The Salon Spy
Originally published in Time Out New York, September 17, 2002
On the annoyance scale, salon promoters rank slightly below comedy club barkers and a step above the people who want five minutes for the environment. Their sales pitch is simple: For only $40–$60 (plus an occasional onetime “product fee” of $10–$20), you can receive a variety of discounted services, such as a haircut, dye job or styling session. A great bargain, it would seem, since the packages are valued at around $300.
Ostensibly, salons participate to attract new clientele, but as a skeptical New Yorker who knows there’s no such thing as a free lunch (or a cheap haircut), I gathered a few girlfriends to investigate. I also got the inside scoop from a source I’ll call “Deep Cleanse,” an actor who has been selling salon promotions on the side for years.
According to Deep Cleanse, salon promos are all about the up-sell, especially when it comes to chemical treatments. Typically, the $40–$60 you pay on the street goes directly to the promoter, and the onetime fee plus the price of upgrades gets pocketed by the salon. Just as I thought: sketchy.
Gisu of Diba
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
The deal: Armed with insider information from Deep Cleanse, I was hardly surprised when, upon arriving for my appointment at Gisu of Diba (230 E 83rd St between Second and Third Aves, 212-585-3568), I was immediately encouraged (read: bullied) to buy additional services. My $40 package included six foils of highlights, but for $20 more, I could get twice as many, which they assured me would look much better.
The rub: The haircut was decent, but the highlights were much blonder than I requested. The manicure was even worse; I could have done a better job—blindfolded.
Capelli D’Oro
Neighborhood: Upper East Side
The deal: Sarah, a 35-year-old archivist, had better luck at Capelli D’Oro (847 Lexington Ave between 64th and 65th Sts; 212-288-7100, capellidoro.com). “It’s one of the best haircuts I’ve ever had,” she said. “They made my hair supershiny—we’re talking Gossip Girl shiny.” No one pressured her to spend extra, though she did end up purchasing the shine-inducing balm.
The rub: Capelli D’Oro has stopped offering promotions, so patrons will have to pay full price for haircuts, which start at $80.
Alfangi
Neighborhood: Midtown East
The deal: Alfangi (435 Fifth Ave between 38th and 39th Sts; 212-213-1600, alfangisalon.com) did not impress Sam, 26, an actress and yoga instructor. Seated among a row of women in their twenties, also there for the promotion, she had to wait half an hour before being introduced to her stylist. Pointing out Sam’s split ends, she recommended a deep-conditioning glaze for $40 on top of the treatment that already cost $60.
The rub: After Sam declined the glaze (twice), the stylist became brusque, and even took a phone call midhaircut. Though told the appointment would last 90 minutes, Sam was hustled in and out in less than 30.
Cabellos
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
The deal: Ali, a 29-year-old government aide, felt similarly rushed at Cabellos (162 Madison Ave between 32nd and 33rd Sts, 212-447-4568). The entire $40 appointment—shampoo, cut and blow-dry—was over in less than a half hour, even though the salon was not busy. Commented Ali, “It’s the most perfunctory haircut I’ve ever had.”
The rub: Cabellos wouldn’t allow Ali to receive all the services in her package in one visit, citing time constraints. Also, the promised “image consultation” was nonexistent, “unless you count the stylist repeatedly insinuating that my hair was a terrible color.”
So? Worth it?
With the exception of Sarah, my friends and I were underwhelmed with the services we received. The owner of Cabellos estimates that 50–60 percent of promo clients return for additional services, though Deep Cleanse insists that tourists (i.e., one-shot clients) are his strongest market. If you’re targeted, don’t be offended and assume it’s because you need a makeover—as Deep Cleanse tactfully explains. “We’re not going to approach a woman who looks like she roots through the garbage and combs her hair with a chicken bone.” That said, I might suggest politely declining.