milk + honey | River Oaks — Attraction in Houston

I had a consultation with a stylist at Milk and Honey. I asked for a bleach and tone and told her that I wanted to have blonde hair. She said she could do it but that it will not be the brightest blonde in one session. I was aware of that. I made sure to emphasize that I wasn't interested in getting highlights or balayages. I wanted one color overall. I was okay with starting out as a dark blonde then eventually moving on to platinum after three or four sessions. She acknowledged that and told me she could do it. I booked my appointment with her for next month.

On May 18th, I showed up to the salon at 7:45 am. The stylist told me that it will take all day to bleach my hair. I was asked to sign a form that disclosed that Milk and Honey wasn't responsible for any damages to my hair.

Before she began, the stylist asked to see an inspiration picture. My first thought was, why do you need an inspo pic for a bleach and tone? but nonetheless, I showed her a picture (the girl in the pic had grown out roots). Then she started foiling my hair. I asked her why. She said it was for dimension. I started panicking internally. But she reassured me that it will look like the picture.

Of course it didn't.

As soon as the towel came off, I wanted to scream. My hair was nothing like the picture. I thought I was clear during my consultation. Don't ask for a picture if you're just gonna go do your own thing.

I should've prefaced by saying, I had red/copper box dye hair. So when I saw her painting my red strands brown, it made no sense to me. But she said it was to add the same dimension that appeared in the inspo pic. Mind you there was no dimension.

I paid then sat in my car for 30 mins sobbing. When I came home, I realized that my front hair strands did not process long enough because they were still orange from my previous hair dye. And my hair had green undertones. So not only did I not get what I asked for, but even the highlights were done terribly!

I went to a different salon the next day and the stylist told me to come back in July since the highlights were so fresh to avoid damage. He asked me why my hair had a green hue. He said that a bleach and tone was not possible for me anymore since I have highlights. And that the stylist who did them put me in reverse to my blonde journey (overall bleach).

I contacted Milk and Honey. They refused to refund me of course. Since I signed that form prior to getting my hair done, I agreed to any accidents. Of course I was thinking more along the line of chemically fried hair. Not this mess. That wasn't even my biggest issue. I don't know why I got highlights when I never asked for them.

I spoke to the managers Chelsea and Alex, and they sent me their thoughts and prayers. Chelsea was very understanding but Alex was so intolerable. She was very patronizing. She said she could retrieve the cameras from my consultation to hear my conversation with the stylist and what I asked for. I ended my conversation with her on the phone shortly after that comment.

Anywho, the managers felt it would be unfair to refund me since the stylist makes a commission off the total paid. Shouldn't the business foot the bill for that kind of mistake? Regardless, it was hard to sympathize about the stylist's commission when I didn't get what I paid for. But I did offer to cover her commission if they could just refund me. They said no.

I paid $825 for highlights that I didn't want. I like to think my anger is justified. Imagine spending that much on something you didn't want and it not even turning out good.

Now I have to spend more money to fix your mistake. If you didn't know how to do it, you should have said so. That's the most confusing part for me. Just say no, I would've gone else where. But you decided to take on a new client just to make money. While I have to go find another stylists. Way to go!

I didn't disclose the stylist's name to be courteous of her. Now if only the managers showed the same...

It pains me to write this review but after coming to this M+H location for many visits and spending many hard earned dollars here, I think it’s finally time.

I have had 18 services (I just checked my history) at this M+H location since December 2021– 16 have been massages (four 75-minute, 12 60-minute) and two have been facials.

I am not a facial person, they’re not really my thing (however one was fine, one was BAD) so this review will be for mainly the massage visits.

~85% of the massage therapists I have been paired with randomly at M&H have been very good. If I am able to request the ones I have really enjoyed, I will request them (pending their availability. There are a handful that are absolutely exceptional. I don’t want to give away my favorites but they are all men; I assume this is a function of me preferring firm pressure). From my experience (and looking back at my massage history at M+H), roughly 15% of my services have been notably lackluster (pressure too light, they wrap up early/start late, and YES, I speak up). As I mentioned above, I have been paired with some OUTSTANDING LMTs there and request them when I can.

While services are (for the vast majority of my visits has been) great, M+H saddens me personally, primarily, over and over, in the atmosphere once you get past the lounge: there have been at least four times (including today) where I am placed in a massage room that is (as I’ve been told) “next to the nail room” — AKA very loud, all I hear is giggling and muffled “yeeeaaaah! Haha!!”s throughout the entire duration of my massage. I have (kindly) mentioned this explicitly to the front desk every time it’s been my experience, but it keeps happening to me. (Maybe it’s a cue for myself?) Today was made exceptionally worse when the wifi went down, so there was not even music to semi-overcome the middle school sleepover girl chat in the “nail room”. 75 minutes of straight “haha, yeaaaah!”.

$180 (before tip) is a lot of money to pay for a great massage, only to be ruined by a (historically recurring) problem, but also one that is very easily solved. This may be comical to readers but it was also my birthday today, so the chatter and gossip of the ”nail room” was even less amusing for me today. Relaxing bday massage!!

Another thing about the “atmosphere”, though this didn’t matter today: the sound system (aka glorified boom box) for each room is not only controlled by wifi (as I learned today) but it is also NOT controllable by room (volume, music, for ALL rooms is ALL controlled at the front desk— so if it’s too loud for you but not for the person next door, that’s too bad for you! …this has never made sense to me). Personalized relaxation is what all spas tout… again: a very obvious flaw with a very easy solution.

When my M&H experiences are great, they’re GREAT, but when they’re bad, I remind myself that there are many other places out there that may have 10% less amenities (I don’t use the steam shower or eat the organic almonds at M&H anyway…) but cost 30% less (and don’t raise prices more than once per year) and seemingly care way more that you personally have a great experience. (M&H is very close to my house, which is the only reason i have continued to forgive them.)

Want to end this by saying there are indeed many many wonderful LMTs at M&H. They are outstanding. The front desk staff is also lovely and does what they can to make things right as well (but a 10% discount only goes so far to entice someone to come back for more after they voice their concerns again and again). But neither of these parties are responsible for whether you are getting what you pay for in terms of a complete 360’ relaxation experience — just keep...

I recently visited a spa renowned for its quality and ambiance, expecting a peaceful retreat. My experiences with Chloe, an exceptional aesthetician, and a particularly kind nail technician were outstanding, each earning five stars for their attentive and professional service.

However, my interaction with the spa's manager, A, and a technician, Fa, fell disappointingly short of expectations, meriting only two stars. After an engaging session with Chloe, which unintentionally extended beyond the allotted time without any indication from the spa that this was an issue, I was abruptly informed by F*a that my subsequent appointment was already 20 minutes late. Confused by her tone, I sought clarification and expressed my willingness to reschedule if necessary, attempting to navigate the situation with understanding and flexibility.

Fa's response, however, was curt, suggesting that while we could proceed, any change would incur a fee. This interaction felt rushed and carried an undertone of aggression, prompting me to question the necessity of her initial remark. Despite my efforts to communicate calmly and find a resolution, Fa's demeanor remained unchanged, leading me to request assistance from the manager.

A's intervention, rather than offering a resolution, seemed to dismiss the issue as a simple miscommunication, overlooking Fa's unwarranted rudeness. I was lectured about the overrun appointment as if I bore the responsibility for the spa's scheduling, an approach that was both unjust and far from the serene experience I sought. The suggestion to continue my appointment with F*a was untenable given the discomfort her behavior had caused.

Despite this, I attempted to resolve the situation amicably, indicating a willingness to reschedule to maintain the peace. A* continued to lecture me as I prepared to leave, which only added to the disappointment. However, when I returned to reschedule, the staff were accommodating and displayed the professionalism I had originally expected, thankfully without imposing a rescheduling fee.

This account is not meant to disparage but to highlight the importance of effective communication and empathy in customer service, especially in settings designed for relaxation and wellbeing. My attempts to communicate and resolve the situation reflect a desire for understanding and professionalism that was unfortunately not reciprocated by Fa and A during this visit.

In sharing my experience, it's important to express that, despite the high regard in which I've held this spa, the recent interactions with Fa and manager A have profoundly impacted my comfort and perception of the establishment. The thought of engaging with or receiving services from these individuals again is deeply unsettling, to the point of causing distress. This sentiment is disheartening, particularly as this spa was a place I previously treasured for its tranquility and exceptional service. I sincerely hope that future visits will not involve encounters like this, as I wish to preserve the sense of peace and well-being that initially drew me to this spa.

I hope that M&H will continue to contribute to an environment where all clients feel valued, respected, and above all,...