February 2016 by Nichole G.
AWFUL EXPERIENCE!!! FYI Take your business somewhere else, CMC African hair braiding salon is lacking in many areas. After conversing via text message and phone call, confirming the style (spring twists), the price ($200.00) and the date of the appointment (2/12/2016) I was confident I would be satisfied with the services rendered. Upon my arrival, I showed Maria a picture of the style I wanted. She confirmed with confidence that she would be able to accommodate. She explained there were different names for Spring Twists depending on the state you're in. After she braided the piece of hair, I looked in the mirror and felt the braid and explained to her it didn't look like the hair in the picture I showed her. She explained that because it was just one braid I wouldn't be able to discern if the style she was completing was the style I wanted. After she a section of my hair I looked in the mirror and she explained once she puts mouse on it, the hair will curl up like the picture I showed her. Needless to say, 5 hours later with tons of mouse, the style she completed DID NOT resemble the style I requested. Maria assured me that once I got home put a scarf or bonnet on it and slept on it, the style would be identical to the picture. The next morning when I took the bonnet off, my hair was a mess! One braid fell out and some of the braids were unraveling. I called Maria and she told me to come by the shop so she could fix it. By the time I got to the shop three additional braids came out, other braids were unraveling, one side was longer than the other side and the braids weren't the same size. Some braids were thick, some were thin, some were tight and some were sliding out. Once I returned to Maria's shop and expressed my concern she blamed me for every concern I had even down to the hair type in which SHE supplied. Every time I attempted to speak, Maria would interrupt with an excuse. She took no responsibility for the poor job she did. I asked for my money back and she said no, I asked her to fix it, she said it was too late, I asked her to take out the braids, she said she didn't have time. So at that point, I was done, I told Maria, "that's okay...I will take my own recourse in the matter. As I began to get up from the styling chair (at her station) to leave the shop she grabbed me by my arm and started to pull me. Maria asked, "why are you doing this to me?" "Are you going to sue me?" I asked her numerous times to let me go, at this point I felt apprehensive of the outcome. I had no idea Maria would behave in this manner. She reluctantly gave me one hundred dollars back and I left her salon. To add insult to injury, as Maria was braiding my hair, she brought up conversation about skin color. Light complexion verses dark complexion, Maria made it painfully obvious that she didn't care for lighter skinned women, which I am. I expressed to her that I was offended, once Maria realized the conversation had taken a bad turn...she laughed and provided a meaningless apology. With that alone, my desire was to NEVER return to her shop, little did I know, I would have to return the next day due to the poor job.
