Samantha Billek

Review of Cheeky Strut

I have never written an online review before, but ...

I have never written an online review before, but felt the need to post about my recent experience at Cheeky Strut. I recently moved to GR and was in need of a new salon. I went to Facebook and posted a 'Favorite Salon in GR' recommendation request to my friends. I had multiple comments, but two reliable friends recommended Cheeky Strut. Seeing as I had heard of the salon prior, and had two friends recommend, I thought I should give it a try. I scheduled a balayage and hair cut. This was my first hair appointment post-quarantine, so I knew things would probably be different. The salon did warn me when I scheduled that they were not drying or styling hair due to 'excess air circulation' which, I guess, was understandable at the time. However, looking back, why would a salon want to operate if they can't see their final product and make sure their clients walk away happy? Instead we all walked out looking like we just got out of the shower. I talked to my stylist about what I wanted and showed her inspiration from Pinterest. I have only ever gotten balayage done to my hair, so I know that it can be done and my request was not an unusual one. I have naturally straight, dirty blonde hair. I wanted to lighten things up for summer with a balayage and get some face framing highlights. Noting outlandish. Everyone gets balayage these days, anyway. Well, since I couldn't see my hair dried and styled before I left the salon, I had to wait until I was home and hair dried to see what an absolute disaster it was. ORANGE. STREAKS. LINES. How did that happen? Oh - forgot to mention one important detail - it was also more than I had EVER paid for high-end balayage. I had to wait until Monday to call and request an appointment to fix it and was able to get in later that week. There was no "I'm sorry, we will take care of that for you at no cost to you" nothing...I had to actually ask if it would be at no cost and expected a little bit of sympathy, but no. The same stylist who did my hair prior was responsible for fixing it. When I arrived, she at least acknowledged that she 'would have never let me leave if she had seen that' (if they blow dried my hair). She said she had used a new lightener she hadn't tried before and it didn't lift the same...and asked if she could redo my whole head. An entire appointment later and she STILL could not blow dry my hair. So again I left with wet hair. Although it was done at no cost and was no longer orange, it was YELLOW and not a tone any girl would want. It was NOT balayage. It was my roots, then YELLOW. No smooth transitions or blending at ALL. More of a horribly executed ombre. I FINALLY got my hair repaired at a reliable salon in my home town last week and my hairstylist could not believe the horrible quality I had received. She said that it was laughable and so sorry that I had to walk around with that head of hair for three months. She did a custom balayage to repair all of the mismatched dye jobs from my Cheeky Strut color and I could not be happier. I felt the need to share my experience with such a well-reviewed high-end salon. Although maybe my experience was an anomaly, I will not be returning to Cheeky Strut and will not recommend it to anyone I know. Pictures 1, 2, 3 are results from my first appointment. Pictures 4 and 5 are after the second 'fix' appointment.