Fire My Stylist/Friend: Chemical Burn Woes

I can easily give a bad review to a salon of whom I have no allegience to. But when it comes to bad service coming from a friend, there is a grey area. However, I am not here to be biased and you don't read my blog for half ass information. So here goes...

I've been going to the same stylist while I lived in the US since 2004. I happily went back to him when I moved back so he can do my trims and relaxers. My first relaxer in September was great. No problems.

This relaxer I got this past Friday has given me issues, however.

1. I told him I was burning on my nape and front hairline before he finished applying the relaxer. Mizani regular, by the way. But instead, he stopped with the relaxer on my head for about a minute to take a phone call.

2. During the second neutralizing shampoo, I noticed my head was not lifted to reach my nape from the edge of the shampoo bowl. Those of you who've been following me from last year know that my nape was a very bad area and I have now overcome it. I don't need any setbacks back there.

3. During the conditioning, I said my neck was still burning. He told me it was the tingle from the conditioner. I know the difference between refreshing tingle and relaxer burn. I was dismissed.

4. During detangling, my hair was flipped from side to side up and down with a paddle brush while being blow dried. It was not detangling from tip to root in sections. It was grabbed and blowdried. It had the potential for tangle hell.

5. I got a curly style on which I have posted pics that I did not ask for. I always get my hair straight flat ironed for a relaxer. After he made the first curl, he apologized b/c I didn't ask for curls. But since he'd already started, he had to finish. If he tried to straighten it it wouldn't have looked right. To boot, the style looked bad in the front, I had to fix it when I got home. It was some kind of hard Donald Trump combover.

So....I am really torn b/c he is a friend and this was an isolated incident. But I have to mention that I am sitting at my computer with Vitamin E and Amla Oil slathered on my hair and around my hairline with a heat cap on.

I have chemical burns from all around my entire hairline. My nape, my edges, my front hairline, my ear...all chemical burns, however minor. My nape is the worst.

The plan is to massage this heated oil into my scalp gently to loosen the scabs without taking out my hair in the process.

Yes, I did let him know I had chemical burn on my neck and he was extremely apologetic. At that point the ones around my hairline and ear hadn't formed. But I did not follow up. I told him I still liked my relaxer and it's all good. But truth be told, I am ready for another stylist.

Chemicals are nothing to play with and I feel like this could have been avoided had I gotten the full attention I needed with a relaxer sitting on my head. And I feel like it wouldn't have killed him to be better safe than sorry and re-rinse my hair. Stylist have to know that client requests are not always frivolous. It was an ego thing and it shouldn't have been and now I'm burned.

I'm not happy.

Posted in: Healthy Hair Growth,My hair,Salon Review