Elias George Hair (2031 reviews)

Comment

I’m extremely disappointed with my recent experience at Elias George. I came in expecting professional service and expertise, but unfortunately, my visit fell short in many ways. I opted for foils and chose a specific colour, trusting that hairdresser's expertise would ensure the foils were fine enough to blend seamlessly. I shouldn't have to tell you the way to do it. I was flexible too because I knew I had previously dyed hair which can cause issues with achieving new colours. However, the result I received was stripey, with bright, untoned colouring. What made this worse was the lack of consultation or creative direction to help achieve or help me get closer to my reference image overtime. Instead of discussing how to get the desired look, she dove straight in, and the outcome reflected a lack of care and expertise. After leaving the salon with semi-wet hair (to maintain my natural curls), I was horrified when it began to dry. The poorly blended foils and bright colour became more apparent, leaving me panicked and upset. I called the salon, and while the response was polite and they agreed to fix it, I was disappointed that I had to explain what seemed like an obvious issue to any hair professional (in this case the hairdresser and owner). They both addressed issues with ideas of the goal and miscommunication, and later she informed me that she should have taken a balayage approach which only made me more upset and frustrated that she wanted some consoling and understanding of her feelings towards her mistakes. To fix it, a toner was applied to deepen the foils, but unfortunately, I left the second appointment with the same results as the when I arrived for my first hair appointment with the same dark red brown but only this time, dried from the bleach and dye. Considering I paid $435 and spent seven hours in the salon (from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM), I feel bitterly disappointed. In hindsight, I should have requested a refund but no one wants to be that customer who complains and I was in shock and panic about the outcome of my hair and being in this uncomfortable position. What adds to my frustration is that I had a consultation weeks prior, during which notes were supposedly taken, and a deposit paid. It’s baffling that this wasn’t communicated properly. This experience has left me doubting the salon's expertise and integrity. I also noticed another client next to me experiencing similar colouring issues with the hairdresser. It’s clear there is a gap in technical skills and consultation practices that needs addressing. I also note the advice given to me about how I could move forward with the bleached foil sections which was incorrect. She said I could go any colour I wanted as it was already prelightened but it was coloured with red which is hard to get out and colour correct. Stripping my hair would be the only way to achieve "any colour". On a positive note, she did ask me to follow up with her on the second toner, but by then, I’d lost faith that my feedback would lead to any real improvement or training. Ultimately, I won’t be returning to this salon. I left with the same hair colour I arrived with, only drier and with poorly executed foils still visible and less money. I hope the management takes this feedback seriously and looks at it as an opportunity to invests in training staff on colouring techniques to prevent more disappointing experiences for future customers.