[stacylambert]

I'd previously had my hair professionally colored and highlighted ( at a place by where I lived and LOVED it) but I wanted to just go back to my natural haircolor for awhile. I went to a place I used to go figuring it was cheaper but still good and all they had to do was make my hair light brown. Well it turned out to be a distaster. When the girl was done putting the color on she said 45 minutes to process and she kept coming back and checking and then leaving again. She kept talking to other stylists in Spanish about it so I couldn't understand, never said anything to me. It ended up over an hour and half! After she rinsed me out and brought me back up my hair was literally 3 colors. The roots were light then it went to an auburn then to an almost black purpley color. I started crying...bad. I told her not to cut it and she asked if I wanted her to try again. I definitely said no. I went to the counter and was crying and the girl behind it kept apologizing and went and got the manager. The manager treated me like dirt. She was like "well your hair naturally has red in it doesn't it? (it doesn't) you're about a level aren't you? (like I know what that means) and she just kept going like I was in the wrong. She went and talked to the girl and came back. She'd said she'd have me pay then someone else would process it again. I told her I didn't want anyone else there doing it. So she said I had two options, pay and leave like I was or pay and have another lady do it. Anyway it ended up really dark, like almost black. I'm really dissapointed in the whole thing. I've never had an experience like that anywhere and still had to pay full price. No discount, no products, nothing. Anyway, thanks for listening everyone. I had to vent.

[Claire de Ravin]

That's horrible! How rude. What kind of manager is that? I am sorry that happened to you. I've never experienced this before (regarding highlights), but believe me, I hated one short haircut I got three years ago...it's grown now. Just wait two weeks and go to your professional one.

The moral of this story is cheap is not always best

[AnnieFannie]

So sorry to hear about your horrible experience at the salon. That's just down right rude of the manager. I don't think you should have paid for price for the stylist's mistake. You definitely should have received a discount or some products or something. I've never had anything like that happent to me atleast not at the salon. I usually color my own hair. I did try to dye it blonde once and it well.. didn't come out like I had expected it to. I went from blonde roots and then it was a strawberry blonde and just got more reddish the farther down to the ends. Moral of that.. if you want to go blonde(in my case don't do it). I hope you can get it fixed somewhere else and that you will be happy with it. Did you try to report them to anyone? It's a thought. Good luck.

[chick_in_the_hat]

Any chance of complaining to someone higher up than the manager? Like an owner? If I owned that business I would be very interested to hear your story so that I could deal with my employees appropriately. At a bare minumum I should hope you get your money back...take pictures of your hair before you fix it...

On the bright side - brunettes have more fun! But seriously - I feel your pain...I've had my share of bad hair experiences...:grouphugs:

[mscat816]

Hi Stacy -

so sorry to hear about your bad experience. I have had several similar experiences with house contractors - one who we are in a dispute with right now. They want the balance of the money for finishing the job when our shower is still leaking and there is a ridge in our floor because the joint was not level! I agree with the others - follow up to see if there is anyone higher than the manager. One thing I have learned is document everything in writing before you forget. Then send (registered and return receipt) that documentation to the manager or higher including what you would like to have done for compensation. If you have a lawyer friend, ask if you can use his or or name in the cc: section of your letter. Then find out if there is an association that salon belongs to and forward a copy to that association and the Better Business Bureau. I believe you can file a complaint with the BBB on line. Good luck.

mscat

[Jewelz76]

Stacy~ I agree with mscat- There is a personal bad business bureu online.. Even for the individual (if needed) that you have had experiences in. It will help other recognize this problem too! All you have to do is post the same message you have here and they make sure the public see's it. I can not nor will not tolerate ppl like that!
I am very sorry you had a bad experience like that. I've experienced something similar before. It really sucks.

[sandybhat]

Hi! stacy so sorry to hear your sad tale it was really bad of the manager. you should not have paid but what could you do when everybody was against you!!!! I wish you had taken some friend of yours with you who could have spoken from your side. please be careful next time go only where you know the stylist.

[stacylambert]

The only reason I went there this time and have in the past is because it's a big chain (Jcpenneys), not some little privately owned place. I wonder if I could report it to the store manager? I don't know if the the salon is like ran under the store or if they are kind of two seperate companies, you know? My sister suggested just sending a letter with my receipt attached and see if the store manager has anything to say.

Thanks for your concern everyone. I never realized how upset I could get over hair!

[AnnieFannie]

I'd go to the manager of the store and if that doesn't work you can always call headquarters and complain directly to them. The salon is apart of the services that Penneys offers besides photography and optical. So yes go higher up then the woman that was the manager of the salon. What happened to you is horrible and who knows if it has happened before and it could happen again. You need to let know about that woman's bad attitude. Explain everything to them.

I'd be upset too. It's just hair but it's not like you can cover it up from everyone that sees you. You trusted them and they didn't seem to give a heck about you. Good luck and let us know what happens.

[sarahyu]

JC Penny??? Dang girl, go higher up and then even higher up with names, dates and pictures. Complain, complain, complain! And don't stop until someone makes up for that mistake- gift certificates and an apology.

Managers and hair stylist like that need to be stopped! I mean, what if it had been your wedding or some other important event you were getting done up for?

I understand your frustration completely. I hate getting my hair done in my area because stylist turn over so quickly, it's really hit or miss.


On the plus side, it's getting cooler and they have a nice variety of hats coming out. You can be a trend setter in your area.

Good luck

Sarah

[marbleflys]

If JC Penney's won't refund your money...ABSOLUTELY complain LONG AND LOUD to The Department of Consumer Affairs in your town/county.

They will contact the salon and JC Pennies customer service for you, make them refund your $$. It is sickening that the manager tried to intimidate you for their stylist's error.

[stacylambert]

Just found some more bad news, I was looking my receipt over and they charged me for a color and cut when I didn't even get it cut! I'm definitely taking in my receipt and a before and after picture this week and see what I can do!

[chick_in_the_hat]

Originally Posted by sarahyu

On the plus side, it's getting cooler and they have a nice variety of hats coming out. You can be a trend setter in your area. Sarah

I'm gonna have to start a chick_in_the_hat club.....

[AnnieFannie]

You're too funny Gina. I just never could pull off the hat look. Baseball cap is about the only hat you'll see me in and that's very rarely.

But I hope you get your money back and then some Stacy. Good luck.

[techwife]

Hi Stacy:

Well...funny...I worked at JCP in the Styling Salon for over ten years and I have THIS to say about it.

First and foremost, go directly to the Store Manager. The JCP salon is a JCP department as much as the jewelry or bra department and the salon manager answers directly to the store manager. Go to the catalog department and ask to see the store manager as catalog is usually close in proximity to the store offices. The salon is not above refunding your money...it can be done, that's for sure.

Secondly, you should all know that there are many, many very talented stylists that work at JCP. (Yes...I was one of them, thank you very much ) BUT, the salon manager has a quota of how many stylists he/she needs to have working, which in my day was two times the amount of work stations they have in the salon. This amounts to the manager hiring absolutely anybody that is a state licensed cosmetologist. Being a licensed cosmetologist doesn't mean you have talent, it means you passed a test and that's it. Back in my day (from 1983-1993) we had about a half split...half the stylists were very, very good at styling, but the other half were absolute crap. The sad thing is that once you become established as a stylist and get a great following, most stylists leave penney's and go into business for themselves or rent a chair in a different salon so they don't give all of the money they make to penney's, only to collect a commission.

So, my take on Penney's is that it is a great salon if you are going to a stylist that was recommended by a friend, but if you go into the salon without an appointment and say, "I'll take whoever's available", it's a total crap shoot. You may get an up-and-coming great stylist or you may get a total hack and end up screaming out of the joint looking for a refund and a lawsuit! Fact is, the good stylists are already booked and you need an appointment to get them.

Thirdly, haircolor is my absolute specialty and I wish you were here right now to let me help you. Haircolor is one of the scariest things for a hairdresser to become comfortable with. First, I'd get ahold of the stylist you like and usually go to and see if she can help you out. It sounds like you had a good chunk of 'virgin' (uncolored) hair and a good chunk of hair that had been colored quite often and was really porous. One rule when coloring hair is that colored hair cannot be lightened with anything other than bleach or by 'oxydizing' which takes a couple days. Virgin hair can be lightened by the peroxide that is used to mix all haircolors. So, what happened to you is that the colored hair, which was probably porous from previous processing, soaked in the base color of the brown hair color. BUT, the virgin hair was lightened by the peroxide in the color. The standard processign time for all haircolors is 45 mins, but a good stylist knows this is more of a guideline. 45 mins is how long you leave on a brown color to cover stubborn white/gray hair. To hightlight, you really only need 20 mins or so. And you never, ever treat virgin hair and processed hair the same, dumping the color all over the whole head and leaving it on for the full processing time.

Question...is the color of your hair at the roots the color you want? And the color at the ends black? One trick, but it IS tricky, is to try washing your hair with Dawn dish soap. Without a mild haircoloring bleach, it will help to get that base color out of the ends. Then you can try using a SEMI-PERMANENT haircolor that is a light brown with a gold or neutral (NOT ASH!!) base. THese will usually have a G or an N next to the color or color number. Ash has a green base and is used to avoid red coming through, but really makes the color look pasty...I never use ash tones. The reason you would use semi-permanent is that these colors don't use peroxide, or use a very low volume of peroxide and only deposit color, and won't further damage your hair and make it more porous.

Oh...and regarding red. Unfortunately, every brown or black strand of hair, while lifting into the blond stage, goes through a reddish stage. It's unavoidable. Your best bet, from now on, is to grow your natural haircolor out and get highlights in the form of foil or cap highlighting, using a dark or light blonde. This is the way you keep your natural haircolor, keeping it a more 'natural' color with the incorporation or your natural, God-given color.

And above all, you should go to your regular stylist and never, ever deviate from her ever again!! As a stylist, I can guarantee that she'll likely shake a finger at you for going elsewhere, but she'll be glad you came back and will be glad to help you.

And at the end of the day, remember my hairdresser's motto...as long as your hair's still attached, it can be fixed. And if it can't, it's only hair and it'll grow back

Good luck...and get your money back!!