Single mom saved for 6 years to get a perm, but the salon fried her hair and refused to take blame. Then its Google alerts caught the owner's eye

Milly (@millyismoody)’s hair had always been silky and beautiful, but after a salon visit, she says she looks like “a wet dog that has been electrocuted.” Her hair is fried to an extent that she can’t even slide her fingers through without them getting stuck. Milly blamed North Carolina’s Vanity Salon & Color Bar in Garner, where a hairstylist named Ashlan performed the treatment. She said she had spent six years saving $200 for the perm, only to leave the salon devastated by the result. She fought back by writing a Google review and thought that was it, but it caught the salon owner's attention. Starting on August 11, 2026,  her video series has racked up more than five million views.

She verified the ingredients in advance

On the day of the perm treatment, Ashlan conducted a curl test on the back of her hair. She put the product on and asked her whether she had used any bleach, henna, or black box dye on her hair, so the ingredients wouldn’t meddle with the treatment. After Ashlan verified the ingredients on the boxed dye, she went ahead with the treatment. However, once the treatment was done, Milly wasn’t happy with the results. Instead of pretty curls, her hair resembled a bundle of frizzy, fried noodles. “I am so mad,” she repeated while sobbing in a video. “What do I do other than hide it?” She fumed and tied her hair in a bun.

'Felt like she was pulling through my hair'

As a single mom with a minimum-wage job, the treatment took a toll not just on her hair but on her mental health. She confessed that it took her six years to save the $200 she paid for the treatment. And here she was, her trust shattered and her hair tousled. Reflecting upon the entire treatment, Milly said, “I think she left it on for too long. I don’t know what happened, but when she was rinsing it out, it felt like she was pulling through my hair.”

Roller coaster ride for justice 

Milly called the salon and let them know that her hair was “completely burned.” She spoke to Ashlan, let her know what happened to her hair, and requested a refund. Instead of accommodating her request, the stylist proclaimed, “I told you whenever I did your hair that there was a chance it could melt.” Disappointed, Milly demanded to speak to the head of the salon. She was made to wait for five long days, during which she left reviews on Google and Yelp. After a long wait, she walked into the salon and asked a worker to let her meet the owner. The worker was dismissive, saying that the owner had left earlier and she was busy with a client.

She even approached Ashlan to show her the hair she had treacherously ruined. Ashlan responded to her with a deadpan expression and said, “I didn’t do that. It wasn’t me.” Infuriated by the experience, Milly insisted that viewers never go to this salon to get their hair done. Later, Milly updated that the salon owner contacted her and informed her that her money would be refunded by Ashlan.

Chronicles of salon customers

A poll by YouGov suggested that 9% of Americans turn to salon treatments. Another survey by Market Reports found that around 64% of global consumers reported visiting a salon at least once every two months. However, a large portion of these consumers often end up feeling dissatisfied and disappointed with the services. A study published in the Journal of Korean Home Management Association reported that nearly 65.77% of the customers were dissatisfied with their visit to a salon, and 35.43% claimed poor service as the top reason for the dissatisfaction.

The stylist never stood a chance

In the comments section, viewers roasted the stylist for being apathetic in her customer service. Many posted shaming remarks about the salon. Several hairstylists jumped in and offered to help Milly with her damaged hair. @bluewhalesarebig commented, “They owe you a refund and extensions.” @hair2day said, “Where are you located? I’m a hairstylist with 20-plus years and would totally help for free, love."

You can follow Milly (@millyismoody) on TikTok to watch the full series of her hair episodes. 

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