Raven & Sage — Local services in San Diego

If I could give this place 0 stars I would! Went to see Brie a week and a half ago and got my hair done. Inspo pics and my hair color look NOTHING alike. I’ve been getting my hair done for 10 years now and have never had these kind of issues. I was super kind and reached out asking for a refund, but was refused a refund and they wanted me to go back to the salon to fix it. It’s hard to go back and have the same person fix your hair that made it orange! I never leave reviews and truthfully feel bad doing this but this isn’t okay and not getting refunded for this service is insanity because that’s $500 out of my pocket.

Wanted to leave an edit after the owner responded and say this respectfully

Thank you for your response. I appreciate the intention to clarify, but I feel the need to respond honestly and respectfully, as a customer who left deeply disappointed.

Yes, I did express excitement initially—because I trusted the process would align with the inspo photo we discussed. I was open to going blonder if it meant achieving that look, but what I left with was not only a dramatically different result from the photo, but also a brassy, orange tone that I never agreed to, which left me feeling extremely self-conscious and dissatisfied.

It’s hard to feel comfortable going back to a stylist who already made such a drastic misstep. Blonde hair can be very particular and fragile, and once trust is lost, it’s difficult to feel confident that further lightening or correction won’t result in further damage. I simply wasn’t willing to risk my hair being fried off after already receiving a result so far from what was expected.

I didn’t “demand” a refund—I asked for one after realizing that the issue wasn’t just a slight adjustment, but a total mismatch from what we discussed. The implication that I used the idea of a one-star review to manipulate the situation isn’t fair. It was a reflection of genuine frustration after feeling dismissed and stuck with a result I didn’t ask for.

I understand policies, but this situation goes beyond that. I appreciate that your doors are open, but trust and communication are just as important as tone and technique, and in this case, those were...

I first met Ryleigh Hunter in the summer of 2014 when I moved to San Diego from Arizona. She was working at Disconnected Solan which is now the new location of Raven & Sage. At the time, I had long naturally blonde hair and was letting it grow, so I would only get the 3 to 4 month maintenance trims. Ryleigh did such a great job the first time she cut my hair, I kept coming back to her. I started living part time in Spain in 2017 and could not imagine getting my hair cut by anyone else. So now every time I come back to SD I get my hair cut with Ryleigh. In march 2018, I decided to chop all my hair off and donate it. Of course, Ryleigh was the only person I trusted to do that job so when I got back to SD from Spain we CHOPPED it off! She did a GREAT job and gave me such a cute new style and color. I went from long "boring" naturally blonde hair to short, spunky, a-line, bright blonde and I loved it! Now, every time I see her I show her a few photos of what I think I would like my hair to look like and she makes my hair look exactly like the photos. Not only does Ryleigh do a great job cutting, coloring, and styling hair, she is super nice and friendly. I don't think I can ever get my hair cut or colored by anyone else. I wholeheartedly trust Ryleigh with my hair. I think that kind of trust is difficult to find in the hair industry. Attached are some photos of the different stages I have had my hair thanks to Ryleigh!! I highly recommend her for all your...

I had a really upsetting experience, Matthew's personality is definitely not for everyone. Matthew mocked me when I said my words incorrectly, and had a rebuttal for every single thing I said. I genuinely have never had a hairdresser make me more upset or uncomfortable during a haircut. I started crying the second I walked out of the salon, because they made me feel so little and genuinely just stupid. I can't imagine someone with social anxiety going and sitting in their chair and having a positive experience. I wish I would have spoken up after the 3rd or 4th time they said something that made me uncomfortable, but was just so anxious I couldn't. At the end of the day, my haircut meant nothing because of the way I was treated.

EDIT: Lol… a kind soul… made me feel like trash during my appointment. Maybe I’m a kind person too for tipping well. Im being honest when I say he made me feel like trash during my visit. Which is why my girlfriend cancelled her appointment with him as well. I would like other individuals to know who they may be going to so I left my review after (like you mentioned) 2 months because it STILL upsets me the way I was treated. You shouldn’t have even responded because you...