Mèche — Local services in Beverly Hills

I've been coming to MECHE for years for my regular colorist and cutter, both of whom I adore. Unfortunately, my recent visit with colorist Kat Samson was a completely different experience -- rushed, dismissive, and ultimately left me with hair I now have to pay another salon to fix before an important photo shoot. I booked a session to pay for highlights even though I knew I may not need them but I was prepared to pay for them.

I came in with clear instructions and photos and also expressed that my regular colorist, who also works at MECHE and I LOVE knows my hair and has the info on my color card. She seemed to not need it. I explained that I DO NOT like my hair to veer too dark, or orange or red and that I'd rather be lighter than dark. My hair was taken several shades darker than I asked and when I voiced my concern and walked outside multiple times in the sunlight, expressing it was too dark, I was told to "just buy cheap shampoo to wash it out" and to come back later if I didn't like it. I didn't like it then and I expressed that but she seemed rushed and as though there was no time to fix it. I was too nice and left and even left a generous tip as I always do that.

I returned for a correction on August 13th, 2025 (5 days later) as it was the only date they had available, but the tone from Kat was quite curt, the service felt rushed, and the end result was still too dark and left me with unwanted reddish/maroon tones. I let them know it was still too dark and they hurriedly put in highlights on me that left me with reddish/maroon hair when I asked for my natural dark honey brown.

To make matters worse, my grey were still visible immediately after the appointment -- something that should never happen right after leaving what should be a premium salon with experienced colorists but it really isn't so. There are a few and you need to be careful who you select. I felt like I'd been taken for granted, rushed through, and not given the level of care and attention I've always associated with MECHE. While I continue to love my regular colorist and cutter, I cannot recommend this particular colorist, Kat Samson, and hope the salon addresses the issue so others don't have the same experience.

When I called the salon today to express my concerns and request a refund, the manager placed me on hold for 10 minutes while she contacted the colorist. When she returned, she began recounting the colorist’s version of events—without first allowing me to share my own experience—and spoke in a rude, dismissive manner. She also claimed I had left before allowing them to blow-dry my hair so I could see the color. Which, they did, in fact blow-dry a small section, which was enough for me to clearly see the result—and I know my hair well enough, wet or dry, to recognize when the color is wrong. I was too upset to even argue or ask them to try and fix it again and hurriedly left after the assistant told me, "You don't have to pay for today." My thoughts were, "pay for what? You messed up my hair and I have pay someone else to fix it but you want to make me feel special by saying I don't have to pay you again!!" If they had fixed my hair that day, I would happily paid anything as I just wanted my hair to look like MY HAIR but instead I left crying and distraught knowing my shoot was 3 days away and I have to find someone else to fix it.

The Manager informed me they could only offer a partial refund, but by that point, I honestly no longer cared. I have an important press shoot this Sunday, and I had chosen MECHE because of the exceptional work I’ve received from my usual colorist. Unfortunately, this experience made me realize the importance of choosing salons that truly prioritize and respect their clients.

The first 4 photos represent what I left with and the last is a photo of my hair and a few months prior and what I had...

I am pretty picky about who touches my hair and have spent years growing it out to be a healthy sunkissed blonde balayage naturally, but I wanted to lighten it up just a bit with a smooth melty balayage near my face. I figured booking with the very best colorists ($600) would ensure they were experts I could trust with my hair for the first time in years. When I went in for my appointment I showed very clear photos of what I was looking for and asked for a subtle, melty beige blonde balayage - I explicitly told her I did not want it to look streaky. She barely asked any questions and said she’d go mix up. I should’ve known then but I just assumed it was because she was their top tier skill level and my request was pretty simple. She came back and started FOILING near my face, despite me saying clearly I didn’t want it to look streaky. I double checked that it would look natural and she said yes.

When she finished and the stylist cut and dried me, I was absolutely appalled at what she had done to my hair. I almost cried right then. The face framing layers of my hair were bright blonde and a completely different color than the rest of the blonde in my length, with streaks of my natural dark blonde in between them which made it look like bad 90’s highlights. That is NOT a balayage, and it is the OPPOSITE of what I asked for. When I told her calmly that I did not like the streaks around the face, she offered to fix it the following week - I agreed and felt better that she was willing to try again. But I should have just left it, because the second appointment made it infinitely worse.

How did she try to fix it, you ask? By making the entire face framing layer chunkier and an even worse color of neon yellow blonde - one that I swear to god makes me cry every time I look in the mirror. I was visibly upset at this time and the only solution she offered was to use purple shampoo and ‘let it grow out.’

So after paying $900 (pre tip) for a few foils and a haircut I will now have to pay another $500+ for someone more competent to fix it.

Tl/dr for all my balayage babes— save yourself money and heartbreak and find a colorist...

$1,200 for permanent damage. MÈCHE should be ashamed to have Yvonne behind a chair.

I walked into MÈCHE Beverly Hills with fine, untreated hair and medium-to-thick volume, requesting a simple, healthy balayage — nothing extreme. Instead, Yvonne ignored what I booked, dismissed what I asked for, and pushed me into a full head of highlights without explaining the long-term impact.

I trusted her. That was a massive mistake.

Her portion alone was $600 USD, and with tax, tip, and additional services, the final bill was close to $1,200. For that, I got six months (and counting) of insane breakage, brittle ends, and hair so damaged that a master colorist in London recently told me he couldn’t even work with it. His exact words:

“She absolutely destroyed your hair. I wouldn’t touch it.”

He could tell — just from running his hands through it — that it had been strong and healthy before. The damage was total. And it was avoidable.

Yvonne didn’t care. She was rude, cold, and visibly disinterested the moment she realized I wasn’t a celebrity or high-profile regular. There was no consultation, no care, no responsibility — just ego and bleach.

This wasn’t a misstep. It was professional negligence at luxury pricing.

I would never return to MÈCHE. I would never recommend this salon. Unless you enjoy overpaying to have your hair chemically assaulted by someone who couldn’t care less —...