When Did Getting Your Hair Done Become So Traumatizing?
“After countless calls and messages, she responded and canceled my appointment. I had an event that night, so I was highly disappointed.”
For Black women, a trip to the hair salon is an act of self-care. It’s a therapeutic deed that boosts confidence and self-esteem. To spend the day getting pampered with a soul-snatching wash, a nourishing treatment, and leaving with a flawless new style is a privilege many Black women cherish.
But even at the hair salon, a beloved safe space, danger lurks around the corner. This reality is apparent for Black women across the country, as a horde of unprofessional Instagram hairstylists are leaving them traumatized with poorly done hair, unfinished styles, and more.
With the surge of outrageous booking policies, late appointments, and last-minute cancellations from social media hairstylists, what space do Black women have to get their hair done?
Historically, Black salons played an integral role in African-American communities. During the turn of the 19th century, beauty salons not only provided a space for Black women to get hair and beauty services, but also to discuss community issues and more. There was a sense of camaraderie that was shared between the hairstylist and the client.
But as the cultural landscape has shifted to the digital age, there’s been a chasm between the two. Hair salon experiences have shifted from positive to negative with the rise of do-it-yourself hairstylists.
Take Winnie Parker, for example, who showed up on time to her 12:15 PM quick weave appointment just to leave unserviced. Parker took to TikTok in a wig cap to show the condition she was left in. The hairstylist, who confirmed she would be available for a 45-minute time slot, had two women waiting to be serviced at the time of Parker’s appointment. Parker, who had obligations following the appointment, confronted the hairstylist to which she replied, “I wish you would have told me.”
Parker’s experience is one of many stories populating social media: Black women sharing their hair horror stories after booking with Instagram stylists, with the most common discourtesies being last-minute cancellations and a lack of time management from these stylists.
So when did the stylist-client dynamic shift?
In this age, it’s easier than ever to become a beauty service provider. Youtube and TikTok tutorials have made it all too easy for stylists to set up shop in the comfort of their living rooms.
Without the need for years of cosmetology school, or a license, many self-proclaimed stylists lack basic customer service skills. Consequently, hairstylists get to show up late to their appointments, set their booking policies, and cancel appointments at their discretion.
Today, there are new standards to expect when booking with Instagram hairstylists. Services like washing and blowdrying, traditionally expected as part of the hairstyling experience, are now charged as add-ons (as if Black women are not already spending a bag to get their hair done).
If that’s not bad enough, there’s the infamous “Hey, sis!” text, a widely known indication that a hairstylist is going to cancel or change an appointment booked in advance.
Lalah Allen has fallen victim to a last-minute cancellation and shared her hair horror story with me:
“I had a hair appointment to get a silk press by someone who had done my friend’s hair. I booked the appointment with her and it had been confirmed. I took my braids down the night before the appointment. On the day of the appointment, she was unresponsive. I made my way to the appointment anyway and I texted her when I arrived. There was no response. I proceeded to walk into the building her suite was located in, but she was not there. After countless calls and messages, she responded and canceled my appointment. I had an event that night, so I was highly disappointed. I was anxious trying to find another stylist to do my hair that day before the event I had that evening. Though I was upset, I was not surprised. Many hairstylists these days lack customer service.”
how do we go back to creating community within beauty service spaces?
Times have inevitably changed, but hairstylists should always put the client first, (and get realistic with booking policies). As for the client, they should be vetting the hairstylist they choose to avoid undesirable experiences.
