Absolute Hair Studio — Local services in Wausau

If you want to overpay for a stylist who ignores your request, and instead does whatever she wants with your hair--even if it is specifically what you asked her NOT to do, then Absolute Hair is your place.

My brunette, teenaged daughter asked the stylist Ellen Juvonen (aka Ellie) to keep her hair dark and to add soft, natural-looking, light-brown highlights, but only at the ends.

Ellie listened as my daughter explained how her hair had been processed dozens of times the year before (she went from barbie-blonde to platinum blonde to ash blonde [she even had permanent, pink streaks that had to be chemically stripped once and stripped with Vitamin C twice]).

My daughter then went onto explain how, after three attempts with three different colorists, she finally found one, who could get her chemically, over-processed hair to match her natural color.

Ellie seemed to be listening. She flattered my daughter. She complimented her color and agreed that my daughter looked better as a brunette. Ellie then continued to act like she was listening as my daughter specifically told her (Ellie) that she did NOT want any blonde in her hair, nor any streaks that end up looking like  stripes on dark hair.

Indeed, my daughter emphatically stressed that because she had spent many months growing out her hair, which had been repeatedly bleached, toned, and colored the year before, she did not want her roots (ie her virgin hair) touched by ANY chemical color.

My daughter reiterated herself several times to make sure Ellie understood, saying, "Youre going to make it look natural, right?" and "No streaks, right?", in which case the stlyist, Ellie, agreed and said "Natural, yes" "No streaks, yes". But evidently that was just lip service, because what Ellie did for the next few hours to my unsuspecting daughter, was to meticulously place tiny, white-blonde streaks ALL throughout my daughter's dark hair, starting at her crown, about a half inch from the scalp (remember this area was suppose to be OFF LIMITS), and including the middle layers as well as the underside -- not just on the outlying pieces that would naturally (and subtly) get lightened by the sun.

When my daughter got home and looked in the mirror under her bright lights (the light was dim at Absolute hair) she started sobbing at her new, frosted look. She felt she was in a nightmare because Ellie did EXACTLY what my daughter told her NOT to do.

I then frantically texted Ellie, who promised to fix my daughter's hair for free. Ellie asked me to tell my daughter to "work it" -- to wear this unnaturally contrasting, striped look for a few weeks and then she'd fix it.

Ellie even texted my daughter's phone and promised to fix it for free. But after a week, my daughter was unable to stand the botched color job on her previously lovely, dark hair and so she texted Ellie and asked the sylist to honor her promise and fix her hair...My daughter did not get any response; so a few days later she texted Ellie again, but to no avail.

Maybe Ellie was hoping we would go away. As if.  Apparantly, beauty school doesn't teach that the pen is mightier than the sword.

PS I will remove this negative, yet honest review if Absolute Hair will either refund my daughter's money or fix her botched color...

Love love love this place and the reason why is because of Ellen. She is the best hairstylist I know and she does exactly what I want. I live in Phoenix now but whenever I come back home she is the only person I will let do my hair. She is way better than most hair stylist I know in Phoenix and this is a huge City so that speaks volume of her. I'm coming home soon and the first thing I'm doing is seeing her to do my hair. She is highly skilled and has such a great personality she always puts a smile on my face. I can't say enough good things about her I highly recommend her to anyone. I don't know why there would ever be a negative review about someone that is so fantastic with her hands and the knowledge that she has for hair. She has such a passion for it and it definitely shows. Thank you Ellen for always making me feel confident once I walk out...

Ellie has been doing my hair FOR YEARS! I have followed her everywhere she has ever been. She takes her time and listens to what you want and even will offer advice if she feels what you're asking for will not work for your hair whether that be style or color or otherwise. I have never had a bad cut, color or experience with Ellie. She truly has been blessed with gift to do hair. She's a consummate professional and stands behind her work. I wouldn't have anyone else do my...