What a time it is y’all to finally be sharing this post after a long time coming. If you follow along on Instagram you know that I’ve been going through some hair issues since March of this year and it’s been such a process that has really taken a hit to my confidence, but I’m finally sharing my journey in hopes that I can A). Help anyone who may go through something similar and B). Prevent anyone from repeating my experience here in New York.

The Backstory: I was invited by an agent to visit a hair stylist at a pretty well known salon in Murray Hill, ironically a block away from where I lived for 5 years, for a comped service in exchange for promotion as well as tip. The stylist had a great social following and the salon was prominent in the balayage community. I figured it was time to find someone in the city vs. going to Texas to see Jenn for my highlights, so I was excited to work with this stylist and create a new connection. We DM’d and I said I was open to a different approach but that I wanted to stay blonde and mainly needed to touch up my roots. They said we’d discuss further when I came in.

The Day Of: I got a call that they were running an hour late and my appointment was already on a Saturday afternoon. When I got to the salon I waited about another 45 minutes until I even met the stylist. They shared that they would give me 10% discount for the total service and the discount would increase per referral based on how often I post. My total was coming out to ~$375 so I reiterated again that I would just like a root touch up and to stay blonde – this is also where I shift from an influencer or partner with the stylist to a consumer paying for goods & services, which I was more than happy to pay (and luckily had money in my account to drop that much in a day since I was moving 1.5 weeks later). We got started on a nearly 7 hour process and I didn’t think anything of it.

The Process: When we were nearing the final foil before I went under a dryer I noticed that my roots were sticking out and I thought to myself “that’s odd that’s all that I wanted colored.” I immediately texted my mom and was like we may need to get a back up trip on the books because I have a bad feeling about this. After shampooing and returning to the chair I realized my hair was DARK brown throughout and that’s when the anger set in. The stylist tried to do a whole reveal when the hair was dried and I immediately shared that this was not what I asked for and this is clearly not blonde. They told me to give it a day and to let my friends and family weigh in on what they think. Regardless of anyone else opinion (and yes, the color itself was pretty), it was not what I asked for NOR agreed to pay nearly $400 for. They told me if I was still upset by Wednesday they could stay late to reverse the toner and turn me back blonde. I paid for the service and tip and left.

The “Reversal” Process” When I went back in on Wednesday the stylist got to work, painting every strand of hair on my head blonde. When everything was in foils I noticed a similar pattern that my roots, still not colored, were still sticking out. After I processed and rinsed, the stylist painted on blonde over my roots, vs doing a pattern that normal highlights do. Seven hours later it was 2AM, I was finally blonde, and the stylist told me that I couldn’t apply heat or do anything to my hair for months and needed to make rice water to help it grow back. When I left the salon I was happy to be blonde, but when I got home I realized how one dimensional it was and how stiff the hair felt overall – almost like it was hay.

The Damage: The next day I tried to do a restore treatment to see if the texture was only temporary. When I went to brush my hair I started pulling out handfuls/clumps on hair at a time. I instantly panicked and did what everyone does (called my mom) and sent 7,000 pictures of the damage so that she could asses with Jenn. I got a flight booked for the weekend so we could fix it because I was most worried about my hair falling out entirely. When Jenn was able to assess the situation she was baffled that a stylist would do this – essentially bleaching colored hair (hair that has been colored since I was 13) to the point where there was no reversing. We did two deep conditioning treatments (I think from Olaplex’s professional line), added in pattern into the one dimensional hair with toner, and added in two bundles of extensions that are held by fused bonds. I still couldn’t apply much heat to the hair once I had extensions in and had to limit how many times I washed per week to avoid stripping natural oils.

The Solution: After a month of everything I grew more frustrated at the entire situation. The scam agent and stylist inviting me in for a partnership, paying a hefty fee to essentially have my hair destroyed when it was its healthiest in years, and having to resort to extensions (which I had in college and know how annoying they can be). Disclaimer, I completely understand that it’s just hair and this isn’t life or death, but I realized how much I had relied on my hair for my confidence. It had grown to be so healthy in 2020 and it’s obviously the first thing people notice. Extensions require a lot of upkeep – a special brush, certain types of products for different areas, etc. I stocked up on so many products that y’all recommended and started using things here and there, didn’t apply any heat to my hair and resorted to sleeping or working out in braids often so I could go about with wavy hair as opposed to curling. I had the extensions re-done mid-summer and decided that I would take them out in the fall to let my hair really heal. While extensions aren’t damaging per se, it’s all dependent on your attention to detail with the upkeep. Not picking at the bonds when they grow loose, not pulling through the loops of hair to create breakage, etc. Not to mention when they aren’t styled properly it’s completely noticeable that they are extensions. Jenn even noted when we swapped extensions just how healthy my hair was looking compared to before – some of my texture had returned, there was growth, and the growth was strong.

Current Day: Fast forward to now (shout out if you’ve read this long!!), I am extension-less but able to color my hair. I saw Jenn in September and we could finally do the normal pattern and my hair is slightly past my collar bone. The top of my hair is really thick from the new growth, and my ends are barely hanging on but there is hardly any damage. I was able to work with my credit card company to receive a refund for the service from the salon (although I had tipped the stylist both times equaling $200 in cash), so that was definitely a positive. I still refuse to put the stylist on blast because that’s not my style, but I’m happy to share with anyone who reaches out via DM to ensure they don’t go through the same thing. I have a very thorough, low key expensive hair routine that has been working for me thus far and I actually recently ran out of products and am due for a restock. I absolutely hate my hair length now unless it’s curled, but I know it will grow over time and I can’t wait for that day!

What Has Worked: There are a plethora of products on the market to help with this situation and to be totally honest I’ve been using so many things that I can’t even pinpoint exactly what has been the front runner. That said, I can definitely pin point a few key products that are crucial and I’ll need to repurchase to continue the healing process.

–Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector: Everyone says this is crucial and I finally understand why. Although packaged in a small bottle, this mighty mask really works to seal breakage and bonds.
–Kerastase Resistance Mask for Damaged Hair: I bought this in tandem with the shampoo based on a recommendation when I shared this story on TikTok, and it has been crucial to restoring a silkier texture.
–Moroccan Oil Pure Argan Oil: No one will ever talk about scalp damage with coloring, but my scalp took a BEATING with this whole ordeal. I like to use the Argan Oil on my scalp as an overnight mask as I approach hair wash time, and go through all of my hair.
–K18 Molecular Repair Mask: The holy grail that a colleague recommended to me and I immediately ordered 5 of the mini masks. This is the only hair product on the market scientifically proven to heal hair from the inside out.

Other products that are in my rotation and have helped restore texture, shine and overall health also include:
Shampoos:
–Olaplex No. 4 Shampoo
–Bumble&Bumble Invisible Oil Shampoo
–Aloxxi Strengthening Shampoo
–dpHue ACV Rinse
–Ouai Scalp Scrub

Conditioners/Masks:
–Olaplex No. 5 Conditioner
–Olaplex No. 8 Mask
–Aloxxi Repair Treatment

Leave-Ins:
–Olaplex No. 6 + No. 7 (combined)
–Bumble&Bumble Invisible Oil
–Bumble&Bumble Heat Shield Mist
–Ouai Air Dry Foam
–Gisou Hair Perfume