So here’s a little back story about me and how it will help explain why I’m giving this place a two star rating.
I have (OR HAD) very long, natural, unprocessed hair that I have been trying to grow out for years. Back in high school I used to blow dry, straighten, and curl my hair every single day. All the heat lead to horrible damage and my hair was literally breaking off every time I brushed. In 2011 I cut my hair up to my shoulders to basically start with fresh, undamaged hair so I could grow it out and have it be healthy again and just now, 2017, it WAS finally reaching my lower back. My hair grows very, very slowly. I rarely use heat on my hair anymore — only for special occasions do I ever straighten or curl it and even then I don’t use a hair dryer, I let it air dry. The last haircut I got was around May at AOC salon in Ghent, where I received a trim and had some long layers put in. I was so happy when I walked out of that salon. The hair stylist listened to everything I said and understood how important my hair was to me. She shampooed/conditioned my hair, gently combed it out, worked her scissor magic, styled it, and used really great products on my hair leaving it light and shiny. I couldn’t have been happier with how that appointment went. Since it is now November, I decided to finally get a trim. I was VERY sad when I called AOC salon and they didn’t have any appointments available.
So, with all that in mind, I decided to give this Great Clips a try — since they have low prices, was close to where I live, and I had a very good experience at another Great Clips back in Yucaipa, California. I walked in and was actually greeted by the lady saying, “Looking for a trim?” to which I responded with “Yes. Take off the least amount possible,” and expressed how important my hair was to me. I was immediately helped and placed at a booth — which was the only good thing about this place and my experience because I walked in on a Friday afternoon and was expecting to have to wait for at least an hour. I also did not appear to be in a rush, as a matter of fact I had the day off from work and could have spent all day there if I needed to. I was expecting to get my hair shampooed at the very least, and I wanted it styled after the trimming; however, she didn’t shampoo/condition my hair or even wet it. The lady gave me a few options after she roughly combed my hair after I sat down to either keep my hair in a “V” shape or to make it more of a “U”/straighter across shape. I basically gave the reigns to her — WHAT A HUGE MISTAKE — but once again reiterated the fact that I only wanted a trim. She immediately began cutting. The very first cut she made I saw about 4 inches of length fall on the ground — I wanted to start screaming at her but I was speechless and in complete shock — and she continued to cut. She didn’t section my hair off, or compare the sides to make sure they were even — which they aren’t! She completely cut up to my original shortest layer at the time and then proceeded to cut even more and and made a sharp v cut with the hair in front of my ears to “frame my face”. By the end of the haircut — which took no more than 7 minutes! — she had cut off at least six inches of length!!! Even one of the other hair stylists in there started questioning what she was doing! It’s going to take over a year for me to grow that length back out. I was literally fighting back tears in the salon. I got out to my car and started balling at the horrible decision I made to walk in there!!!! I don’t suggest any female with long hair to go to this salon unless you are looking for some kind of life change!! I 100% regret going in there and from now on I won’t be going to this chain or any cheap chain store. I’m so disappointed. It’s been three days already since I got it cut and I still want to cry every time I look in the mirror or run my fingers through my hair.