It’s fair to say that most of us can think of a less-than-ideal salon story or spa experience.
Maybe you got a hair salon horror story where you and your hairdresser had very different ideas of what ‘just a trim’ means. Perhaps you can’t forget that spray tan booking where you left looking more like an Oompa Loompa than with a sunkissed glow.
No matter what beauty salon horror stories you’ve got up your sleeve, we’re here to offer some solidarity. If your treatment didn’t quite go to plan, you’re definitely not alone.
We’ve rounded up some of the best beauty horror stories from around the Blys office that we can all relate to (and what you can do to avoid them next time around).
Salon story 1. An orange affair before formal
“I was getting ready for my school formal and booked into my local beauty salon to get my makeup done. Unfortunately, the lighting was really bad and the foundation the makeup artist used oxidised on my skin straight away. Orange definitely wasn’t the shade I was going for!
The worst bit was that they didn’t have enough time to fix my makeup, so I had to accept a refund and then went home to fix it myself. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my time right before this big night.”
Salon Story 2. When a close shave goes wrong
“I’d booked in for my first haircut with a new barber, when I’d just arrived in Sydney back in 2001. It was going well, then he snipped my ear by accident – it bled and bled. It’s quite hard to stop when you can’t really put a bandaid on it. He was mortified. I was mortified. A bit of a disaster!”
Salon Story 3. A memorable event (for all the wrong reasons)
“Before my Year 10 formal, my mum took me to get my nails done at a salon – one of the ones that have waxing and spray-tanning in it as well. Halfway through my nail appointment, the nail technician asked if I wanted my upper lip waxed because she said it was hairy. My mum said that’s a great idea, and I got it done after my nails were dry.
It was a hard wax (the really strong wax melts you have to heat up) and I have extremely sensitive skin so I had an allergic reaction. Because it was the day of my formal, I had a red and swollen upper lip. It did not look good in photos and I felt very self-conscious the whole night.”
Salon Story 4. Hairdresser peer pressure
“I accidentally bought a $250 hairbrush from a salon after being upsold to. Even once I saw the crazy price tag, I felt too awkward to say no once I was already at the counter.
I went home and spent the next two days working up the courage to go back and return it.
If only I’d booked an in-home haircut so I wouldn’t have to worry about someone tempting me to buy their products!”
Salon Story 5. A (not so) relaxing massage
“I once went to a walk-in massage shop for a massage but there was no one available, so instead of asking me to come back later, the therapist that was looking after reception did it. She had to jump out of the room to answer the mobile phone multiple times and take other walk in clients bookings before rushing back in to keep massaging.
Clearly, I didn’t go back to that particular spa in a rush for another treatment!”
Salon Story 6. A haircut that gave hair salon disaster vibes
“I once went for a haircut at this fancy hair salon and they made me pay extra for their top hair stylist – I was so desperate for a haircut that I just agreed to it.
The hairdresser basically forced me to get layers in my hair and when he was finished I looked in the mirror and thought, ‘OMG I look like Sonic the Hedgehog!’.
I may or may not have gone home and had a little cry.”
The best way to avoid common beauty horror stories
Bad experiences at beauty salons and spas don’t have to be the norm. With at-home treatments and beauty services through experienced and vetted providers like Blys, you can have peace of mind knowing you’re in good hands and no one will try to sell you products you don’t actually need.
Through the Blys app you can review hundreds of beauty providers in your area and book them directly and being in the comfort of your own space means you can call the shots over your service and treatment and be able to avoid some of the most common salon horror stories.
Ready to wave goodbye to bad experiences with beauty spas or salons?
Book your first in-home treatment and use the code NEW1 at checkout for $10 off
