Monica Foster Salon

I have gone to MF for keratin treatments and blow-outs over the years. I was always satisfied with the results; no issues. Cut to mid-January 2024, when I came in for a Cezanne treatment. I did a lot of research on the Cezanne, and the information I gathered said that the Cezanne is less damaging to hair follicles and leaves sone body in the hair. I decided that the splurge would be worth it.

I made the appointment with Shaida, who I had not seen before (she came up online as the only person available to do a Cezzane treatment). Before she got started, I asked her if the Cezanne would lighten my hair like the keratin sometimes did. She told me it could, but that it probably wouldn't lighten too much. The process took about 2.5 hours, and it cost $360. I spent another $110 on product Shaida recommended as cezanne-friendly. One was geared toward blondes specifically.

At the end of the treatment, I thought my hair looked brassy. I chalked it up to having just finished the process, and didn't spend time inspecting it. When I got home, my daughter said, "Why is your hair orange?" I went to look closely in the mirror, and - sure enough - my entire head of hair reflected a hue of burnt orange/red.

The next day, I sent an email to Shaida (through the general email address), along with before and after photos of my hair color. I told her that I liked the texture, but that I was concerned about the color. I provided my phone mail. I received a response that same day confirming that the email had been forwarded to Shaida.

I did not receive a response to that email. I followed up again, saying that I had not heard from Shaida. I waited another four days to hear back. No response. I emailed again (on the same thread with the photos still attached) and asked for Monica's email and phone number, saying that I'd like to discuss the situation with Monica.

The next day, Shaida finally called me. She told me that the color change could be fixed by restoring my color with toner. She said I could come back in and have the toner applied. She then told me that she could not promise that I would not be charged for the toner. WHAT?!? I asked her if she had seen the photos (she had). She also said that my color "needed work" coming in, so maybe that was the problem. WHAT?!? She said she would need to ask Monica about whether they would comp the toner. She also said she would call me back with the answer. She did not.

In the meantime, still no response from Monica. At that point, I went to my colorist at Juut (Liam, highly recommend!). He and another colorist looked at my hair and said it had been completely stripped of its pigment. They agreed that this had nothing to do with my original hair color. They explained that the only way to correct the new "color" would be to change my color dark brunette. Then I would have to wait for my hair to grow out completely in order to get it back to my original color. This process cost me more $, and left me with hair color I never wanted. I had also spent $$ for the color and highlights I went in with.

That day, I sent ANOTHER email for Monica, detailing the entire ordeal (including how many times I had to follow up). I explained what my colorist said and what he had to do to fix the problem. I asked for my money back for the treatment (did not include the product cost or the cost for the correction). NO RESPONSE.

The whole experience was a nightmare.

I have attached 3 photos below. One showing my original color, one showing the post-Cezanne color, and one showing the dark color I ended up with.

Monica is the bomb. I'm 54 and I've never been willing to wear my hair long. Until Monica started cutting it. Amazing long layers. She has the touch.

Pam R. is the absolute best. I moved to the South Bay from out of state and she did a beautiful job matching the Wella color formulas from my longtime stylist. Her haircut and styling were also extremely flattering. Pam listened and clearly cared about me, not just as a customer but as a human being, which means a lot.

Shaida does an amazing job with my whole family!
She listens closely and her work is unmatched!

Seema is a very talented colorist. When I met her, it was early in the pandemic. My color was a disaster from trying to do it at home for a few months, and my hair was thinning from stress. Seema worked with me to figure out what would work best for my hair, and she's done my highlights every eight weeks since. I trust her completely with my hair and would recommend her without hesitation!

My wife recommended this place to me; she has been going to this hair place for a long time and ever since i decided to grow my hair longer, finding a place that can cut and style long hair for men has been a challenging journey.
Even though it was my first visit, Monica was able to get an overall sense of what i was going for based on sample hair style pics, and add in her professional expertise for what works with my head shape and hair.
After meeting Monica, and listening to all the good things my wife has been telling me about the place, i can tell Monica is a hard working person, thoroughly knowledgeable and passionate about hair/style/products. And as a person that is ignorant of the vast world of hair, her natural, unassuming approach to a client's hair and background eased my anxiety and made me feel welcomed. I definitely will come back and am happy to have found a new hair person to help me on my semi-long hair style journey.

I was really disappointed with my colorist at MF after years of having her take care of my color.
First , her assistant was awful--- she was practically beating my head , literally pounding on it, throwing water all over my face and eyes. When I got home, I realized just how discolored my face looked with brown hair dye all over it.
my hair colorist never even checked on my hair which is something she always used to do. On top of that , the hair coloring lasted about 3 weeks before the grey roots were quite visible. this is unacceptable for a $232 bill not including tip,
I have since found a far better salon with a colorist who not only uses the same products but who seems to care about her clients.

I had a bad experience with Mayra Tejada, at this salon. My first time going there for partial highlights, to blend in my gray hair, it still showed the line of demarcation. Next visit trying to fix the problem, she did balayage, my hair turned straw yellow! As a colorist, she doesn't have the mastery of her craft!!

I got full highlights and a trim from Pam and she did an amazing job! The color looks great and she was mindful of keeping my hair in good condition. I hope to come back to her again for my next touch-up!

Had a wonderful experience in this salon.

Very clean and welcoming environment.

Pam was very personable and very skilled when it came to my tricky hair (curly and thick).

Haircut looked wonderful and I was very pleased to find someone I can trust when it comes to achieving a stylish and proper cut I can be proud to have.

Parking was a breeze and the whole experience went off without a hitch.

Thanks again Pam and Monica Foster Salon!

Until next time.