Would you get your hair color done at someone's home?

[LoveLikeCrazy]

I get my hair done at home all the time by my friend from high school whom does hair. She works as a salon manager now and prefers to do hair on the side (rather than at the salon). Pros: i can sit in my pjs, she comes at off times (which is good for me since i work nights), cheaper than salon.

She is super neat, has never spilled any hair color. I have gotten highlights that were the best i have ever had. She also gives me haircuts. I would never go back to the salon again!

 

[MishB]

I have one of these appointments on Friday.

I have a hairdresser who works at a fancy city salon, but I only have my hair cut 2 a year or so and I do my own colour.

But I want to make a fairly drastic colour change (red) which will mean more commitment to visiting the hairdresser, which will take more time and cost a lot more.

A friend has had the same hairdresser for many years, she works out of her own home, I think she has small children and she has back issues which means she can't work at a salon. This means I'll have to wash my own hair at the sink or in the shower, but I'm fine with that.

I've met her socially and she is very nice, and my friend is always very happy with her work, so hopefully it should work out.

 

[missy]

Ugh, CJ that is creepy and I am sorry it was less than a good experience. That was NOT OK IMO. He never should have brought his wife to a business appointment especially without first checking with you. I definitely would not give him any more of my business and would keep searching for someone more professional who also knows how to cut/color hair well.

I would have no trouble having someone come to my home and cut/color my hair but only if they were super professional and made me feel comfortable. My hairdresser actually did make a home visit once but that was my wedding day and it was extremely costly but worth it. A one time visit however as I cannot afford any more of his home visits LOL.

 

[CJ2008]

I feel the same way as you Missy I am open to having someone come to my home but for that to work for me I feel they would need to be almost more professional than at the salon.

The familiarity / more relaxed feeling would have to build over time (if at all).

And I don't mind conversation, I'm not standoffish, I can often enjoy a chat as long as it doesn't feel forced or nosy (although I love it if when I stay quiet and the hairdresser "reads" that and also stays quiet - heaven).

This guy talked about differences between men and women (I think at some point he said something about God, too) - like I said they were both a bit off - I have no interest in hearing your ideas about how men and women are different, especially when we're of a different sex and I just met you.

Yeah - I think I'm with you Missy - I won't have him back.

 

[House Cat]

I am so sorry that you had to endure that guy's creepiness. I am thinking this is probably why he has to do side jobs at people's homes.


I surfed and surfed Yelp until I found a stylist that was consistently getting good reviews in an area that I knew wasn't necessarily high priced. We have several different suburbs and a village out here. Two of our suburbs are super hoity-toity and think that they are a little Los Angeles. Their hair salons charge astronomical prices. You can't walk out of there for under $250 - $300 for cut and color. The little village in my area is more down to earth, with kind of a hippy vibe and the stylists charge a fair price. I have found a gem of a stylist! She knows all of the latest techniques such as ecaille and uses Olaplex, but she only charges $100 for cut, color, AND highlights! My hair has never been so gorgeous and I can't believe it when she charges me so little each time. I keep waiting for her to know her worth. I tip her big.

I don't know where you live, but maybe this is an option for you?

 

[CJ2008]

Both you and Missy used the word creepy and you know what, in a way, it fits...

Not in the normal way we think of creepiness but...yeah...awkward and weird and nosy.

I took your advice and looked through Yelp and sure enough several salons popped up I had never heard of before...what's funny is that the ritzy one I go to now has bad reviews (although none mention my girl) haha so it goes to show you how you can't always go by reviews. Anyway, one of the things that also popped up is one of those Salon Studio things where it's one building with a bunch of independent stylists. So in just that one building there are like 20 people who do hair. I looked through their profiles and only 2 or 3 have any promise (some don't even have any pictures of hair they've done so no thanks, unless I get a personal recommendation)...I could always give the one I think looks the best a try for a trim and see...

But doing this already opened up my choices, so thank you HC!

 

[CJ2008]

OK - so I've been looking through pictures of the some of the new potential stylists...

And I can't figure out if these ends are indicative of bad technique - I feel like most of these ends look uneven (or maybe it's just the way the hair is falling?) and with the ones where there are layers the layers are showing too much (it was my understanding good layers blend...and even though I'm not looking for layers - I'm probably going to do another fairly blunt bob - not doing layers right may be indicative of skill level...)

What do you think of these ends? Do they look OK or no?

 

[telephone89]

I would not be happy with that at all. There was a time when 'choppy' layers were in, but that was like 10 years ago. What did you ask for?

eta - I re-read and it doesnt sound like you. The 2nd last picture is so the worst, its not even AT ALL

 

[CJ2008]

Thankfully telephone, that is NOT me!

Those are pictures from one stylist of different people she did (so each picture is of a different person - ETA except for 2 and 3 from the top down - the girl with the white tank those 2 are of her) - I just focused on the ones with straight hair to get an idea of whether they're good or not.

It's possible all those people asked for choppy layers - but even if they did - is that what they should look like? It doesn't look good at all...it doesn't blend...shouldn't choppy still look better than that? (and yeah the last person - yikes - it's all over the place that line :/

 

[telephone89]

I used to have them, but I cant find a good photo. I mean, if thats what they asked for (possible) then sure, they did a good job lol. But if they asked for anything else I would not think so. I mean, cutting straight is usually pretty standard and it doesnt look like this person can do that

 

[NTave]

Hairdressers are usually independent contractors. They rent booths at salons for a mutual relationship, they rent and bring in business, but there time is their own. I see nothing wrong with someone running a salon out of his home on days he has off/evenings as a separate business. His products should be professional grade, and I bet the only thing different here is your experience. I would try it out.

 

[House Cat]

OK - so I've been looking through pictures of the some of the new potential stylists...

And I can't figure out if these ends are indicative of bad technique - I feel like most of these ends look uneven (or maybe it's just the way the hair is falling?) and with the ones where there are layers the layers are showing too much (it was my understanding good layers blend...and even though I'm not looking for layers - I'm probably going to do another fairly blunt bob - not doing layers right may be indicative of skill level...)

What do you think of these ends? Do they look OK or no?

no,no,no,no,nonononononononoooooo

run...far away...!

 

[lambskin]

After years of paying big bucks for a one process color and trying to hide grey while trying to save $ by doing it 8-10 weeks-complete with skunk spot down the middle part, I finally caved. My friend took me to Sally beauty and told me what to get; Wella dye, developer, gloves and a squeeze bottle. She did it in my bathroom and it look exactly the same as my $100 color at the salon. I have never gone back for color. I can do it (now every 4 weeks as I am going grey faster) and it is a fraction of the price. I have screwed up a few times-going too dark or not keeping it on long enough but hey, in 4 weeks I do it all over again. It takes about an hour from start to finish and I can do chores while I wait for the dye to work. At the salon it took forever. Every time I do it I consider how much $ I am saving. So to answer the question, if I could have it done by a professional-especially cut and foil highlights for a fraction of the price-you bet I would do it. It is more common than you think. I used to go to beauty schools but it really is a hit or miss.

 

[CJ2008]

no,no,no,no,nonononononononoooooo

run...far away...!

Yeah, that's the conclusion I'm coming to also...

 

[CJ2008]

OK another choice...

This other stylist seems more skilled...ETA again, this are images of all different people...

(although the 3rd picture down - the one of the full haircut - the back and line going towards the front seems a little wonky to me - but again - maybe I'm looking at these with too big a microscope.)








Do you think this person seems worth a shot?

 

[CJ2008]

Update for those who are jumping on the thread now:

I did have the guy come over
I decided to try him for haircut only, not color
Haircut was OK - nothing great - and I hated that he didn't dry it just to see how it fell once dry - also he and his wife were kind of nosy and just rubbed me the wrong way a bit, so I don't want to use him again.
I did the color myself (Clairol Natural Instincts) - came out just fine and it was $4.

Instead of giving up and going back to my ritzy salon for a haircut - following House Cat's suggestion I'm looking on Yelp and reading reviews and looking through stylists pictures to see if any of them may be worth a try...

ETA: I'm also kind of giving up on the idea of a beauty school (Callie kind of scared me away from that one - and lambskin confirmed it saying it was hit or miss.)

 

[telephone89]

What kind of style are you looking for? I think for this person, the longer styles look nice. The shorter more angular style is not my personal taste so it's hard for me to know exactly how it's supposed to be. One thing I DO like is that it looks like s/he cut the back with scissors instead of a razor. It might just be me, but I HATE it when this style has the back part shaved, I think it looks/grows out more naturally when cut with scissors. This style also has colour, so it might look a bit choppy/piece-y because the way the hair was sectioned off for colouring and that overlaps with how it was sectioned off for cutting.

 

[CJ2008]

Any one of these would work for me (will bring these pictures to whichever stylist I end up choosing)





I want to AVOID any aspect of these looks (will also bring these pictures) -

Hate the curling under - and especially curling right under the the face
Hate the triangular shape of these cuts




What do you think? Think this person may be able to handle one of these cuts?

 

[telephone89]

I would think so. I will let you know, sometimes hair just curls the way it wants to though. IF your hair likes to curl inward, you can blowdry it with a round brush the opposite way and it should correct itself. Of your pictures, my personal favourite is the 2nd, but I like a side part w/ layers which it mostly resembles

 

[CJ2008]

I know telephone - but I think the haircuts I don't like accentuate or emphasize that roundness/curling under.

(and thankfully my hair does not do that I really don't like any type of curling - under or over! I like straight)

My favorite is also the 2nd, and the 3rd picture...they seem very similar to me.

I'm going to make an appointment with this stylist - I hope she does a good job.

 

[CJ2008]

OK...so I went...

and ended up with what I DON'T want...

Something like this (NOT the bangs - but the general look at the bottom).



HATE IT.



There's a soccer momish quality to it.

arrggghhhhhhh

What freaking bothers me more is that I brought her the same exact pictures as above - and I explained what I wanted and didn't want so she had visuals.

aaaaarrgghhhhhhhhhh

BUT - in all fairness - I feel like she knows what she's doing - in the sense that the haircut looks like a decent haircut - it just isn't what I wanted.

And do feel the heaviness at the bottom - can be fixed by making it a bit more angular so it's not all one length and helmety.

And she's definitely one level up from the guy that came over my house.

Should I give her a chance to fix it?

She did say to let her know if anything...

 

[telephone89]

YES! Let her know that you dont love it, go back and make her fix it (no cost).

 

[CJ2008]

I just came back!

It's better.

Still not what I really wanted - but better.

It still looks heavier than this



And I had to keep telling her to do more - but eventually I left it alone because I could tell she just wasn't getting it.

But it's better.

 

[azstonie]

Hi CJ! Don't we ALL seek the Hair Unicorn?????? It's the Holy Grail for the Truly Vain!!!!

Anyone in my Seeking The Hair Unicorn Group, Crystal Head Vodka and Lemonade slushies at my house!

 

[CJ2008]

Hi CJ! Don't we ALL seek the Hair Unicorn?????? It's the Holy Grail for the Truly Vain!!!!

Anyone in my Seeking The Hair Unicorn Group, Crystal Head Vodka and Lemonade slushies at my house!

hhahaa yes I guess we do!

(I had read what you had said previously - and I want to say thank you for looking out Kristie (((hugs))) - I won't).

 

[azstonie]

Heehee, I had a malfunction on my Kindle Fire and I didn't see the second page until after my post posted so I went back in to allow for the second page!!!

Have you ever read "The Gift of Fear?" Its by Gavin de Becker. Very good book for our personal safety and he completely advises you to listen to your instinct, your "creep" factor, your uneasiness always means something untoward is indeed up.

 

[MishB]

I had a mixed result. The cut was great, and I love the way she blow dried my hair, and I usually hate the way hairdressers dry my hair, pin flat against my head.

I really like the foils, no tiger stripes.

And it's quite soft, and very shiny.

However, the all over colour is not what I wanted, the ends are still very, very dark. It wasn't what she had expected either but we both think it's because I have so much colour already built up in the ends of my hair. I want it all like the fringe.

But I will go back (actually she is going to come to me) because she was lovely and the cost was very, very reasonable. Next time she'll put in a lot more foils around the front which should help with lightening it up in that area.

 

[CJ2008]

Heehee, I had a malfunction on my Kindle Fire and I didn't see the second page until after my post posted so I went back in to allow for the second page!!!

Have you ever read "The Gift of Fear?" Its by Gavin de Becker. Very good book for our personal safety and he completely advises you to listen to your instinct, your "creep" factor, your uneasiness always means something untoward is indeed up.

I have not read it but it sounds very interesting - right up my alley.

I like defining it as something "untoward" because it just reminds you why put up with any creepiness at all - even if it nothing ever happens other than more creepiness or off comments, why invite that in to my life when I don't have to. And why take a chance.

 

[CJ2008]

I had a mixed result. The cut was great, and I love the way she blow dried my hair, and I usually hate the way hairdressers dry my hair, pin flat against my head.

I really like the foils, no tiger stripes.

And it's quite soft, and very shiny.

However, the all over colour is not what I wanted, the ends are still very, very dark. It wasn't what she had expected either but we both think it's because I have so much colour already built up in the ends of my hair. I want it all like the fringe.

But I will go back (actually she is going to come to me) because she was lovely and the cost was very, very reasonable. Next time she'll put in a lot more foils around the front which should help with lightening it up in that area.

That actually looks great Mish - I love the fringe color - warms you up and is just very flattering.

So it seems in general you liked her and would go back to her - cool!

I think I'd definitely go back to this last girl too - I think we'll eventually get the haircut right. (and at half the price of my regular salon. Which means I can get it trimmed more often).

The one thing I learned - from the research I did when I decided to start coloring my own hair - is to NOT put any color on the ends after the first time you dye it. You put it just on the roots and maybe like the last minute or two you take it to the ends. Otherwise yes your ends will get very dark.