Fringe Salon — Local services in Scotts Valley

When someone schedules an appointment with a hairstylist, there’s an expectation of professionalism, respect, and basic human decency. What happened with Lori was the complete opposite, and it was honestly really sad to witness.

Lori not only refused to do the hairstyle that was clearly booked in advance, but she also took it upon herself to publicly humiliate the client. Her words were rude, her tone was condescending, and her entire attitude was unnecessarily aggressive. Rather than handling the situation with grace or professionalism, she chose to belittle and embarrass someone who came in for help and care.

It was uncomfortable, upsetting, and absolutely unacceptable. No one deserves to be treated like that—especially in a place meant to make people feel good about themselves.

If Lori’s behavior is representative of this business, then this place has no business operating. It wasn’t just poor service. It was blatant disrespect. And that should never be tolerated in any customer-facing environment.

Answer to the owner - It's actually pretty easy to Google a list of psychological reasons people leave bad reviews—what’s harder is accepting accountability when someone on your team behaves unprofessionally in front of witnesses. I didn’t need to be “recruited” or “told what to say.” What happened was wrong. Instead of spending time crafting a lengthy response that avoids any real responsibility, I hope you use that same energy to train your employees on basic respect and customer service. It’s not about control, ego, or slurs—it’s about treating human beings with decency. A salon should be a safe, welcoming space, not one where clients are humiliated. That’s the part people are reacting to. And no amount of copy-pasted psychology jargon will...

To anyone considering visiting this business, read this first.

Fringe Salon’s response to my honest review is not only dismissive—it’s an emotionally manipulative deflection tactic designed to avoid accountability. Instead of addressing a paying client’s legitimate concerns about humiliation and unprofessional treatment, they’ve chosen to pathologize the customer. Accusing someone of narcissism or emotional instability because they shared a negative experience? That’s not just inappropriate—it’s defamatory.

Let’s be clear: it’s easier to list off personality disorders than to address the behavior of your stylist, Lori, who made unsolicited comments about my hair, delivered a visibly subpar service, and then publicly berated me when I calmly asked for it to be fixed. I didn’t “lash out.” I left in tears—humiliated and hurt before an important event—and posted a factual review of what happened.

This is a very SIMPLE textbook example of gaslighting a customer rather than taking ownership. Fringe, you don’t need a psychology lecture—you need basic accountability. No amount of passive-aggressive “boundaries” language can cover up what this really is: poor customer service followed by public deflection.

If this is how they handle valid criticism, imagine how they handle real mistakes behind closed doors, and to insinuate that a customer has mental issues simply for standing up for herself after being mistreated—that alone reflects more about this business than any review ever could. Shame on the...

Here’a my “stylist” whom humiliated and belittled me, and a photo of me feeling the most insecure I’ve ever felt leaving a salon

My stylist, Lori, made passive-aggressive remarks about my hair throughout the appointment and gave me one of the worst blowouts I’ve ever had — completely flat on top, lifeless through the ends, and nothing like the voluminous curls I had asked for. When she asked how I felt, I politely shared my concern.

Instead of offering to fix her own VISIBLE mistake (not just a mid blowout), she raised her voice at me in front of other clients, humiliated me, and ultimately forced me to leave — simply because I didn’t like the result. I was calm and respectful the entire time, but she made me feel small and incredibly low. This experience not only ruined my day but left me shaken before an important event. Avoid this stylist if you expect even a basic level of professionalism or basic...