La Dee Dah Girl

About a week ago, a gal I work with handed over a $100 gift certificate to a Day Spa she had won in a drawing awhile ago. She explained that the expiration date was looming and that her schedule just didn’t allow her to take advantage of the money.

What a wonderful gift! I haven’t had a quality haircut in quite some time and hadn’t had my hair colored by someone other than myself in about 5 years. I set up the appointment that same day. The price menu from this spa listed the haircuts at $34 &up and a full color weave at $64. Me, having very short and fine hair (ya gotta love being a natural blonde!) I have never been charged more than the minimum for a haircut, so naturally I assumed that my cut would be the minimum $34, thus totaling out my evening of being pampered at $98.00. Because I had no preference to my stylist, I was assigned to a gal named Shauna.

When I arrived for my appointment, Shauna was more attentive than I have yet experienced. Mind you, I have no qualms with going to Supercuts or GreatClips, but the usual response I get when patronizing these establishments is a cursory glance at a photo, and off they go with scissors in hand. Shauna, on the other hand, figuratively held my hand through the entire evening by making sure I had every choice and option available to me. She definitely made sure we were on the same page before proceeding with the services.

We chatted throughout the procedures, and it was great. I joked about my past haircuts at discount salons and talked about where I lived, where I worked etc. painting her a picture of being a middle income person who was splurging at a high end salon due to my good fortune in getting a gift card. Never, in the 3 and a half hours did I ever indicate that posh spa’s were anywhere near the norm for me.

I have a phenomenal haircut and color. Its easy to style, as she gave me tips and tricks to create different looks. I set up a return appointment, thinking that I could alternate the cut and color so as not to drop $100. Being free, it was okay to pay that much right? But I figured that I could save up…Shauna was that great.

To my surprise, when I went to pay out, as I was pulling out a extremely generous tip, the receptionist totaled my bill out to $145!!!!!!! I was confused and explained what I had ordered and what I had expected to pay. It turns out that I was given a stylist who was a “level 2” stylist with their salon and therefore it increased both services by $10 automatically. Not to mention, that throughout or consultation she had offered to either do a full weave to cover my roots, or just do a root touch up on the hair not being colored.. I told her to do what was easier. Little did I know that it was an extra $27!!! Had I taken the more difficult road, it wouldn’t have been any additional charges.

I was so ticked off! I felt completely taken advantage of. I quickly put my generous tip back in my wallet and requested my return appointment be cancelled. Who in their right mind would pay $145 for something that will grow out or fade away within 6 weeks?! Never in my life, would I or could I be that frivolous. Even my worst haircuts have grown out to be replaced by other cuts…

At any rate, I look great for now, and it feels pretty decadent (if not a bit wasteful) to be walking around with $145 worth of skill in my hair. Yeah, I paid out of pocket $45, which some would say is a phenomenal deal for this level of artistry I carry around on my shoulders (wink, wink) But alas, it will be forgotten in 3 months and no one will be the wiser for my naivete in trying to pretend to be the posh girl, going to a spa…