Welcome back to Stories From Tina! Grab your iced Tesora heavy cream and sweet, obviously because today we need to have a serious chat about boundaries, basic math, and the absolute wild west that is booking a hairstylist on social media.
If you’re anything like me, your Instagram Explore page is basically a giant virtual salon. The algorithm knows my weaknesses, and lately, my biggest weakness has been a flawless, bone-straight silk press. There is just something about hair so silky it defies gravity that makes you feel like you have your entire life together. When that hair is moving, suddenly you’re walking around like the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, even if you’re just running to the grocery store to grab chicken and okra for dinner.
So, I’m scrolling one day, doing my usual investigations, and I find a stylist. Her work looks amazing, but what really stopped me in my tracks was the promo: $85 for new clients.
Listen. In this economy? With the price of groceries, gas, and just existing going up every five business days? I wasn’t going to pass up a deal like that. I booked immediately.
And honestly? The first appointment was a dream. She did a fantastic job, my hair looked incredible, and best of all, she was entirely honest about her pricing. No hidden fees for “extra thick hair” or “breathing the salon air.” She charged exactly what she advertised. I left feeling like I had found my new go-to girl. I don’t enjoy searching for a new stylist every few weeks—it takes effort to read through booking policies, study service menus, and figure out what’s actually included. Finding a good stylist feels like applying for a job, so I was ready to settle down, be a loyal client, and let her have my money for the foreseeable future.
Fast forward to booking my second appointment. Since I was no longer a “new client,” I checked her booking site for the regular rates. It clearly stated: $115 for a wash, blow-dry, trim, and silk press. The policy also required a $25 deposit to secure the spot, which the site explicitly noted would go toward the final payment.
I am a grown woman; I understand promotional pricing and I understand deposits. Hairstylists are running businesses and their time is valuable. But I also understand basic arithmetic. $115 total minus a $25 deposit equals $90 due at the chair. Simple, right? My first grader could figure that out.
The day of the appointment rolls around. I had been up since 6:00 AM. Between getting the kids sorted, wrangling Daisy and the new puppy, and just dealing with the usual responsibilities of adulthood, my social battery was on zero. I was running purely on fumes by the time I sat in her chair.
She does her thing, the hair is giving what it needs to give, and I’m feeling good. We get to the register, and I pull out my card, mentally preparing to pay my $90 balance plus a really generous tip.
Then she looks at me dead in the eye and says, “Your final payment is $130.”
I blinked. I blinked again. My soul temporarily left my body.
“Okay,” I said, trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. “So, is that $130 minus the $25 deposit I already paid?”
“No,” she replied.
Just… no.
Now, on a normal day, I might have stood my ground. I might have pulled up her own booking site to give a gentle TED Talk on false advertising and consumer rights. But you guys, I was exhausted. When I’m that tired, I don’t want a discussion. I don’t want a presentation. I don’t want to participate in a surprise episode of Judge Judy: The Salon Edition. I just wanted to pay for my hair, get in my car, go home, take my shoes off, and let my body remember what sitting down feels like.
So, I tapped my card. I paid the $130, meaning this service effectively cost me $155. But as I walked to my car, the principle of the whole thing really started to settle in. My outside voice had said, “Okay, no problem,” but my inside voice was saying, “Now, Tina, you know good and well this math is not mathing.”
Here’s the thing about me: I am a tipper. I am the type of client who will happily tip 20%, 30%, or more if you are honest, communicative, and respectful of my time. If her prices had simply gone up to $155 total and she had updated her website, I would have paid it happily and tipped on top of it. I don’t mind paying for quality, but I absolutely mind paying for confusion.
When your online pricing doesn’t add up to what you’re asking for in person, and you decide to switch up on me to sneak a fast one? You’ve lost me.
It’s not even about the $40 difference; it’s about the integrity. You tried to juggle me for an extra $40, which ironically is exactly the amount I was planning to leave you as a tip anyway! Instead of being transparent and securing a client who would have consistently sat in your chair, tipped well, and hyped you up to everyone I know, you chose a quick, shady cash grab. That extra forty dollars cost you my future appointments, my referrals, and my trust.
A lot of businesses don’t realize that a customer doesn’t have to complain for you to lose them. Some people think if you don’t make a scene, you must be happy. But my silence wasn’t approval; it was my exit strategy. I didn’t announce my departure or write a five-page resignation letter. I just took my beautifully pressed hair, got in my car, and made the quiet decision to never come back.
I’m all about protecting my peace and my boundaries, and one of those boundaries is that I just don’t do unfair. You can choose peace without abandoning your principles, and you can walk away without being disrespectful.
So, the hunt for a new stylist continues. If anyone knows a stylist who can slay a silk press and also knows how to use a basic calculator, let your girl know in the comments. Have you ever booked a service at one price only to be handed a completely different bill at the end? Did you speak up, or did you do the silent exit like me?
Come tell Tina what happened. I promise I’ll bring the imaginary popcorn.
Until next time, my loves, keep your standards high, your boundaries strong, your receipts saved, and your hair moisturized.
XOXO,
Tina