The whole experience was a mess from the moment I stepped in the door this past weekend…read more
I'd heard of Emiliani from a friend who lived in the area, and honestly, I wasn't expecting anything special--just needed a quick wash and blowout before dinner with my boyfriend. Simple enough, right? But from the get-go, I could feel the tension in the air. It was busier than I thought, and when I sat in Pierce's chair, I could already tell he was a little... off. Maybe he was stressed, maybe he had too much on his plate, but he definitely wasn't making me feel at ease. Which is no excuse for how this experience went.
First, he started washing my hair, but honestly, it felt like he was rushing through it. I could tell it wasn't really getting the attention it needed. It didn't even feel like a proper wash, just a quick scrub and rinse. I don't know if it was a bad day for him or what, but when he finished, I just didn't feel clean. My hair still felt greasy, and I wasn't about to sit through a blowout with my hair feeling like that.
So, I asked him to re-wash it. I figured, no big deal, right? Happens all the time. But instead of just taking it in stride, Pierce got defensive. He didn't take kindly to me pointing out the issue. He didn't even apologize. Just kind of huffed and said, "Fine," like it was a huge inconvenience. I didn't want to make a scene, but I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Like I was the problem.
Then, as he finished rinsing my hair, another woman walked in, and I saw his mood shift again. He turned to me and said he was going to put me under the dryer to start on someone else. I was stunned. I asked, no, I want to get my hair blow-dried now, and that's when it really escalated. He just snapped at me, talking down to me like I was being unreasonable and like I was a child. It felt like he was mad that I wasn't just going along with whatever he was trying to do.
I didn't want to sit there under the dryer, my hair still wet, knowing I wouldn't get the style I was hoping for, so I said, "No, I'm leaving." I started to take the cape off, feeling so frustrated and honestly embarrassed by how this was all going down. I didn't want to make a scene, but I was really starting to get upset.
That's when Madrianne stepped in. She must've seen how irritated I was, and she stopped me as I was heading out the door. She was kind enough to say she'd finish my hair. I was so relieved, and honestly, so grateful that at least one person there wasn't making me feel like I was asking for too much.
As I stood there, waiting for her to fix the mess, I could hear Pierce and his attitude in the background. His frustration was palpable, and it only made everything feel worse. At one point, I heard him talking to Madrianne, justifying why he had done what he did. The whole time, I couldn't stop thinking--Is this what the salon's like? Is he always like this?
When I was finally done, I just wanted to get out of there. My boyfriend, who had been quietly waiting, was livid. He asked if Pierce was the owner or manager, and you could tell he was furious. As we were told he was the manager. He was ready to leave and never come back. And honestly, I was too.
We left the salon, and I couldn't shake the feeling that the whole experience had been unprofessional. The way Pierce treated me was honestly just rude. I didn't feel respected, and I sure didn't feel like I was being taken care of. I kept thinking, If this is how they run things here, I won't be coming back.
I felt bad for Madrianne--she was the only one who seemed to care about getting my hair done right. She was kind to me, and I appreciated that. I wish I was with her from the start, I feel like the entire experience would have been different. But everything else about that day? It was just bad energy. I left the salon feeling more stressed than when I walked in, and I'm still not sure I'll give them another chance.