VAIN in Seattle, WA

I asked the stylist for light platinum highlights in my hair, which has a lot of silver. I just wanted highlights on the top, not down the sides. I also wanted NO lowlights, and told her repeatedly no when she recommended them. She colored the entire top half of my head and put lowlights anyway. Now my hair is a trashy yellow color with faded low lights that look like copper...even though I'm using an expensive blue shampoo every week. I spent over $200. I'm sick of stylists who ignore you and do what they think looks best...they're not the ones paying for the work. Two thumbs down.

VAIN is a solid salon with well-qualified, personable stylists. I've gone to two of their locations over the years and they've always done a fine job. Where I part ways with them, however, is with their cancellation policy. They have an sms system set up for appointment reminders which includes the details; the affordance for cancellations is different for different services. For color appointments, like foil and balayage, you have to cancel at at least 48 hours in advance. For haircuts, you have to cancel 24 hours ahead. After having a color service performed (which I was happy with), I booked a haircut and tone for a week out. So I ask you, gentle people of the public, is a tone the same as a color service? It sure isn't to me. Typical color appointments can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. A toner, on the other hand, is slathered on like conditioner when the hair is wet, and the entire process takes three to five minutes tops. Unlike color, toner washes out almost immediately. In fact that's why I requested it just six days after my last one. Anyway, after unexpectedly getting roped into a work meeting for the date and time of my appointment, I canceled the day before at 10am (30 hours before my appointment). Why does this matter? Because if you don't time your cancellation according to their specifications. VAIN will charge you for the full cost of the service. Which they did. I was charged $58...for nothing. I understand that late cancellations are hard for businesses and they must absorb the loss when those gaps aren't filled. But in addition to feeling confident that a busy salon in Ballard can fill a haircut slot, that's not really the issue. My objection is that the classification of my haircut and tone as a "color" appointment just wasn't quite cricket (to borrow from the Brits) and likely not in the spirit in which the policy was created - to deflect loss with last-minute cancellations of long, involved color processes. Calling it a color did make it convenient, if not altogether fair, to charge me for nothing. I guess in a real gray area like this, it's just a question of opportunity cost that each business owner has to ask themselves. What is the lifetime value of this customer? I'm a pretty frequent flyer when it comes to salon visits, so is taking advantage of this policy on a technicality the best longitudinal strategy? What do you think -- time and money-wise, is a haircut and tone equivalent to a color appointment, or a haircut appointment? Was this policy enacted fairly or was it a gotcha? The answer doesn't really matter, of course. They can run their business as they wish, just as I can avoid it.

Came for a trim and partial foil with Angie and I absolutely love the magic she made with my hair! We just moved to the neighborhood so I was looking for a new salon which can be nerve wracking. I am so happy I came to Vain and that I found my hair artist. Angie was honest with me from the very beginning when we talked about what I was looking for and what was feasible without damaging my curly dark hair. I appreciate and respect how well she knows her craft because she nailed it! I love love my hair and I immediately made an appt to come back and do more lightening ! Thank you Angie! And Shannon :)

Please see the attached pictures for reference. My hair was already in a good place color wise, I just wanted it lightened a bit ( shade of highlights I've routinely gone back to over the last 5 years). When I scheduled the appointment I had to send a picture of my current hair and the color inspiration beforehand as well. Despite me agreeing with the receptionist who reviewed my inspo picture that the stylist may not be able to do that in the window of time so I should just have a transition type appointment (a little brightening by the face instead) - the stylist was adamant that it wouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, I realized about 15 minutes in something was wrong - the stylist did a combination of foils and balayage and chose to do the entire left side of my head first before touching my right side. Which resulted in her needing to suddenly wash out only my left side (while leaving the right side in bleach) and then having me return to sit under heat to help process the right side that wasn't lifting as much. She made a comment how she "may" tone it and I had to ask for clarification that should would in fact tone it. However, once all the bleach was out it was apparent that the left side was lighter and any pieces she foiled were borderline white, while any balayage pieces were orange (especially along the front of my head. She then stated she was attempting to do a root smudge to fix this and then informed me she toned it a color she called a "cool gold" (which wasn't the color I was in search of in the first place). When I left, my hair was a total of three colors: white, orange and yellow. I voiced I was upset (though still in some disbelief) and they said they could get me in a few days later to "fix it." When I found out the game plan was to have the same colorist "try and tone it"...I let them know I didn't feel comfortable having them work on my hair again. Since I had put down a deposit for the appointment and then was charged a remaining fee when I left - I felt it was fair to refund me the second amount I was charged (letting them keep the deposit). They declined, saying they do not offer refunds and they only offer color fixing appointments. I was shocked that they would force client's to do something they are voicing feeling uncomfortable with doing versus giving even a partial refund. Terribly disappointing as I have to go somewhere else to have it color corrected and fixed just to get it back to something even close to the hair color which I originally came in with. I gave it at least two stars because the receptionist was very nice and understanding. I wish the stylist had listened to the receptionist's feedback when I arrived for my appointment that maybe she should try just popping in a little brightness by my face as a transition appointment versus trying something that may require more time, etc. (which as mentioned I had agreed with at check in).

Angie was amazing! She heard me and what I really wanted and gave me the best new style that is super manageable for me! I am also really grateful that she works on Sunday because my days off are always Sunday and Monday which seem to be when all hair salons are closed, so now I am also able to keep my new cut up which has been an issue in the past when I've had a short hairstyle. Thanks for Angie she is a rockstar