Beauty Salons : where is the beauty?

She Devil

Did you ever go into a beauty salon and come out feeling worse than you did going in?
I went in for an eyebrow wax today, usual in and out procedure but as I was left waiting for my therapist to become available I started to read one of the magazines in the salon, it was full of stories from people who felt better after surgery, It gave all the great effects of eye lifts, face lifts, laser surgery etc ... every single page!!!

I was reading it starting to feel very self conscious, when the receptionist came over and handed me two pamphlets on the type of treatments they do for aging skin!!

Then when finished my therapist said "Mind those expression lines in the sun"

Honestly? Have you ever felt worse coming out of a beauty salon than you did going in? I thought the joy of beauty salons was that you felt beautiful or better even coming out!?!

Lia_lia

I have never been to a beauty salon, ever. What a waste of money.

metaoblivia

Usually when I go to beauty salons - which isn't that often because it's so expensive - I walk out feeling relaxed and refreshed if nothing else. But one time when I went for a facial, the lady was really mean about my freckles. I have light freckles on my face, which most "skin technicians" will notice and mention, like, "Oh I see you have some light freckles, how cute!" but this particular woman just seemed really offended by them. She kept telling me that I had ruined my skin by playing outside when I was little, and each freckle was a sign of irreversible damage I had done to my skin, and I should never, ever expose my face to sunlight if I didn't want anymore blemishes, as she called them.

I walked out of that salon feeling a little and

The profession seems to attract really bitchy, petty women. I go sometimes to get my eyebrows done and they always comment on how I don't take care of them, even though I pluck them at least twice a week and get them threaded fairly regularly. I just feel sorry for them, bit sad not to have anything to worry about beyond what your eyebrows look like. I mean, I like groomed eyebrows, but it's a very small part of my life whereas it's basically all of theirs. All the girls I know come out of salons feeling crap after being berated or made to feel stupid. The only reason I go is that I can't thread my own eyebrows, and I see it as more of a necessary evil than a treat.

Faith

I rarely get anything other than waxes done, because it's a luxury I can't afford, but I don't think I've ever been particularly unhappy coming out of there. Now, hairdressers - yes, but not beauty salons.

WindSock

Depends where you go tbh. If you find a good one where the women are professional and non judgemental, stick with it.
The one I currently use is great. The facials are fantastic and massages are amazing.
I don't go a lot though, just as a treat.

It's not the salons fault you pick up the idiot mags. Sure they put them there, but you don't have to read them

Das Kitty

Got gel nails applied for my wedding and the girl doing it tutted at my hangnails and told me I should be using cuticle oil twice daily. I told her I snip them off when they appear and she actually seemed furious! Then I told her I was doing my own wedding flowers and she gave me a speech on how it would ruin my nails (it didn't).

I just thought it was funny.

If she saw me two weeks later in the back arse of Iceland attacking them with a nail clippers and peeling them off (not a good idea if you can avoid it) she probably would have slapped me. LOL.

Giselle

[quote=[Deleted User];64907791]The profession seems to attract really bitchy, petty women. I go sometimes to get my eyebrows done and they always comment on how I don't take care of them, even though I pluck them at least twice a week and get them threaded fairly regularly. I just feel sorry for them, bit sad not to have anything to worry about beyond what your eyebrows look like. I mean, I like groomed eyebrows, but it's a very small part of my life whereas it's basically all of theirs. All the girls I know come out of salons feeling crap after being berated or made to feel stupid. The only reason I go is that I can't thread my own eyebrows, and I see it as more of a necessary evil than a treat.[/QUOTE]


Ah, bit of a generalisation there! I think you need to change salon .

The girls I go to are just lovely, really professional and friendly and full of advice rather than judgement. I usually leave feeling tidied up if nothing else, and generally its a relaxing experience.

Giselle

Giselle wrote: »

Ah, bit of a generalisation there! I think you need to change salon .

The girls I go to are just lovely, really professional and friendly and full of advice rather than judgement. I usually leave feeling tidied up if nothing else, and generally its a relaxing experience.

Been to dozens of them. All pretty much the same. The worst offenders are the Indian places here in London.......soooooo bitchy and judgemental.

Ginny

Like Faith I've only ever gone for waxing regularly, Actually tbh I could probably count on one hand how many facials/massages I've had done.
I Found the girls n Slender Health n Raheny good, Beauty Laine in Santry and Carraig Doon in Bray.
I'd avoid Spirit in Dundrum and Pure Beauty in Bray.

jellie

Ginny wrote: »

I'd avoid Spirit in Dundrum and Pure Beauty in Bray.

Some of my friends have gone to Pure in Bray and found it nice. Ive gotten my mam a facial voucher too & she enjoyed it, maybe you just had a bad experience.

Ive only ever had a proper beauty salon treatment once, I was given a voucher for a facial. The girl was lovely and anyone I was in contact with was lovely & I came out relaxed.

I get my eyebrows & eyelashes tinted regularly by my friend, she does treatments in her house & I always feel great coming out. it probably is different cause shes a friend, but shes done treatments for people i know and she goes out of her way to make you feel GOOD about your treatment and thats how it should be.

Ginny

It was a horrific waxing experience that actually left long term damage, it was just after they opened, so maybe they're better now, or maybe they're better at the beauty end of it..:)

Little Acorn

I've only ever had my eyebrows professionally waxed 4 times. Usually just get my sister to do them for me. I've had 3 facials and 1 back massage. Each time the girls were incredibly friendly, and well mannered-they explained everything they were doing and did their best to ensure I was comfortable during process and happy with the results.
A huge part of the beauty salon experience is the interaction with therapist, and a feeling of relaxation, and these rude beauty therapists mentioned should definitely be reported to their managers. Pretty sure they would be given a swift warning to improve their customer relation skills or else face the chop.

jellie

Ginny wrote: »

It was a horrific waxing experience that actually left long term damage, it was just after they opened, so maybe they're better now, or maybe they're better at the beauty end of it..:)

ouch. anyone i know of going there has only been for facials i think

Bonito

Where is the beauty you ask? It's already there silly

She Devil

My best friend is a beauty therapist, when she owned a salon I went to her for everything (she has since changed profession)

I think I had a bad experience today! But wow, I am staring into the mirror all day wondering should I spend the €1000 on five sessions of lazer treatment and dermatological something or other just so I MIGHT look good enough to go back to get my eyebrows done!
Jeeeeees!!!!! BUT it was a great eyebrow wax!

Maple

I sometimes find that they try to hard sell the products they use by telling you how dreadful your skin is and how this wondrous handmade by blind nuns serum will help repair the damage you've done to it. It can be a bit offputting.

That said, anytime i've gone to a beauty salon i've mostly enjoyed my experiences. Apart from waxing obviously, I mean who enjoys that demonic treatment?

Anytime i've received a bad treatment, i've pointed it out to management. Screw it, it's my hard earned cash and I don't fritter it away needlessly.

Michellenman

I get what you mean She Devil, haven't experienced it myself but years ago my mam went for a facial, she had a voucher, and the people there actually refused to do it because she has dry skin. Now, it's dry, but it's not flakey and you wouldn't notice it looking at her. She was distraught, as you can imagine and it's turned her off going to any salon as a result.

Personally the only bad experience I've had is when I went to get my nails done for my debs years ago. The girl who was doing them (just a plain french manicure) was also doing the hair of the woman beside me and the nails of another woman all at the same time. The place was known locally as a rather nice place to go but when I went it was filthy, there were nail clipping where I was sitting and all. And wore but I won't go in to it. She also filed my nails across the top of them, not the edges so it took nearly a year before my nails were healthy again. She did a woeful job and I ended up getting my brothers friend who was doing a beauty therapy course to come over and fix it up. She couldn't believe that someone had charged for the botch job so my mam rang and got them to tear up the cheque.

iguana

maple wrote: »

Apart from waxing obviously, I mean who enjoys that demonic treatment?

Well, the first time I got a brazilian, two days before my wedding, I had this sort of "naughty" beautician who blew gently on my skin whenever she thought it was looking too red. I came away feeling like I'd cheated on my (nearly) husband a little bit, but I did enjoy it.:o

smileysurfer

Faith wrote: »

I rarely get anything other than waxes done, because it's a luxury I can't afford, but I don't think I've ever been particularly unhappy coming out of there. Now, hairdressers - yes, but not beauty salons.

Id have to agree, Iv had so many bad experiences with hair dressers its ridiculous, a lot of them seem to have no regard to customer service!

Beauty salons though, ... I dont know what salons posters here with negative experiences have been visiting because I have had nothing but positive experiences in salons. Any therapists I have visited are genuinely friendly and helpful and I leave completly relaxed and happy.

Danniboo

[quote=[Deleted User];64907791]The profession seems to attract really bitchy, petty women. I go sometimes to get my eyebrows done and they always comment on how I don't take care of them, even though I pluck them at least twice a week and get them threaded fairly regularly. I just feel sorry for them, bit sad not to have anything to worry about beyond what your eyebrows look like. I mean, I like groomed eyebrows, but it's a very small part of my life whereas it's basically all of theirs. All the girls I know come out of salons feeling crap after being berated or made to feel stupid. The only reason I go is that I can't thread my own eyebrows, and I see it as more of a necessary evil than a treat.[/QUOTE]


This couldn't be more through the woman who introduced me to my current bf is a beautician and she used to tell him about different women that came in to the salon and different treatments they got and about all their flaws etc. She even went into graphic details about bikini waxes :eek:. She once used a treatment she had done for me to get a dig in at me, she told my bf about it but didnt use my name but gave him every single detail so that I would know that she was talking about me.

Bonito

Danniboo wrote: »

This couldn't be more through the woman who introduced me to my current bf is a beautician and she used to tell him about different women that came in to the salon and different treatments they got and about all their flaws etc. She even went into graphic details about bikini waxes :eek:. She once used a treatment she had done for me to get a dig in at me, she told my bf about it but didnt use my name but gave him every single detail so that I would know that she was talking about me.

:eek: That's outrageous!!!! I would have said it to the management that she was discussing clients and their treatments!

Maple

iguana wrote: »

Well, the first time I got a brazilian, two days before my wedding, I had this sort of "naughty" beautician who blew gently on my skin whenever she thought it was looking too red. I came away feeling like I'd cheated on my (nearly) husband a little bit, but I did enjoy it.:o

ROFL

Jesus, i just got snared in work for faffing on the internet, just squawked out loud laughing reading this. Priceless!

smileysurfer

iguana wrote: »

Well, the first time I got a brazilian, two days before my wedding, I had this sort of "naughty" beautician who blew gently on my skin whenever she thought it was looking too red. I came away feeling like I'd cheated on my (nearly) husband a little bit, but I did enjoy it.:o

Not only is that really creepy but its also extremely unhygenic!! I would have complained her !!

Vinta81

I've always had wicked experiences

Bonito

smileysurfer wrote: »

Not only is that really creepy but its also extremely unhygenic!! I would have complained her !!

I'd think it's "more hygenic" than oral sex, wouldn't you?

Plus. It stopped the customer being uncomfortable and having irritated sensitive skin so why would she complain

Danniboo

Bonito wrote: »

:eek: That's outrageous!!!! I would have said it to the management that she was discussing clients and their treatments!

Yeah you would think I would have, it crossed my mind a few times then I remembered how all her friends didn't talk to her anymore, how she had a mediocre job a banger of a car lived with her parents and I figured Karma had done it's job.

smileysurfer

Bonito wrote: »

I'd think it's "more hygenic" than oral sex, wouldn't you?

Plus. It stopped the customer being uncomfortable and having irritated sensitive skin so why would she complain

What a ridiculous thing to say! I dont go to a salon to have oral sex, and Im sure the other poster doesnt either! What a non point! :rolleyes:

Giselle

iguana wrote: »

Well, the first time I got a brazilian, two days before my wedding, I had this sort of "naughty" beautician who blew gently on my skin whenever she thought it was looking too red. I came away feeling like I'd cheated on my (nearly) husband a little bit, but I did enjoy it.:o

I'm shocked and intruiged simultaneously.

Perhaps even a little curious!:D

Bonito

smileysurfer wrote: »

I dont go to a salon to have oral sex, and Im sure the other poster doesnt either! What a non point! :rolleyes:

No it was a very good point actually. You just took it out of context. I was stating that how can you call something as simple as blowing cool air on to the client to stop them getting irritated during their waxing unhygenic? It'd make oral sex unhygenic too but in reality there's nothing unhygenic about it.

Bonito

Danniboo wrote: »

Yeah you would think I would have, it crossed my mind a few times then I remembered how all her friends didn't talk to her anymore, how she had a mediocre job a banger of a car and lived with her parents and I figured Karma had done it's job.

Maybe that's why she's such a bitter aul busy body :pac:

smileysurfer

Bonito wrote: »

No it was a very good point actually. You just took it out of context. I was stating that how can you call something as simple as blowing cool air on to the client to stop them getting irritated during their waxing unhygenic? It'd make oral sex unhygenic too but in reality there's nothing unhygenic about it.

No it wasnt really,
Im studying Beauty Therapy and one of the things you are told from the beginning is to NEVER blow on a client, whether its to get rid of make up flecks on the face or anything else. Its completly unhygenic and un heard of by the majority of beauty therapists.
Blowing on someones bikini line is completly unprofessional , inapropriate and unhygenic!

Not sure why you are making a reference to oral sex tbh! Its completly random. After waxing the pores are open, the skin is exposed to bacteria for 24 hours, your therapist should apply after wax lotion to treat any sensitivity, ..... definitely shouldnt blow on the skin! :O

Danniboo

Bonito wrote: »

Maybe that's why she's such a bitter aul busy body :pac:

I'd say so I feel sorry for her really, when i'm old and wrinkly i'll still have fun and friends and enjoyment in life where as she'll be trying to hold her eyes up with sellotape

j1974

Lia_lia wrote: »

I have never been to a beauty salon, ever. What a waste of money.

YOU GO GIRL!!;)

Bonito

smileysurfer wrote: »

No it wasnt really,
Im studying Beauty Therapy and one of the things you are told from the beginning is to NEVER blow on a client, whether its to get rid of make up flecks on the face or anything else. Its completly unhygenic and un heard of by the majority of beauty therapists.
Blowing on someones bikini line is completly unprofessional , inapropriate and unhygenic!

Not sure why you are making a reference to oral sex tbh! Its completly random. After waxing the pores are open, the skin is exposed to bacteria for 24 hours, your therapist should apply after wax lotion to treat any sensitivity, ..... definitely shouldnt blow on the skin! :O

I'm not going to argue and drag this thread off topic. The poster didn't mind it and it made her comfortable. A bit "naughty" and unexpected as she said, yes. In saying that, I must have missed the bit where she said she got some sort of infection due to the therapist blowing on her skin to cool it down and avoid irritation :rolleyes:

smileysurfer

Bonito wrote: »

I'm not going to argue and drag this thread off topic. The poster didn't mind it and it made her comfortable. A bit "naughty" and unexpected as she said, yes. In saying that I must have missed the bit where she said she got some sort of infection due to the therapist blowing on her skin to cool it down and avoid irritation :rolleyes:

Im not arguing with you either, just getting my point accross, if you dont agree with me then thats fine.
I never once said that the poster actually got an infection, re read my post. I said its possible.. which it is because its so unhygenic. End of!

j1974

She Devil wrote: »

Did you ever go into a beauty salon and come out feeling worse than you did going in?
I went in for an eyebrow wax today, usual in and out procedure but as I was left waiting for my therapist to become available I started to read one of the magazines in the salon, it was full of stories from people who felt better after surgery, It gave all the great effects of eye lifts, face lifts, laser surgery etc ... every single page!!!

I was reading it starting to feel very self conscious, when the receptionist came over and handed me two pamphlets on the type of treatments they do for aging skin!!

Then when finished my therapist said "Mind those expression lines in the sun"

Honestly? Have you ever felt worse coming out of a beauty salon than you did going in? I thought the joy of beauty salons was that you felt beautiful or better even coming out!?!

It's a service and like most services it requires lying and aggressive sales tactics. I think it was baz lurman who said, "dont read beauty magazines, they only make you feel ugly". half the pics are doctored and the other half are models in their 20s that make up 0.0000001 of the population at best.

Bonito

smileysurfer wrote: »

Im not arguing with you either, just getting my point accross, if you dont agree with me then thats fine.
I never once said that the poster actually got an infection, re read my post. I said its possible.. which it is because its so unhygenic. End of!

What about one of these instead of blowing?

Danniboo

Bonito wrote: »

What about one of these instead of blowing?

Ha, priceless

smileysurfer

Bonito wrote: »

What about one of these instead of blowing?

:rolleyes: very mature!


at least its not a strangers mouth blowing on your nether regions!

Bonito

smileysurfer wrote: »

:rolleyes: very mature!


at least its not a strangers mouth blowing on your nether regions!

Awww come on, lighten up
I was just ignorant to how it can be unhygenic. I have since educated myself how. No hard feelings?

WindSock

How much extra did you pay to get a blow job with the bikini wax?

NothingMan

smileysurfer wrote: »

at least its not a strangers mouth blowing on your nether regions!

Yeah...... That sounds .... em..... awful. :

Anyway, on topic. One of my sisters is a beauty therapist and she's constantly pointing out flaws on everyone. Usually comments on my teeth or my hair but I just ignore her, especially since she dresses like an 80's pop star and has the dodgy hair style to match. The other day at another sisters house my 14 year old niece barely walked in and her exact greeting was "Go get your tweezers".

She is a lovely sister otherwise but I guess people in that profession just see that stuff and think it's their duty to "help". Same if I saw someone with a PC not acting to it's full potential, it's painful not to sit down and clean it up and make it faster.

Maple

Smileysurfer/Bonito, enough please and thanks.

Maple.

convert

I had been thinking about making an appointment with a beauty salon to have my nails and eyebrows done, but now I'm having second thoughts about it. Especially as my nails are in bits from constantly working outdoors with animals. My eyebrows aren't the most manicured either.... Hmmm.... I'll have to give this a lot more thought...

Vinta81

convert wrote: »

I had been thinking about making an appointment with a beauty salon to have my nails and eyebrows done, but now I'm having second thoughts about it. Especially as my nails are in bits from constantly working outdoors with animals. My eyebrows aren't the most manicured either.... Hmmm.... I'll have to give this a lot more thought...

Ah jeez don't reconsider. Some people in here seem to hate beauty salons from the get go and one bad experience puts them off. I find it's like finding a hairdresser, you've to go to a few to find "your one". I've been to three different beauty salons in my local area and there was one I preferred more in regards to quality of service.

convert

Vinta81 wrote: »

Ah jeez don't reconsider. Some people in here seem to hate beauty salons from the get go and one bad experience puts them off. I find it's like finding a hairdresser, you've to go to a few to find "your one". I've been to three different beauty salons in my local area and there was one I preferred more in regards to quality of service.

Thanks for your confidence... I think what I'd find the worst is a beautician telling me to mind my nails more or to look after my skin, style my eyebrows more, etc. etc. I'm not a girlie girl, but I do like to look good and dress well when not working outdoors, but having someone berate me for not doing my eyebrows properly or not buffering or polishing my nails enough would have two possible results: either I'd end up in tears or be banned from the salon for complaining about the beautician's attitude.... :eek: Neither of which would be very desirable. Still, it's nice to know potentially what to expect. It would mean I wouldn't be caught off guard.

Gosh, that sounds like beauty salons are awful, doesn't it?!. I'm sure that it's only the minority of them have staff like those described above, but unfortunately it tends to be the 'horror' stories that people mention or remember, thus tarring all salons with the same brush.

convert

convert wrote: »

Thanks for your confidence... I think what I'd find the worst is a beautician telling me to mind my nails more or to look after my skin, style my eyebrows more, etc. etc. I'm not a girlie girl, but I do like to look good and dress well when not working outdoors, but having someone berate me for not doing my eyebrows properly or not buffering or polishing my nails enough would have two possible results: either I'd end up in tears or be banned from the salon for complaining about the beautician's attitude.... :eek: Neither of which would be very desirable. Still, it's nice to know potentially what to expect. It would mean I wouldn't be caught off guard.

Gosh, that sounds like beauty salons are awful, doesn't it?!. I'm sure that it's only the minority of them have staff like those described above, but unfortunately it tends to be the 'horror' stories that people mention or remember, thus tarring all salons with the same brush.

Well I wouldn't let it put you off going. I personally just don't find it at all pleasurable and I don't like the attitude of the girls who work in those places. Not all of them, but I'd say more often than not, they're bitchy or plain rude. As I said, they seem to forget that not everyone has time to devote their life to looking beautiful. I know I'd look better if I could thread my eyebrows every fortnight or get regular manicures and facials, but I study full time and work, I have better things to do, and they don't seem to get that. They don't get that not everyone devotes all their attention to their appearance, and that some people can actually walk outside with stray eyebrow hairs or chipped nail polish. The thing is, I DO make sure I always look nice and presentable and I do spend time filing my nails, plucking my eyebrows etc, yet from their reactions you'd think I was some ugly, hairy beast.

pikachucheeks

I've never been to a beauty salon. The only thing I pay to get done is my hair ... I'm too broke for other treatments after that! :pac:

My sister used to go to a beautician who was notorious for making nasty comments towards her clients. I think it had a lot to do with her being a perfectionist and brutally honest.
She'd always point out if someone had put on a few pounds and tell them they needed to start coming to her for various other treatments because they looked awful! :eek:

If your beautician is making you feel uncomfortable with their comments, take your business elsewhere!
People often wouldn't accept being treated badly by a friend, so why take it from someone you're paying to carry out a service?

banshee_bones

My only reason for going to a beauty salon is going for waxing. Apart from being left bleeding a couple of times (hairs were rooted in pretty deep, odd for eyebrows no??!!) my experiences have been fine.
I have had a handful of massages and facials and i usually get them done at a spa rather than a salon, usually a treat at birthdays and whatnot with the girls back home and its their job to put you at ease so never had any negative experiences there, infact the therapist when giving me the facial said she could tell i looked after my skin so i was well chuffed!

Finding it difficult to find a salon in Dublin thats reputable and doesnt cost teh earth for an eyebrow reshape!! I have no idea where to go!

smileysurfer

Bonito wrote: »

Awww come on, lighten up
I was just ignorant to how it can be unhygenic. I have since educated myself how. No hard feelings?

Course not! :P