SmartStyle
reviews and complaints

Dear Customer Service,
Arrived at 2:40, ask for price of demi color $44.95, advised 20 min. wait, no problem, stylist started on my hair at 3:10. At 6:30 I was finally done. In the 3 1/2 hours I was in your shop, I received one demi color, no cut or blow dry. The stylist put the color on my hair, and all around my hairline on my forehead and temples I was full of color, she did not even take a towel to wipe it off, she finally washed and rinsed my hair so fast it felt like my hair was hardly under the water, I questioned her as to if that was enough to wash out color... she assured me she knew what she was doing. She tried to brush my hair out and it was full of tangles, she did not put any tangle spray or anything in my hair, she just kept pulling at it with the brush. I thought I was going to die from the pain and she said you must have a sensitve scalp. I rubbed my head to ease the burn of the brushing and my hand and fingers were covered in hair color. The ah-huh moment, the brush wouldnt go through my hair because it was full of color. Cant wait much longer have to go to Church and husband has the kids and has to fly out for job. Must get home asap. Get to register, hair dripping wet, color all over my hands and fingers, shirt wet...man this is aweful, tell myself will wash color out quickly when I get home. Its 6:30 they have to get go. Stylist says that bill is $84.95? What did something get lost in translation? She said she had to use extra tube of color x 2, other sylist comes over they review charges and then they adjust to $64.95, they ring my american express, I sign and then they say something is wrong with their register, they have me come back when I am half way out the door, re-ring my amercian express and I am finally on my way, wet hair and all. Get home wash my hair and dry it (yes will be late for church) but something else, my hair is RED at the rootline and doesnt match. Horrible service, surely to gouge innocent folks to bolster their commission. I will never return!

Against my better judgement, I stopped by Smart Style after work to get a haircut. I thought, its just a trim so how badly can they mess it up? Well, all I wanted was to have a few of my split ends trimmed off. My hair was not in terrible shape, so I figured at most 1/4 inch off. I wear glasses and cannot see well without them. The stylist stated she understood I wanted very little taken off the bottom, no extra layers, nothing fancy. She also verbally agreed that my hair was in great shape and did not need more than a 1/4 inch off. Apparently measurement is rough because she went waaaay overboard. You can imagine my shock when I found she had cut off almost an inch! To top it off, she recommended a conditioner for me to try. There was a sale on it and she stated if it didn't work I could exchange it. I tried it twice and it made my hair feel like straw. I could barely get a comb through my hair. It is the store brand volumizing conditioner. I called the salon, and the stylist stated that because it was on sale, there was nothing she could do. I reminded her she said I could exchange it and she got VERY nasty with me stating that as a stylist there was nothing more she could do and then hung up on me. Very poor customer service and apparently a trim is extremely dificult for them. I guess beauty school is tough for some people...

Went in for haircut, prices not posted. Was told haircut was $15.50 including shampoo. At register was charged over $35, $15.50 for haircut, $14.95 for blowdry and $3.00 for conditioner I did not ask for. FYI, after my shampoo, the hairdresser wrapped my hair in the towel and walked me to the chair 6 feet away. When she took the towel off, my hair was still dripping and my shirt got all wet. She offered to blow dry my hair because I was cold, or so I thought. I thought she was being kind. I felt crummy when I left, even though the haircut was nice. I will never go back.

I have been an emplyee of smart style for about a month .I gave my notice a week ago after being very disappointed in the way they do things. I have a week to go and not sure I am able to endure it. Today he had me punch in for two hours and as I was leaving he started screaming at me that I better not push his buttons next week and that I am a totally negative person, which is not the truth. He has everyone believing and has turned around certain incidents to make him look better even in front of customers.
Is it worth sticking out the time or just quiting now?
He said that if I don't do a two week notice that I wouldn't be able to find a job at corboration at Regis. I am trying to do the right thing, but I am not sure that I can. I used to be a customer and now an employee and SmartStyle is using both. My peers are basically out of school by a couple of months and don't know any better.

Went to my local Wal-Mart on Daniels Parkway and Highway 41. I was having a stressful morning, so decided to go to Smart Style to have my hair washed and blow dry.

I was signed in at 11:45 a.m. for my daughter and me to only have a hair wash and blow dry. (This is a mother, daughter and aunt working there shop - a family!) No waiting list and no one was being serviced when I arrived and when I left - there was no one there waiting for service. This is why...

There was no sign displaying the cost of the shampoo. But, I figured how much can they possible charge. On average it's between $2.00 and $4.00 per person.

The "aunt" that was washing my hair asked me do you want a quote on how much it will cost to have your hair blow dried. I said sure. For your daughter's hair (shoulder length) the cost is $18.00 on top of the $13.00 hair wash and for you $25.00 (long length) on top of your $13.00 hair wash. I was shocked at the amount of the fee and told her no, thanks. Towel dry is good.

Needless to say, we both left there with our hair dripping wet and where charged $26.00 for a wash (did not even get a receipt). I looked up at the clock as I paid and it was 11:52 a.m. (7 mins for both for $26.00) WOW! Talk about highway robbery!

I would discourage EVERYONE from going to this salon! You get a better wash and dry at Cost Cutters, Fantastic Sams (Same type of chain salons as Smart Style) for those money tight situations and for a high end salon I would say go to Vincent's or "Hair Salon" on Lee Blvd.

But, Never, Ever go to Barbara, her mother and aunt shop! Yike! There is nothing "Smart" about this place other than rip offs!

I'm an exceptional experienced stylist who recently applied with a Smart Style in Temecula, Ca after relocating from a different area, where I had been trained by Mater Stylist and had worked in a reputable Salon for 7 yrs. I basically had to start over because of the move and felt that I had a lot to offer the Co. I was interviewed by the district Manager whom read off a piece of paper- like a robot when questioning me. She also was very overweight and it was obvious she didn't feel good about herself...never smiling and being negative about other employees...(rolling eyes when mentioning them) very unprofessional. The only reason I wanted to even apply there was because of the awesome stylist, "Michelle" who built the company up and made it look so good. She is the one who should have had that ###s job. Anyway...I'm baffled at the fact this lady turned me away...she could have had the most talented Hairstylist working for her, basically for free practically. She was just too miserable to realize it.

I took my mother for a hair cut which we had to sign on a waiting list of 45 min. so while she was having her hair cut I did my shopping inside the store. After about 30 min. of shopping I came to check on my mother and she was just starting to cut her hair. In the mean time I have milk and frozen products in my cart and waited in the lobby outside the salon by then the check in person at wal mart told me i could wait for my mother inside the salon, as soon as I went in this Vickie Williams spoke harsley & rude in a manner that was unexceptable, and said I would have leave with my cart and that was fine, I had not problem with leaving with the cart BUT the manner she was treating me was horrible. If I was African American like vickie williams instead of being caucasian, SHE would not have spoke to me in the manner that she did. Being the manager there was not a customer trait that she should be in. She had a chip on her shoulder and VERY PREJUDICE TOWARD ME!
Needless to say I will never recommend this place to anyone and we will never go into a style smart EVER.
r dawson

iam an x stylist of smart style. ron a former salon manager promoted area supervisor caused the the loss of clients and stylists alike due to his uneducated choices. he wanted the stylists to upcharge 3.00 for a conditioning service with out the client knowing about it. myself and other stylists didnt feel comfortable doing that so we didnt. he didnt like that very much. one day while i was helping out another salon. he came in stood at the reception desk . did some paperwork and stood there again doing nothing. it was 1pm and a lady came in wanting a perm i had to leave to get to my other job that he knew about . i was finishing up a haircut and he asked me if i could do the perm, i told him i couldnt in a professional tone and that i had to leave by 130 which he was aware of and that i could take the next haircut if they came in before 115pm. he didnt seem to like my answer, he than looked at me and said you are free to leave for the day. he than walked the client over to the sink took off his blazer and said with the client present said "didnt think i would have to be a stylist since i got promoted". another thing i didnt like was the fact the haircuts were too expensive they wanted 18.95 for adults and 15.95 for kids. the whole time i worked there i only had two complaints nothing minor and both clients were bi poular and both times i had to take these clients without a salon manager or another stylist present. a few weeks later ron gave me my pink slip to sign and i refused to sign it. he falsyfied it stateing i refused a client and that i had 5 complants. donna who was one step higher than ron, they were good friends wasnt present when i was given the pink slip . Now to think of it i never met her once that whole 1 and half years i was there. i called and complained to human resources about it and of course they didnt do anything about it. a year later my salon manager in willamsville who was a great person with a big heart left also . and now works down the street, and took all of her clients with her. another big problem was the professional products we sold in our salons, somehow walmart got ahold of them and started selling the same salon products on the shelf . this also caused the salons to lose money. the salon could of had a full line of salon only brands the public couldnt get their hands on. it wouldnt surprise me if smartystyle division goes out of busniess trade serect already has. because of this. and to the general public the demos on you tube on how to cut hair, the stylists in Elle, Instyle and Vogue are not stylists at all but instead have there mbas in fashion, and clothes styleing.Granted fashion and hair mix but these editors didnt go to school for what us stylists went for . we have more training education, and keen eye for the clients needs and wants, does not make you the public a hairstylist. and yes sallys is open to the public for a reason, that reason is clairol it may look professional because its in a tube and can be applied with bowl and brush, but can also be found on the tops shelves in a box. also stacy london isnt a real fashion expert. because if she was she would know the pantene collection has an ingredent simlar to floorwax that builds on your hair giveing it that shine . all and all if you are a student graduating soon please do not apply for the smart style salons inside of walmart or regis for that matter. you will be treated like a number and if you the number dont push sales by lieing to clients, upchargeing them or pushing them into an addional service they dont want . you will lose the clients and your job.

I am from asia and i worked at smart style, new Albany, Indiana.

smart style manager discriminated me she said that she doesn't like me, on June first. i started my job on april 22nd 2011. i went to my work and the manager told me, you can leave.

i asked for the reason and she said you don't know how to open and close the salon. she never taught me to do that.

later on, i called the state supervisor and i asked for the reason, and she said that no one liked me at smart style. i am still shocked at that statement.

I stopped into Smart Style on Beville Road, in Daytona Beach, FL to have my hair trimmed, signed in and stood, (no seats to sit down), waiting while stylist continued a personal phone call on her cell phone for approx. 3 minutes. She finished her call, never smiled just asked "what can I do for you", I told her I would like a shampoo & cut. She says I'll be with you soon and she proceeded to brush hairs out of a clipper, never smiling, never conversing with me, not offering me a seat to sit so I continued to stand while she did unnecessary things around salon. Sign in book showed there had not been a customer there since 12:30pm and I was there at 2:20pm. I assumed customer satisfaction was not a priority to her and told her I would pass and left. She yelled at me as I was walking out that "I have things to do". Never again will I subject myself to such rude behavior.

I went in to Smart Style in Spencer, Iowa for a simple 12.95 haircut, which I've been getting there for more than 2 years. After the stylist, Diana, trimmed my hair, which took no more than 8 minutes, she started blow drying my hair. I didn't think anything about it. I didn't ASK her to blow dry my hair, she didn't ask me if I wanted it dried, and she certainly didn't tell me it would cost extra for this. But this time, when I went to pay my bill, it was $17.05. I asked why it was so much. She informed me that it was extra to blow-dry my hair. In the 2 years I've been going there this has never happened before, and it was very sneaky of her to pad the bill that way. I paid it, but wish now I'd made my complaint on the spot.

On Feb 26/11 I decided to treat myself to a nice set of blond highlights throughout my head. My husband worked some overtime just for this occasion and I have a family reunion in 2 weeks time. Since the stylist I normally see wasn't available I made the poor choice to visit SmartStyle in Walmart #292 Painted Post. I specifically asked for a stylist who was an "expert at doing highlights". I was told I would be seen by such a person. After I was asked to sign a form to "allow them to do a color treatment on me" the beautician whisked away the "form" aka waiver while I was asking questions about it and I was never given a copy. I am not even sure what it entirely said--when I asked about it she asked for it back from me, took it from me, and said "oh don't worry about it, it isn't important". I should have run away at that point.
So I sit down. I show her what I would like--somewhere between a pretty strawberry blond and a nice natural light blond--not white but NOT brassy orange (like it turned out). She asks her fellow co-worker for advice as how to "mix the colors properly" She starts at the back of my head and I feel the cold, strong smelling bleach on my scalp--I have NEVER felt highlighting product ON my scalp before--this sensation continued over sections of my entire scalp. I don't want to say anything or embarrass the beautician so I sit there, nervous. I noticed the usual "weaving" of the comb/foil tool isn't happening as I am used to, also making me nervous, but again I don't want to cause a scene. She is taking larger sections of hair parting it and highlighting whole patches--not what I have ever experienced, but again, I think "maybe she has her own technique?" Then I lean my head WAAAAY back at her request (which was very uncomfortable) so she can finally finish the top & sets the timer for 30 mins.
By this point the back of my head where she started is itching and burning but I don't want to make a scene so I sit and endure it. I realize now I should have spoken up. The lady next to me noticed my discomfort and we both begin to look for my stylist. She isn't there. "Maybe she is in the back", she says? So, after 30 mins I am ready to cry and finally she reappears and washes the stuff out and offers a $3 conditioner (heck yes please stop the burning!) which she takes about 10 seconds to apply and immediately rinses it out--so much for the 1-2 minute treatment I am paying for! Unfortunately she didn't rinse the chemical processor or the conditioner off since I had some white processing bleach particles still in the front of my hair and a large patch of sticky conditioner (?) in the back right hand side of my head. After a blowdry I see orange brassy uneven highlights and I feel like crying but I pay her anyways as not to embarrass her and even pay a tip to be polite (which she looked annoyed that it wasn't MORE!).
I go home and show my husband who wondered what they had done other than give me an orange highlighted bright pink scalp? We took pictures of it. I washed my hair (since it was sticky) and put some conditioner on and slept with a bag of frozen peas on my head to stop the burning. While the pinkness of my scalp subsided some, the searing hot lava burning sensation did not and I visited the local ER in the morning for a large dose of steroids and was told to come back if it didn't subside. I went back to the salon and asked if the manager would come and rectify this terrible situation immediately. I did not yell, I did not call names, I was obviously upset and on the verge of breaking down into tears after being in pain for the last 20 hours and being told "call the 1-800 line and you will get a refund we can't do anything for you". I ask for some treatment--ANYTHING--to stop this burning. Nothing. My husband calls them and was told that his wife was "nasty" to them. He was disgusted and demanded a full refund of we'd call an injury attorney--his wife had every right to be UPSET after just returning from a trip to the ER! I did receive a refund after he called them but I had to go home and apply my own aloe vera gel. It has been 25 hours and my scalp is in searing pain. I have no rash, no sign of an allergic reaction (as one of the unhelpful stylists tried to imply and even suggested it was "normal" to apply bleach directly to the scalp!) but I do have obvious patches of my scalp which have been processed (bright orange blond) and patches of hair where the foils bled under leaving patches of orange brassy chunks. NO decent stylist would EVER suggest that bleach for foils should EVER be applied directly to the scalp. Even on home hair dye kits it states "DO NOT APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE SCALP"! No kidding?--Do you think it might BURN? Hmmm...
So bottom line---NO pretty strawberry light blond highlights here--I look like a brassy ugly orange vomitted in patches on my skull--and it feels like I have been branded in those patches with hot lava--WORST FOIL JOB EVER! I will NEVER ever go back there. No wonder they make you sign a waiver--BUYER BEWARE!
I added photos unfortunately the flash washed out the pinkness of my burning scalp, but it is there, and hurts like crazy! One thing to note, the highlights do not go all the way down my hair but I do have vertical "bands" of brassy orange blond, so now I have to go to another salon and have it corrected (when the burning finally stops) so I don't have an unsightly band of brassy orange as it grows out. ALL my previous foil jobs (and I have had all positive ones until now) have had an obvious section of "natural" hair where the scalp was not bleached or touched by the product. Not so this time!

I went to Shawano because I had alot of dead and damaged ends. I told the hair dresser to cut my hair and I realized that 5 or 6 inches would be cut off. I told the hairdresser to cut it all one length and she could go a little shorter if need be. I was very specific and the young lady cutting my hair said I'm just going to techturize it and took a razor and made this swipe down the back of my hair. When I got home I looked in the mirror and my hair is layered starting at the middle of my head in the back. I was explicite in telling her what I wanted and she just did what she wanted. I am very upset and I realize it will grow but it shouldn't have to. Why can't you hire hairdressers that listen.

I had used Carol, the manager of the hair salon for a color and style and was satisfied. On 1/7/11, I signed in at around 10:00am and ended up waiting well over and hour and a half before she started a spiral perm for my fine hair that would be wash and wear (she said). I was left sitting with a wet head freezing as the room was cold and so was the permanent solution she put on my hair. It was miserable as I sat at the shampoo bowl for close to one hour freezing and uncomfortable. I saw an advertisement and looked on the charge chart at the front and it said perms included styling. Carol did not want to style it but did and I had to go into a fitting room to comb it out it looked so awful. Oh, and listen to this! I did not get out of the salon until it was dark here close to 5pm. I spent an entire day having my hair ruined and had to pay for it! The perm was not curly but my hair was dry, brittle and straight. She had taken numerous personal phone calls and one from her "big boss" regarding another client complaining of discrimination. I was sitting there thinking that this hair salon needed an overhauling! My hair has been overprocessed and I went back in to see Carol on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011 to see what she could do to fix my damaged hair. She conditioned it and said she would trim it but cut a lot of my hair off. It is still a mess and two of my friends who are licensed hairdressers told me the product was either bad or it was overprocessed and now I would have to get even more cut off and get monthly deep conditioning until my hair grows out! Carol argued with me and told me that the fact that my hair looks terrible and I cannot do anything with it "is all in my head." I want my money back and compensation for my damaged hair. When I went back in Carol was rude, did not offer me any of my money back and would not admit what was obvious. She messed up! She also took personal calls while waiting on me. I am telling everyone I know how bad Smartstyle in Michigan City, IN is and will never patronize the place again!

Flyer in smart style reads:the perfect package, $20.95. Includes haircut, basic conditioning service, blow-dry and hot iron touch-up.

I sign in and wait approximately 35 minutes. Called to sit in the chair and told him I wanted the advertised special. At which time I was informed my hair was too long and it would be another $20.00. The blow dry was not a style but just a dry and the hot iron touch up is only for the ends. Not only am I upset that 35 minutes that I do not have is wasted but too late to go somewhere else to get it done.

I guess the biggist issue to me is these businesses get away with leading us on and thinking we are so stupid we will give in and fall for their ploy. Don't let them insult our intelligence. Take a stand and take away their business. You work hard for your money. Don't give it to someone who treats us as if we don't see they are thieves.

Went to my local Wal-Mart on Daniels Parkway and Highway 41. I was having a stressful morning, so decided to go to Smart Style to have my hair washed and blow dry.

I was signed in at 11:45 a.m. for my daughter and me to only have a hair wash and blow dry. (This is a mother, daughter and aunt working there shop - a family!) No waiting list and no one was being serviced when I arrived and when I left - there was no one there waiting for service. This is why...

There was no sign displaying the cost of the shampoo. But, I figured how much can they possible charge. On average it's between $2.00 and $4.00 per person.

The "aunt" that was washing my hair asked me do you want a quote on how much it will cost to have your hair blow dried. I said sure. For your daughter's hair (shoulder length) the cost is $18.00 on top of the $13.00 hair wash and for you $25.00 (long length) on top of your $13.00 hair wash. I was shocked at the amount of the fee and told her no, thanks. Towel dry is good.

Needless to say, we both left there with our hair dripping wet and where charged $26.00 for a wash (did not even get a receipt). I looked up at the clock as I paid and it was 11:52 a.m. (7 mins for both for $26.00) WOW! Talk about highway robbery!

I would discourage EVERYONE from going to this salon! You get a better wash and dry at Cost Cutters, Fantastic Sams (Same type of chain salons as Smart Style) for those money tight situations and for a high end salon I would say go to Vincent's or "Hair Salon" on Lee Blvd.

But, Never, Ever go to Barbara, her mother and aunt shop! Yike! There is nothing "Smart" about this place other than rip offs!