AVEDA

I really wanted to like this place but it is nothing like what I expected. It's not very clean and it's very cramped. There is usually a long line for the bathroom too! Even worse, the cut and color were the worst I've ever had and it will take me over a year to grow out my hair after their mistake! There were several problems and I suspect it's because Lynne rushed through this appointment because she had to go to a concert that night. 1) Lynne gave me a very lopsided haircut. The left was an inch shorter than the right. 2) I asked for no layers but one section of my head has a layer that is 6 inches shorter than the rest of my hair. It's only on one section of my hair which is otherwise a blunt cut. BIG OOPS!! 3) She only highlighted the left side of my head. When I complained she actually said it was because I was there for a half head of highlights. Really? I suspect that was just to be sarcastic but you never know. Every time I've gone for a half head of highlights over the past 17 years, it meant the top and both sides - not the left or the right side. If that was the case - why didn't she ask which side she should highlight? When I came in, both sides had highlights. What gets me is that they just seem to be looking for a loophole. Why not just do good work to being with? People make mistakes and Lynne offered me money to help me fix this. Margie, one of the owners, interceded and said I would get nothing from anyone. She suggested I just cut my hair short to hide the mistake and stop complaining or she would call the police. (For the record, I called them twice and sent two emails over the course of 5-6 weeks). I definitely gave them their space to figure out a solution. What's interesting about Margie's response (other than that I should cut off all my hair to cover their mistake) is that she and stylist don't deny making a big mistake. Their response is that they are not obligated to help because they only help if I can come back within 3 days. Unfortunately I was out of town on vacation and then for a funeral. Apparently that means I am out of luck. I had to dispute the charge and Margie seemed very angry about that. I wanted to work with her but she didn't call me back so I had no other recourse. The disputed amount won't be enough to help me fix my hair unfortunately. I wish they'd stop with their bullying and just listen to customers. I'm not sure if they are new to the hair business but threatening customers rather than fixing their mistakes is not a respectable way to do business in my opinion. Good customer service can go a long way. (An apology when you really mess up can't hurt either). more

I went to the Aveda salon to have a haircut and perm, which I've had done beautifully many times. I saw Lynn, who not only gave me a lopsided sloppy hair cut and charged me $90, she also had the nerve to charge me $250 for a perm that went completely straight once it dried. She actually managed to take pre-existing curls on my head, and instead of winding them with the grain to enhance them, she made entire patches of my head completely STRAIGHT. My hair looks ridiculous. I've gone to the fanciest salons in LA and never paid more than $150 for a perm! To add insult to injury, she was incredibly rude and brusque, and while shampooing my hair was so sloppy and careless that she got shampoo in my eyes several times and sprayed her hose directly down my back repeatedly even though I told her what was happening, and she even got my PANTS soaked!!! Then she sent me out into the cold with a wet head, so I couldn't even see what it looked like, and as I was paying, the salesgirls all cooed "it looks like beyonce curls~" and I was just being polite and said thank you and that I liked it (I hadn't even SEEN it dry yet). When I woke up the next morning I had to catch a flight home and couldn't go back in, but when I called to ask why I had paid $400 to have my hair straightened and made lopsided, and ask them to refund at least a reasonable part of my money, they had the nerve to use the excuse "you said you liked it last night and that it looked like Beyonce, so we're not giving you back any money". Um, No,... THEY said that, because they're sales people, and I was just trying to be polite. Once I saw what a debocle it was dry, and confronted them they were dismissive and arrogant. These people are scammers and don't take accountability for a job overpriced and poorly done. I found out later that this exact same thing has happened to another friend of mine, at the same salon. Shame, shame! more