ComplaintsforBlend & Bright Salon

• Initial Complaint

  03/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Booked appointment on 2/15/22 for services to be rendered on 3/10/22. Upon booking the appointment I received a work order estimate for Full color, highlight, and haircut in the amount of $200. When I arrived for my appointment the stylist, *******************, said there wouldn't be enough time and a waste of product to do a full color for my hair and only a highlight and haircut would be preformed. At the time of check out the owner, Naphtali, stated the cost for service would be $350. When asked why there was a significant increase, I was stated it took more product and time then it would for a usual highlight on a normal person. Upset and confused by this discrimination statement, I refused to pay for the overcharge in product. They still charged my c.c. for a full color which I did not receive. And at no point during the process was I ever informed by **** their was a thresh hold time or product utilization excess upcharge coming for this transaction. After getting home I also discovered chemical ***** on my scalp and next area from being over processed. I would like to be refunded to the amount of the estimate that would agreed upon. Refund total $53.50.

  Business response

  04/27/2022

  Hello,
  

  I would like to address the following claim from **************************************. As described in her statement, *********************** booked an appointment with one of my stylists, *******************, and was seen on March 10, 2022. She booked online with us for what we call a, "Color and Full Highlight". This is our salon's overarching term for new clients, because we have yet to see how much hair they have, how well their hair takes the color, and how exactly they want their hair to look. Because of this, all prices listed are estimated pricing. You will find that many salon's run their pricing in this way, where there is what is called a base price listed. Our online platform does not allow for a range of pricing in the description, however, we have this stated on our website after arriving at our webpage and before prompting you to book online, after selecting "Salon Services" at the top of the page. I have attached a screen shot image with this disclaimer written in the middle of the page and underneath the head shots of our stylists. The disclaimer reads, "*All hair color prices are based on products used and service provided.". However, **** did not review this with *********************** verbally before coloring her hair.
  *********************** came in with reddish, ***** hair with a thick ponytail approximately three inches in diameter at the base. This means that she had extremely thick hair. Her husband actually commented multiple times, while waiting for her that her hair usually takes a substantial amount of time to color/process. *********************** showed **** a photo of someone with very blonde hair and wanted to be colored this way, which is a significant change from the current color she walked into our salon with. 
  

  **** understood that *********************** wanted to be completely blonde for the end result of her hair color and explained that complete change may not be achieved in one appointment. *********************** shared that if **** was not able to completely change her color to blonde in one visit, that she wanted some darker pieces mixed in to be able to cover her original color. **** then told her that adding dark pieces would make it more difficult to become full blonde at her next visit. Therefore, **** meticulously foiled the majority of her hair to achieve what she had asked for initially. After Mrs. ********** complete look was achieved, she shared with **** how much she loved her hair. It wasnt until *********************** heard the cost of her visit that she became upset. We are not understanding why now *********************** is claiming that she did not receive a full color and only received a highlight. Mrs. ********** hair was covered in foils/products to achieve this look which as stated above was a substantial amount of hair, as explained in the initial consultation.
  

  I attempted to explain to *********************** and her husband that because she has so much hair, more than the normal amount of color was needed to be used on her in order to achieve her desired look. In addition, I wanted to express that her hair density and the desired outcome she was requesting caused our stylist to use a much larger amount of color. In order to explain this better in our response, I would like to give an example of an average amount of color used on a client that would be wanting to become blonde. Our salon uses a color program called, "Vish", which is a high level program specific to salons that is able to calculate the average color usage of a client. This program has showed that our average amount of lightener that we build into our pricing system, based on this information, is 40 grams. *************************** hair required ***** grams of lightener. Additionally, the average amount of developer determined by the Vish system for the average client is ***** grams. *********************** required ***** grams of developer. 
  

  When attempting to describe the normal amount used on a typical client, this vast difference is what I was intending to make clear to her. Unfortunately, *********************** interpreted this as a discriminating statement. I had no intention of making *********************** feel I was telling her that she was an abnormal person but only wanted to let her know that her hair and amount of color used is not the usual amount used on our average color/blonding client. We in fact, used nine times the amount of lightener and about eight times the amount of developer. I am happy to provide a copy of both the average amount of both lightener and developer, as well as the amount we used on *********************** if needed. 
  Due to the large amount of color used, as well as foiling and processing that much color and hair, **** spent over five hours including a haircut on *************************** hair. With the color charge and time for service, *************************** total came to $350 before tax. Upon hearing the amount, *********************** and her husband where upset. I spoke with them, and because I learned that **** had not verbally shared the likelihood of an increased price, I removed all of the color charge and reduced the price of *************************** service to $250 before tax. As stated in her complaint, ********************** would like us to reimburse her for the remaining extra charge for color ending in  a total cost of $200 for her, which is the price listed as our starting price for a "Color and Full Highlight on our website. As mentioned earlier and shown in our attachment. We have listed a disclaimer that all hair color prices are based on products used and service provided. We feel we have already compromised with *********************** on the total amount she paid, and that due to our disclaimer listed on our website, that we do not need to reimburse *********************** for an additional $53.50. It is actually unfortunate, but *********************** wrote a poor review of our salon on the Yelp advertising site and left deceitful information as to how much she paid for her service. She only listed the amount we initially told her she would need to pay and failed to mention the actual amount she ended up paying. From this, she has actually violated the business Defamation Act, which includes lying on social media.
  

  I would finally like to address the statement and photo shared from *********************** about chemical ***** on her scalp. The majority of Mrs. ********** head was covered in foils with the color being isolated within these foils. The only point during Mrs. ********** color processing that she had color directly touch her skin and scalp was during the toning process which lasts a total of fifteen minutes, in which time the stylist was watching the process and during which time *********************** did not disclose any pain, burning, or discomfort.  **** thoroughly washed and dried her hair after toning and did not see any such marks on her scalp or neck. We are unsure as to what the marks are that can be seen in the photo shared. 
  In addition, our stylists have witnessed other people with actual chemical *****, and these red marks are not consistent with any they have seen. As mentioned above, **** gave *********************** a shampoo, haircut and style and did not see any of the ***** pictured or described. It is not uncommon for your scalp and surrounding skin to be red after having a hair service, due to shampooing, styling, and working with the scalp and hair. *********************** should have felt her scalp burning at the time of service, as well, and not later when she arrived home.
  

  We are disappointed that *********************** did not try to communicate with us first, if she was still unhappy with the negotiated price she paid or was effected by chemical *****.. Other than the Yelp review and reporting us here, we did not hear from her again about pricing or about her ***** after she left our salon. We would have gladly looked at her scalp and would have been able to show her more information on the differentiating color cost.
  I appreciate the opportunity to share the situation from my stylists and my perspective, and we hope this can be resolved quickly and amicably. 
  
  
  Thank you for your time and consideration,
  
  
  *****************************
  Blend and Bright Salon, Owner and Lead Stylist

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