Willow Salon & Spa

Trena Ansari at Willow Salon burned my scalp, gave me neon orange hair, and cut my hair extremely choppy and unevenly (three inches shorter from the right side to left, with one chunk 7-8 inches too short it's at ear level). She was also 45 minutes late to our appointment, texting me that she was late just a few minutes before, while I was already parking. When I told her and the salon owner, Jolene Dittmar, that my scalp was burned, neither took responsibility. Trena want to do yet another correction, which of course I refused. I wasn't going to let her hurt me again. Jolene three weeks later after much back and forth, said she would refund my $200. She did not. She also complained to me that Trena was hard to talk to due to her personality, so she couldn't address it with Trena. My scalp burned for four days, I had sores all over it for three weeks, and it finally is mostly healed now four weeks later. I've never written a bad review of a salon, and certainly never complained. I'm 59 years old, a retired school teacher, I have colored my hair all my adult life, and I NEVER had a scalp problem before. I am reporting to the Cosmetology board and to the state Consumer protection department. Here's exactly what happened: • I booked a full cut, color, and style appointment for warm dark blonde – auburn color. My wavy hair was just longer than my shoulders. I did not have bangs or layers. The color was a light ash blond. We had a text consultation in advance. • Trena changed the appointment time at the last minute, when I was finding parking for the appointment. • Made me wait even longer while she took a consult (non paying!) client. In all, she was about 45 minutes late starting my appointment. She then seemed to have forgetten everything about our text consultation. • Trena left the salon for over 30 minutes while the chemicals were processing, instead of staying and checking on it. • Trena overprocessed the coloring because she was not in the salon, and it was bright orange--the color I said multiple times I wanted to avoid at all costs. I wanted a warm dark blond / brown. It’s not auburn or copper or caramel. Day glow orange. Trena reacted very nervously and said we could correct it with a second darker color. • Trena tried to tell me I didn’t need a cut, but then said she'd trim following the preexisting lines. She then fushed the cut (spent literally two to three minutes on it) and chopped several very short chunks totally unevenly. The right side ended up with chunks 3-4 inches shorter. One area has a chunk that is 6-8 inches shorter (at my ear level). • Trena then told me to style it myself at the end (!). She seems to be rushing me out. (She probably was.) I ended up leaving with my hair still wet, after sitting (mostly alone) in the salon for three hours. • Did not wash out the dye completely. It was 45 minutes while I drove home, plus 15 minutes in the salon. My scalp was burning. • I washed out dye when I got home. It was absolutely dye, not just normal washout from the hair. I scraped dye off my scalp. • My scalp developed a dozen or more sores from the chemical burn. These did not heal until three weeks later. I only used shampoo twice in that time. I did apply Cera Vie every other day to the scalp (dermatologist recommended). Also, the salon is not spa like at all. Normally, I don't care what a place looks like, but their website very much misrepresents the place. Not only do they NOT STAND BEHIND their work, it is an sparse, uncomfortable environment. I'm 5'4" and if you are shorter, your head won't reach the sinks. Jolene later said they adjust, Trena said they did not adjust, but either way, no one bothered to adjust for me and they were both there during my fiasco. I will try to add a few photos.

This was my 3rd time seeing Trena at Willow Salon, and once again she did a spectacular job with my hair. My hair is really difficult to lighten and she is always super careful not to fry my hair and is very patient as it takes a long time for my hair color to lift. Trena is really knowledgeable and helpful in making decisions about keeping your hair and scalp healthy. She always asks questions (even though she's seen me before) to make sure she's giving me what I want, which I really appreciate. She also keeps notes so that she remembers exactly what we did last time. I was super anxious about finding someone to keep me blonde when I moved to Tacoma as I've had stylists in the past make me really brassy, but Trena has always done solid work and now has my full trust.

Moved to Tacoma just over one year ago and I was SO NERVOUS to get a new hair stylist after 7 years with the same person. Luckily TRENA the Mane Alchemist at Willow specializes in blonde hair and does AMAZING cuts as well! I have had my hair done by her for a year and a half now and I will never go anywhere else! ❤️

Today I had my hair cut by the amazing Ciri! She was so kind, professional, and talented. She told me she was a perfectionist (as evidenced by the haircut that I love) and explained every step of the process to me. I sometimes find it …

Trena is absolutely amazing! After moving to a new state, I was really nervous about finding a new hairstylist after being with the same one for over a decade. From the moment I contacted Trena, she was incredibly thorough. She asked thoughtful questions before my appointment and made it clear she genuinely wanted to help me reach my blonde goals in the healthiest way possible. I truly appreciate her transparency and the realistic options she provided before even sitting in her chair. I’m so grateful to have found such a talented stylist. Trena made trusting a new stylist so easy, my blonde came out amazing, and I swear she is a magician! Go see Trena, you won’t regret it!