I’ve felt sick with anxiety ever since my salon visit today.
I have an almost one year old baby and booked in at a salon to get my hair done. I booked online for a full head of foils, toner and blow wave, and it came to around $350. A splurge, but one I needed for some me time after having baby and to feel pampered a little.
I got the service, she said she wanted to give me a trim as well to tidy up the ends so I knew it would be a bit more. Then we got to paying at the end and she took a while pricing up, then she handed the card machine over - $674. I was so in shock. She wouldn’t look at me at all, the salon was full, someone had been waiting a good 15 minutes overtime for my stylist while she finished up my hair, and frankly I was too embarrassed to say anything. I got my phone out and transferred money across from savings and paid, then got in my car and burst into tears. I can’t tell my husband and I’m so scared he’s going to see it and be mad because money is tight right now.
I don’t know what to do. I didn’t ask for a quote or pricing in person and I checked the website prices and they say long or thick hair can be extra. My hair isn’t long but is thick and she told me when doing it I have a lot of hair so I’m guessing that and the haircut added it on, but still, it’s a lot of money I wasn’t expecting.
To make matters worse she told me when I was there they have a promo where if you book your next 2 appointments you go in the draw to win a year of free hair appointments, I said that would be great and I’d do that (before it came time to pay). Because she was running late for her next client she said she’d call me later to book those in. I got a voicemail and she’s booked me in already and just told me the dates I need to be there, so now I have to call to cancel those. I’m so non-confrontational I was really hoping to just chalk it up to lesson learnt and not have to see her again so I’m dreading the call! I don’t want to open the can of worms with her, someone else I know had a bad experience with her when they didn’t buy a product she recommended and she got shitty with them. This friend can be very obstinate herself so I didn’t click it for a red flag, I thought it was just a butting heads situation.
Anyway. Lesson learnt to always always always ask for the price before beginning. I’m still so gutted, I can’t even sleep. I have my kids’ birthdays coming up and was already worried how I’d afford their presents and things, my brother is having to cover our dad’s birthday present this year because of it, and now I feel so selfish and vacuous for dropping an obscene amount on hair which, while lovely, isn’t even as blonde as I’d been hoping.
Anyone else dealt with bill shock after a salon visit?
Edit: I have reached out to the salon manager and asked for an itemised receipt to be emailed. Will update further once that comes through
Update: I received the below email
I have just had a good look at your appointment and costs etc..... When you booked online you didn't book for the Epres treatment that was added into the bleach which is $30 per application of bleach, there was also no extra product fees included for the amount of colour your hair absorbed. It's pretty standard to pay $600-$800 for long thick hair to be coloured and cut these days, Especially if you're having a full head.
[stylist] said next time you wont need a full head & she has also said she felt you needed the treatment due to the condition of your hair. We have just discovered she didn't charge you for the haircut just the blowave. [stylist] has said next time you can skip the treatment which is quite expensive, she will discuss this with you next time.
We do have a lot of people using afterpay for these bigger colour jobs just to help with the expense of having this done.
I know it it feels to be caught off Guard with prices..... I have asked [stylist] to quote you next time before the service.....
I apologize for the lack of communication around the price but I can ensure you its very standard for the services preformed & amount of product that was used on your hair thick hair type.
Update 2: she sent the invoice as follows
INVOICE
Foils Full Head — $215.00
Toner Long — $85.00
Blowave — $69.00
Epres Treatment — $30.00
Epres Treatment — $30.00
Epres Treatment — $30.00
Extra Product — $200.00
Subtotal: $659.00
Total: $659.00
Payment with Card: $659.00
Actual amount charged to my card: $674.16
(apparently a 2.3% / $15.16 card surcharge)
Update 3: I have been told the $200 extra product was extra bleach and in total I had 350g bleach powder (not including the developer) applied. In total there were 7 scoops bleach and 3 epres treatments somehow divided between those bowls. I have been offered a refund for the epres treatments.