipino dude. And yes I'm glad he didn't cut my hair. I even had to ask him to use a heat protectant! I wonder if the beauty college I used to go to can cut my natural hair.

 

[Bigghair]

I am sorry that happened to you. He was obviously unable to do anything with your natural texture and instead of stating that, he acted like an . Anyway, I hope he didn't damage your hair. Good luck with finding someone.

 

[Dommo]

Im sorry that happened to you...Some people just don't know how to say that they are not experienced enough with natural hair instead of making it seem like it's your fault. As soon as that man would have put the brush on my hair especially with no leave-in, i would have asked for another stylist...You are a paying customer and you have the right to be picky about who touches your hair how and how they handle it.

 

[Filmatic]

Take it straight to the manager/owner. You are a customer and have no right to be treated like that. You best believe if that happened to a yt customer, their head stylist would hear about it. Don't let him get away with that.

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

This is EXACTLY what I plan to do. I was very disappointed.

Take it straight to the manager/owner. You are a customer and have no right to be treated like that. You best believe if that happened to a yt customer, their head stylist would hear about it. Don't let him get away with that.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

He was probably just itching to go serve a White woman.

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

Not only should you take it to the manager/owner, write corporate, with everything in exceptional detail. Who pleased you, who didn't, etc.

 

[Liege4421]

I'm sorry for your experience...how horrible! Don't let idiots like him get you down...he's probably just jealous you have gorgeous hair and he doesn't! Hopefully you can find someone better soon.

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

That is exactly how he acted.

Well they got a very "nice" email from me this morning.

He was probably just itching to go serve a White woman.

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

This is the email I sent to the manager/owner:

Hello Keri

I just wanted to share my thoughts and opinions regarding my visit to the Gila Rut salon on Saturday, March 7, 2009. I had an appointment for a color service as well as a haircut/trim. The stylists I saw were Shelley and Michael.

Let me preface this by stating that I've heard such rave reviews for Aveda salons and there are a few products I have actually used prior to visiting your salon. I had high expectations of your service and I was hoping they would be met, especially in light of the fact that your salon is rated one of the top in San Diego. I was so sure I would be getting nothing but the best. And for me, as I take very great care of my hair and I am very particular of what I put in/on and whom I let touch it, I just knew I made the right decision.

Unfortunately, I have to say I was highly disappointed with my experience. Shelley, my colourist was absolutely fantastic. I actually thought she was great from the initial consultation I had with her on February 14, 2009. She was very courteous, attentive and 100% professional. She listened to me and wasn't pushy with product suggestions. She was gentle with my hair, which is very fine, and naturally curly yet abundant. I felt at ease while I was with her.

Once the color application was complete, I was sent over to Michael, for my hair cut and blow dry/flat iron. My first instinct about him was that he was overly confident. He didn't seem to appreciate any input I had regarding MY hair. He gave off the impression that he knew more than me and that I had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. Well it turns out he was the clueless one. I tried to explain that with my coarse, curly hair, I would rather have it cut straight and dry but he was trying to push the idea that my hair would be better cut wet (my hair in its natural state shrinks up a lot). So he proceeded to blow dry my hair and I'm guessing he was trying to detangle it.

Perhaps he is not aware of techniques for dealing with curly, textured hair. His attempts at "detangling" my hair were amateurish at best. He hacked at my hair in with a brush without softening it first with a leave in or some type of moisturizer. Then as he worked whatever product it was through my hair (I can't recall what it was), he was very rough. He managed to flat iron one very small section of my hair, but kept commenting on how dry my hair was and that it would be virtually impossible to cut it. He was obviously uncomfortable with my hair and definitely inexperienced in dealing with natural African American hair. He remarked out loud to me if I had "any trouble at home" styling my hair because it's so "damaged." This is pretty perplexing considering the following factors 1) my hair has been free of chemical relaxers for a little over a year; 2)I don't use heat of any sort on my hair 3)I pamper my hair and finally, 4) Shelley had remarked to me twice how my hair was in such "good condition. Now, I ask you this, in dealing with the professionals at your salon, would you advise a color service to performed on hair that is damaged? I'd think not. Also he wasn't consistent with his suggestion that I needed two inches cut off when the last time I was there it was 1/4, possibly 1/2.

So I ended up getting a conditioning treatment (Damage Remedy, which I used last summer and liked very much) and then Michael and another stylist there attempted to "style" my hair. Michael eventually left to attend to another customer he had and Shelley came over to assist. I didn't really like what they were doing and had them stop. Shelley could see that I was frustrated and asked if there was anything she could do. I really appreciate her effort; it wasn't her fault.


I am very pleased that no hair cut took place and even more that I wasn't charged. But that fact remains that this totally ruined my expectations and my overall experience at Gila Rut. I love my new color but I didn't like the way my hair looked when I left. I really do not like being with a stylist that feels so uncomfortable doing my hair. I especially don't like the fact that I came in, willing to pay for a service and leave feeling shortchanged.

I'm still on the fence about returning to your salon after this. On a scale of a 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I'd have to rate my total experience with a 7- and that all goes to Shelley. While I was really looking forward to getting my hair colored, I was even more excited about seeing my hair straightened and getting the much needed trim.


So right now I can't say with certainty that I will be back. At least not immediately. Now, I need to find someone that is actually comfortable with and capable of cutting my hair.


Sincerely,

 

[HoneyDew]

This would have been avoided all together if he had admitted from the start that he does not know how to care for coarse, curly hair.

You said he seemed overly confident, so maybe he did not want to put himself out there like that. But, MANY stylist don't know how to care for coarse hair. My sister when to cosmetology school and she told me that there were never any times where this was a focus.

But, he was wrong for putting this on your and insulting you. Some stylist are famous for that. Instead of saying they don't know how to care of your hair, they end up saying something is wrong with your hair.

You were right for writing in to them. I don't think there is anything wrong with a stylist NOT knowing how to handle it, but he actions were so unprofessional.

 

[yamilee21]

I hope they take your complaint seriously; good for you for writing to the company.

 

[ShiShiPooPoo]

I hope you get a response and some free hair products.

I also hope that they give kudos to Shelley and a swift kick in the *ss that fool Michael.

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

I did get an email respnse from the manager/owner today. She apologized and offered me a haircut free of charge with a different stylist. I'm feeling a little iffy about that. Maybe I'll just go back to the beauty college I used to go to. I haven't been since I was relaxed but the students are more diverse and they deal with various hair types.