I came in with a clear inspiration photo of a rich brunette with soft, blended caramel highlights…read more Before we even started, I explained that I understood my hair would not turn out exactly like the inspiration photo because my hair is not virgin hair. I've previously colored it with Redken Shades EQ and Cover Fusion on my roots, so I knew my results would vary. I was never expecting an exact replica.
I also understand that the inspiration photo was taken in completely different lighting than the photos of my result, and I know lighting can dramatically change how hair color appears. I took all of that into consideration. Even with those differences, I still feel that what I received wasn't simply a variation of the inspiration--it was a completely different color direction. I wasn't expecting perfection, but I did expect my hair to be moving toward the look I had requested. Instead, the final result was much lighter, warmer, and more orange than the rich brunette with soft, neutral caramel dimension I had asked for. The inspiration photo and my final result weren't just slightly different--they looked like two entirely different color goals.
My hair also felt noticeably drier afterward, to the point that I ended up cutting about four inches off the ends.
I called the salon and scheduled a correction because I genuinely wanted to work together to get closer to the look I originally requested. Unfortunately, the correction appointment was even more disappointing than the original service.
Instead of listening to my concerns, the stylist immediately argued with me and insisted that this was exactly what I had asked for. He told me my hair was already "caramel enough" and refused to do lowlights because he felt my hair looked fine the way it was. He then tossed several color swatches onto my lap and told me to pick a color. When I asked if they were semi-permanent, he told me the salon didn't carry semi-permanent color, only a gloss and permanent color. The swatches he gave me were all dark browns, which wasn't what I was asking for, and when I questioned them, he responded that I knew color theory well enough to know what my hair would turn out like.
He also told me my ends were compromised and that there wasn't much he could do for me. Before this service, my hair was healthy enough that I wasn't concerned about the ends. Leaving that appointment feeling like I was being blamed for the condition of my hair after a highlighting service was incredibly upsetting.
The most disappointing part wasn't just the color--it was the way I was treated. I expected a professional conversation and a collaborative effort to find a solution. Instead, I felt dismissed, argued with, and made to feel like my concerns weren't valid. By that point, I no longer trusted him to work on my hair, so I left without any correction.
I paid $350 for this service and walked away with hair I'm unhappy with, hair that feels significantly drier than before, and no resolution
