T-Gardens New York Hair Salon — Local services in New York

I PAID $400 FOR A DIGITAL PERM THAT ONLY LASTED 2 DAYS WITH NO REUNDS WHATSOEVER.

I made an appointment for a digital perm with Min, a MASTER STYLIST, on 7/23. I showed her a picture of the look that I wanted, which is a Korean wave hairstyle. I told her this is my first time getting a perm and asked if this is doable. She said my hair is too fine so only a more prominent perm will last for my hair. She showed me a picture and I said that's fine. She then asked if I want layers or cut my hair (She later tells me that me refusing the layers or cuts is the problem with the outcome. But she never explained that. She only asked if I want layers or cuts). I said no and to just perm my hair starting from the cheek area. That's all the conversation we had.

After she's done, I noticed that the curls were pretty low (picture of me in the green shirt. Pic I took once I got home that day). She said this perm will last for 3 months and that I mustn't wash my hair for 48 hours.

I did this perm on Wednesday afternoon so I washed my hair again on Friday night. As soon as I blow dried my hair, the curls were mostly gone.

I contacted them the next day and sent pictures (the picture with the black shirt is what my hair looks like on Saturday) showing them my hair and asking for a refund. They said owner isn't there and that they'll contact me on Monday.

On Monday when they texted back to me (I think it was just Min and not the owner) , the only options they gave me were:

1. I can go back to redo my perm but I refused because I don't want to damage my hair anymore (Also why would I want to go back to your store when I had such a bad experience).
2. I can get 20% off any service within half a year (which is basically telling me to spend more money there). But absolutely NO REFUND because they have a no refund policy.

I understand that some stores, especially service industries, have no refund policy to avoid being scammed by customers. However, I feel that depending on the situation, exceptions should be made. And this is exactly that type of situation. If the stylist did the job right and it's just a problem with the customers preference, then I totally understand. But my case is that I paid $400 for a perm that was promised would last 3 months, but it fell out in just 2 days.

Min texted me back and this is what she wrote: "I'm sorry to hear that and I understand how disappointed you are. But I'm not sure what your expectations of the perm were. Because the inspired photo that showed me was cutting layer and bang. And you refuse to have that If the hair cut isn't a similar result it would be a different style. I wish I could make you happier but I don't agree with this and if you go ask another stylist or salon I'm confident I wasn't wrong. We understand that our service may not have met your expectations. However as with restaurants and other businesses, we don't offer refunds simply because something didn't align with individual preferences."

This isn't a matter of preference. I do think that the problem could also be that my hair is just not fit for perming. But if so, I feel like she, the professional, should've said something. Just because the customer asked for it, it doesn't mean a hairstyle will work for them. The stylist also has the obligation to tell that to the customer and work something out so that both parties are happy. I do feel that this is no ones fault, but it still doesn't justify the amount I paid for such results.

I showed my hair to all my friends and they all agree that this is unacceptable and a refund is definitely a must. I even asked for a partial refund and they...

I booked an appointment with Lisa for a Japanese permanent straightening treatment. In short, I had a great experience and highly recommend this salon.

Long version: I was looking into permanent straightening services and had reached out to a few salons in Manhattan. One place didn’t feel comfortable working with my hair type, another recommended an OXO treatment (which I think is a smoothing treatment not straightening). When I emailed with T-Gardens they responded very quickly. After sharing some photos and some hair history, they told me they could work with me although I might experience a little dryness. I asked for a senior stylist because I wanted someone with a lot of experience and was matched with Lisa for an appointment a week later.

Some background: I wanted this treatment because I am lazy under the guise of deeply efficient. I’m all for team natural, curls and texture are beautiful, self-love as a WOC is important, etc. But y’all I have A LOT of difficult to manage, long, 2c/3a hair, a sensitive scalp, and a hectic lifestyle. I grew up in Dominican salons and I’ve tried braids and weave and Curly Girl and LOC and Drybar, and I basically settled on straightening my hair twice a week and occasionally doing wash and gos. Styling took me about 8 hours a week and all of that direct is just not great. I thought about it for a long time because I was worried about how permanent Japanese straightening is and the potential damage/upkeep, but honestly I was fed up and didn’t want to deal with my hair all the time.

Anyway, I show up to the salon on a Wednesday afternoon. It’s very cute and everyone is very nice. There are plastic dividers between stations and everyone was wearing a mask. My temperature was taken and they took my sweater, giving me a salon cover/robe to wear. Lisa sat me in the chair, took a look at my hair, confirmed the cost, and then took me to the wash station. There are a lot of steps to this process but basically it’s washapply chemicalwashblowdry and flatirontrimapply neutralizerwash blowdry. All in it took about 4.5 hours.

Lisa was incredibly patient and really took her time with the flat ironing portion which is essential (it’s basically what sets the shape). She was also super gentle with my hair at every step and it looked great when she was done. I didn’t wash it for 2+ days like she said and have not tied it up (will cause dents apparently). When I finally did wash, my hair was super silky, needed minimal product and was incredibly straight just using my blowdryer on low without using a brush or anything. I had minimal shedding and my hair wasn’t dry or fried in anyway. The only weird thing was that it smelled a little “chemically” when it was wet but it went away as soon as it dried and I’m not worried about it. All in, I’m super happy with the results and I think it was a great purchase. I’ll definitely be...

I just completed my second multi-hour service and 1st ever full-hair coloring treatment at T-Garden Hair Salon with Min, and I can confidently say that I will be coming back again, and again, and again! I previously got an OXO straightening treatment done last May with Min as well, which was LIFE CHANGING! I went from spending hours a week straightening my hair everyday to saving tons of time never having to worry about it ever again! The treatment straightened my hair beautifully for 8-12 months, without looking too artificial, and I noted that new growth was also more straight than my usual hair prior to the treatment, which is exactly what I’d hoped for.

This year, I decided to get a massive coloring job done to have some fun and help cure the COVID blues. I settled on a vibrant pink ombré coloring, and I coordinated with Min via Instagram and was delighted when she reported that the job could be done! Min is an EXCELLENT stylist—she was responsive, helpful, and excited about the endeavor. Coming in-person to T-Gardens during COVID was very peaceful and safe. They check customer temperatures, there are plastic dividers in between seats and sections, and all customers are 6 feet apart while customers and staff wear masks constantly. The staff even kept the door open from time to time (despite heavy rain the day I came) to help air out the facility. Overall, I felt very safe having a 4+ hour treatment done with them. Min was helpful and fun to work with throughout the process, answering every question and explaining the steps as we went along. As an extroverted introvert, I appreciated that we could enjoy hours of silence while she worked (and I basically napped haha), and chat or share jokes a bit too. At the end, this transformation felt both, totally magical — and totally safe. I couldn’t be happier with the results! And I have plans to return when the time comes to recolor.

If you plan to do this treatment, especially during COVID, I recommend a few things: wear a mask, 2 if you can, because it helps keep everyone safer! And wear a mask that you don’t mind getting stained with a little dye. It’s part of the process. Be prepared to spend 4-5 hours in the chair, especially if you are going thru the whole process: bleaching, conditioning, coloring, and cut. Bring a water bottle. They can surely provide water, but a bottle will be easier to sip from than a cup, and help keep everyone safe. Bring some gum, and eat prior to coming. It’s going to take a while! Charge your phone...you’ll have a lot of downtime. :) Overall, I recommend T-Garden to anyone who wants to get these sorts of jobs done. Their staff is great, their app is easy to use to schedule, and their facilities are clean and doing all the right precautions during this time. Thank...