Lua Makeup & Hair Studio

I had eyelash extensions at Lua Makeup & Hair Studio and had an absolutely terrible experience. While the technician, Minah was friendly and personable; this does not make up for the horrible business practices that occurred.
Short story: Website prices are not correct, resulting in me getting charged $ 100 more than prices advertised on their website. At the time of this post, prices have not been corrected on the site, even though it’s been a few weeks since the discrepancy was uncovered. I was not offered my money back.
Long story:
1. Getting an appointment was a very long and drawn out process. First, I emailed them about an appointment. The next day I decided it was probably better to call, so I called them. I was told the eyelash tech was not there and she would email or call me back. I received an email from the eyelash tech the next day, in which she gave me her phone number. I called her the next day and we talked on the phone. She was pleasant and informative about the kind of eyelashes they use and the procedure. However, she did not have her planner on her so she told me she would text me later. She did text me later, and we settled on a day/​time. After the appointment was set, she informed me that a $ 50 deposit was mandatory. She asked for my credit card information, or said she could look into other avenues if I was not comfortable. I was not comfortable with giving a complete stranger my credit card information, on her personal cell phone number. I didn’t want to sign up for some random internet service in order to make the deposit either, so instead I told her I would drop it off at the salon, which I inconveniently did.
Summary: All in all the appointment process went like this: email Lua, call Lua, receive email form eyelash tech with her phone number, call eyelash Tech, eyelash tech texted me, set up the appointment, find out I need to pay a $ 50 deposit in the next three days (since my appointment was in three days).
2. Next, they did not have the proper equipment. When I got to the Studio, Minah informed me that there eyelash extension chair was broken, so we would use the hairdresser chair, which did not have a full headrest. Initially, it wasn’t uncomfortable, however after 30 minutes (of the 2 hours I was there), it started to be uncomfortable, because I was leaned back without proper neck support. Minah told me we could take breaks whenever I wanted, but I didn’t want to draw out the procedure, so I just dealt with it.
3. ****WORST PART**** Finally, the time to pay came. I had requested the «flirt look», which according to the website, was $ 125. However, she told me it cost $ 225. I had been looking around on lots of sites for eyelash extensions, so I thought maybe I made a mistake, booked at the wrong place or something. So I admit in my wrongdoing, that I didn’t object to the price at that time, which I should have. I wanted to pay with my card, since I didn’t have $ 225 on me. Minah was having difficulty connecting to the wireless, and so I waited 20 minutes as she struggled with the tablet. Eventually she just asked for my credit card info so she could run the payment later. I was not that comfortable with that, but I had been there for almost 3 hours and was ready to leave, so I agreed, even though I didn’t like the idea at all. A few minutes after leaving I received an email that the payment went through. I took a look at the website and realized I had not been mistaken about the prices, so I texted Minah that I was confused about the price. She responded politely and went through the pricing system, which according to her, was Natural $ 175, Flirt $ 225, Glamour $ 275. This is COMPLETELY different from the website prices, which are Flirt $ 125, Romantic $ 175, and Passion $ 225. Seems a little sketchy that instead of simply upping the prices, they also restructured the different types, taking Flirt, previously the lowest option, and upping it to the middle option. Anyhow, I sent Minah a screenshot of the site, and she was surprised and said that those were prices from 2014, and that page must not have been updated. So there haven’t been any new customers in the 6 months that it’s been 2015? Minah said she would talk to the owner, Dalal, and see if they could do something for me. I was happy, thinking this would be fixed. A couple days later Minah texted me and offered me 20% off my next service, or a complimentary deep conditioning mask. This, to me, was a laughable offer. I was charged $ 100 more than advertised prices, dealt with improper equipment, had to drop off a deposit, and was asked for my credit card information two different times in my experience with them.

I hate to leave bad reviews and don’t have high expectations, but when I had my make up done by her, I found that she Completely Lacks concept of customer service. Despite my sister and I telling her we felt uncomfortable with the way she penciled in my eyebrows (I looked and felt like a clown), she insisted that it would all come together in the end and kept disagreeing when we voiced our concern multiple times that they were simply too dark. She even offered up a comical explanation saying that my eyebrows were uneven and that this was what she had to do to even them out. It’s hysterical (and rude, of course) to have your make up done by somebody who decides it’s their right to attempt to make you feel foolish about your facial features while you’re sitting in their chair! I went home and my sister and I brushed out the liner to make it look more natural. She also used drug store make up (L’oreal) and told me it’s the same as premium brands (Estee Lauder, etc) which I was really unimpressed by especially since I never wear L’oreal products on my face at baseline. Secondly, L’oreal is the parent company for brands like YSL And Lancome, not Estee Lauder, so her comments just showed me how misinformed she is while also patronizing me in her chair. My experience with her was poor, maybe due to personality differences, or simply that I’ve had better experiences with other make up artists who respected me and were not completely condescending. She was simply rude and inexperienced.

Dalal has cut my hair a couple of times and she does a GREAT job. She does a good job of interpreting what I want/​describe into a cut that will work for me. Ladies, if you wear hijab, this is a 100% hijabi friendly, private salon that is upscale, well lit, and fashionable. Definitely recommend and will miss her terribly after I move out of town.

It is a little tricky to find Lua’s. It is located within Sola Salon Studios which is behind the North Face/​Anthropologie/​Sur La Table store block within Arbor Hills off of Washtenaw Avenue. Once you climb the outer stairs and enter the building, you are presented with an elevator and a small lounge. Don’t be deterred, take the elevator upstairs and the salon is through the glass door and down the hall to your right, Studio 7.
Now is it worth this little voyage… I would say, yes! Lua’s is located in a mini-​mall of beauty. Therefore, while Lua’s might not offer every service one desires, all other imaginable services are but a stone’s throw away.
The inside of the studio is nicely decorated with rich purples and golds. The space is large enough for 3 people without seeming overly crowded. I love that it is a private salon, complete with a full-​length curtain covering the door. The place seems clean and well maintained. The hairstylist of Lua’s is Dallal Farha. She did a wonderful job with my wash, cut, and style. She used a lovely scented shampoo and leave in conditioner and took time to ensure my comfort during the process. She’s a good conversationalist (nothing worse then having your hair cut in a bed of silence). My total visit lasted an hour. She really took her time sculpting my hair. I feel that she took personal pride in ensuring that I would be happy with the finished look. She took time to suggest different products that I could use to recreate the finished look and even explained the correct brush to use. I also appreciate that she didn’t try to push the products on me even though they are available for purchase. She followed my directions while still adding her own style to the cut. I also appreciated that she took the time to detail to me the popular Brazilian blowout and to let me know that she didn’t recommend it for my hair type; instead of letting me waste my money. While she did mention that the studio services women only; I’m not sure if she also cuts children’s hair. She was very nice to my son, who accompanied me, and therefore might be a great option for your children’s hair cuts as well. The price is very reasonable. Yes, they accept credit cards. The business also allows you to sign up for future email promotions. I’m looking forward to my next visit.