Why appointments run to time here and what happens when they do not

If you have ever sat in a salon waiting area for forty minutes with your coat still on, you will know why I care about this. Most appointments run to time here because we book every service for the chair time it really takes. When a day does slip, and some days do, we tell you straight and give you a choice.

The short version

Every service is booked for its real chair time, processing included. A blow dry is about 45 minutes, a full balayage two and a half to three hours. Colour goes on first so processing overlaps with other work. Running late? Ring 01582 730381 and we will tell you what still fits. If we are running behind, you hear it from us when you walk in.

How we book appointments to run to time

The time you get when you book depends on the service, so there is no standard slot. A blow dry takes about 45 minutes and costs £28 to £35. A cut and finish is around an hour at £42 to £55. A full balayage at £70 to £85 can take two and a half to three hours, so it gets a block of the day to itself.

That is why the questions we ask when you book matter. If you tell us your hair is thick and down to your waist, or that you used box dye six months ago, we allow more time. Leave it out and we are guessing, and guesses are what make a day run over.

Colour clients usually go on first, because colour takes the longest to process. While your tint or toner is developing, your stylist can finish a blow dry for someone else. That overlap is planned, and it is timed so nobody sits with foils in for longer than the colour needs.

The bits you do before you arrive

Patch tests are the big one. We patch test everyone before colour, at least 48 hours before the appointment, and the NHS guidance on hair dye reactions explains why that matters. If the test has not been done, we cannot colour you that day, and a colour slot that cannot go ahead throws the afternoon out for everyone after you.

If you are after something new, bring two or three photos. Ten minutes talking it through at the start saves half an hour of changing direction halfway through a cut.

What happens if you are running late

Running late happens to everyone. Ring us on 01582 730381 rather than rushing, and we will tell you straight whether we can still do the full service in the time left or whether it is kinder to move you.

For a blow dry, a few minutes rarely matters. For a full balayage it can, because lightener needs the time it needs and I will not rush processing to catch up. In that case we might suggest a half balayage today and the rest at your next visit, or a new slot altogether.

The one that makes it harder is turning up late without a call. By then the chance to shuffle the rest of the day has gone, and we may have to shorten the finish to keep the next client on time.

What happens when we run late

Sometimes the delay is on our side. Hair can take longer to lift than the consultation suggested, or a colour correction turns out bigger than it looked. When that happens I would rather finish that client properly than hand her back half done.

If your stylist is running behind, we tell you when you arrive and give you a realistic estimate. If you cannot wait, say so. We would rather rebook you than have you sat there watching the clock.

Why we bother

Most of our clients work, and the late finishes on Tuesday and Wednesday, open until 8, exist because people are fitting their hair in around jobs and school runs. A salon that runs forty minutes late on a Tuesday evening has taken your evening with it.

It also gives you better hair. A stylist chasing the clock rinses early and rushes the finish. Booking the real time means Sabrina, Sheree and I can do the job properly and still be ready for the next person.

If you want to check how long your service takes before you book, our pricing list has everything on it, or ring us on 01582 730381. You can also book online. We are at Shop 660, Jansel House, Hitchin Rd, Stopsley, Luton LU2 7XH.