The Good, the Bad and the UGLY!! (Toni & Guy)

Member Name: Emmie_Sparkle

Product:	Toni & Guy
Date:	04/01/07 (1935 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: They DO have the technical knowledge to make hair look good....

Disadvantages: .... sometimes they forget that their hair masterpiece is meant to suit you!!

Having now been to Toni and Guy three times (with mixed results) I thought it was about time I wrote a review of my experiences - hopefully to help you decide whether or not to go there!


*THE GOOD*……

The first time I visited Toni and Guy was in Birmingham, in the salon near New Street.
Me and a friend were pulled off the street by a girl who was about to pass her training in a week, and needed a couple of people to practice on.

The staff at that particular branch actually seemed really friendly, every single one of them smiled at us and I didn't feel too intimidated! Shock horror!!

The girl that cut our hair did a really great job - and we were amazed that she didn't try to persuade us into any retro styles, and gave us both quite normal do's! My friend's hair has honestly never looked better, it really suited his face and was the perfect length - and my hair was also really great and felt in such good condition!

Also, as she was technically still a trainee, she had people observing now and again telling her what a great job she was doing. She also seemed to take on my hair in two steps - she said the first would be to get the general shape, and then she would 'personalise' it; meaning that she would put the layers and finishing touches into it. Both of these things made me feel like she knew what she was doing, and highlighted the training she'd received.

She also gave me great advice about haircare, and as it was a trainee cut, it was free!

I would recommend seeing a nearly-qualified trainee for sure, as they are always watched like hawks and if anything goes wrong you don't have the 'do i really have the balls to ask for a refund??' inner debate.


*THE BAD*…..

My second visit to Toni and Guy was in the Woking (Peacock's Centre) branch.

My hair at the time used to be a chin length bob that had now grown down to my shoulders. Not a good look for a girl whose face is longer than Giselle's legs. I initially didn't want to go to Toni and Guy just for a trim because of the cost, but at the same time I didn't want to risk getting it screwed up at some smaller hairdressers.

I must admit I did say to the man it just needs the shape putting back into it, not too short, and needs thinning out. This he did, but you know when they're blow drying your hair and you're thinking "they must be finishing it off once it's dry then"? When he walked off to get the mirror to show me the back of it I was about to smile and say 'it's fine', but then I remembered that this would cost forty pounds, so for the first time in my shy little life I mustered up the courage to say he could actually take a little more off.

The haircut itself was not bad… but his response wasn't the best in my opinion. Basically, he said "well when you get home and use your straighteners it will bounce up and look less long"…. So in other words he couldn't be bothered! And also, since when have straighteners made your hair look LESS long?

So I had to go to the reception and pay the somewhat extortionate fee, only to be greeted by my boyfriend saying "didn't you get it cut in the end?" Agh….


*THE UGLY*…

Ok, so the most recent visit I can tell you about in more depth. This review is already long and you've probably read a few others that say a similar thing so I will just point out the advantages (of Toni and Guy in general) in particular:

1. Very smart, stylish salon and gives you a good feeling… especially as the Woking one is situated opposite Supercuts; which I contemplated entering until I saw that there were only 2 styling chairs and that the floor looked entirely made out of human hair…
2. Some of the staff are friendly… mainly the men I've noticed.
3. Most relaxing head massage and hair washing ever!


Unfortunately I did find that the bad points outweighed the good this time.

Many of the girls who worked there had apparently decided that they didn't need the extra karma they would recieve for smiling at customers, but that looking them up and down as they walked in the door would be a more worthwhile action!

As mentioned earlier, my hair used to be a chin length bob, but has now grown out again to my shoulders. So after being greeted by a very friendly man, I asked him for the cut I desired.

This is where you have to be careful what you ask for!

I said "I'd like it pretty much how it is now, but ending midway down my neck, and with a sideways fringe, and thinning out a bit"

He agreed with this, nodding and tousling my hair and all he added to this was "ok well what we'll do as well is, instead of making it blunt at the bottom, we'll make it a bit more feathered and softer" He also said "we'll end your fringe at your eye, yeah?" to which I said I'd rather have it longer, like down to my cheek.

So there I was thinking that I would basically end up with a nicer, shorter, choppier version of my current bob with a sexy sweeping fringe and a lot less weight.

I actually ended up with a fringe that when brushed forward, covers my eyes, and can only be determined as a sideways fringe if it is literally yanked over to the side - it hasn't been cut to fall naturally like that. It also does not reach my cheek, and stops just above my eye.

The one thing that was what I asked for is that it ends midway down my neck… however, it is no longer a bob or anything resembling that, but is now an extremely top-heavy mullet style.... ending midway down my neck.

I was too horrified to say anything when I again got that dreaded "he hasn't finished yet has he?" feeling.

So I went to the counter and after asking for a 'normal stylist' when I booked the appointment, got charged 43 pounds and realised they'd booked me in with the style director instead!

I cried all day!



So to sum up, I think that it is actually a gamble wherever you go - but there are a few rules I would say you could follow when going to Toni and Guy in particular:

1. Wear your most stunning outfit, unless you are not phased by poncey little girls looking you up and down.
2. Make sure you actually HAVE the money to spare so that you don't resent it too much if it does go wrong. Or know that you have the confidence to tell them.
3. See if they do trainee haircuts - if you want you could always ask for one that's nearly qualified.
4. Be really specific when you ask for your cut - if you can take a photo then that's the best thing.
5. Test their knowledge. I was unhappy with my haircut, but the guy did give me tips on styling and a lot of them know their stuff if you ask them.
6. If you're brave enough, when you book your appointment and they ask you who you want, look for the person with the hairstyle most resembling the one you want! If you want a mullet or something funky and retro, look for someone with that hair - but if like me, you want something a bit simpler, I'd either go with a woman, or a less extravagant looking man. Just point them out and say "I want him/her to do it please!". Generally, if they've got a style you like, you'll like the style they'll give you.

Last of all, I think we all expect hairdressers to be somehow wonderfully telepathic, possessing the talent to see into our minds and pick out that picture we have in our head of our perfect cut. Taking a picture is really the only way you can judge a good hairdresser, and if you end up with something completely different to what you asked for, you have the evidence you need to get your money back!

Summary: Give it a go, you might get lucky!