Lynn Antoinette

Dear Readers,
I feel compelled to respond to Cindy L’s critique of Lynn, and her unfortunate encounter with Cindy L. After 22 years in Santa Fe, and a very unruly head of hair that never lays the same way twice, I went searching for the best stylist with accolades from customers, and that’s how I found this true Santa Fe treasure of a stylist called Lynn Delgado! I have been a long time customer of Lynn’s every since, and want to respond to a review that is not accurate in any manner about Lynn.
Lynn is not really a stylist of hair, she is an artist of colors, and a sculptor of cutting. She doesn’t just take your hair and cut without studying your head, your hair, and what you want to look like. Now as we all know, pictures in magazines of haircuts are one thing, but a very different situation when it comes to working with different hair types, colors, faces, etc. Lynn not only listens to you, she works diligently to please you in every way possible. To say «this is an emotional issue» of not being able to accept criticism couldn’t be further from the truth. As in any profession, it’s important to care about your work. Many times Lynn, because she is a professional, and because she is vested in her clients being happy, will not charge. I personally have experienced this with her. This is not about «emotional» instability, this is called, «good business practice»! She bestows this on many clients because she cares, loves to give back to those that support her with repeat business, and is very conscious that giving away an experience with her will help give her clients the knowledge that she just isn’t in it for as much as she can get out of them, on the contrary, she is in it because she cares, loves what she does, and has built a business based on just those factors.
For anyone who obviously doesn’t truly know Lynn, to analyze her «generosity» and «good business practices» to insinuate she has an emotional issue, is completely absurd, so out of line, and so disrespectful, it tells me that this individual has «control issues», not Lynn. Good sense would tell anyone that «looking like a picture in a magazine» that has been manipulated, air-​brushed, and colored by a photographer and an editor is just impossible! The best any of us can hope for is that we have someone like Lynn, who can help us look the best possible with what we have to work with ourself.
So for anyone reading this review of a review, I invite you to go see Lynn. Mention this Unilocal review, and create your own opinion of her. As a former customer service executive for a major corporation, I can truly say, Lynn is the absolute best Santa Fe has to offer! Her skills, her talent, her loving manner are to be envied by others in her profession. As a single mother of two gorgeous, talented, polite, well mannered children, who quite frequently are in the salon, Lynn epitomizes what we should all be proud of as women and as consumers, someone who does it all, does it extremely well, does it will loving care, and is a professional in the true sense of the word.
Go see her, I promise you, you will find a very different person, than Cindy L. describes. Quite frankly, if Lynn wasn’t a caring professional, then ask yourself, why wouldn’t she be concerned that someone wasn’t pleased, and why wouldn’t she offer to refund the payment? I would, wouldn’t you?
Cathy Mascari

MY INITIAL ONE PARAGRAPH REVIEW HAS BECOME A SAGA WITH A CAST OF CHARACTERS. (I’VE LIVED IN SANTA FE SINCE 1999)
While I was initially very pleased with Lynn, I have now experienced her flip side which has left me trying to figure out what went wrong. I think she is good at what she does, but obviously no one is perfect. This probably falls under the category of an emotional issue that began with an excessive willingness to please, flipping to an excessive sensitivity to criticism. The «willingness to please» exhibited itself in her unwillingness to accept compensation for my first and second haircuts. We were strangers, I was happy with the haircut, but she didn’t want to accept payment. I thought that was a bit strange, but I insisted she accept the money anyway. This last time, I was not so happy with my haircut and when I emailed her about it with a photograph of the look I was going for, she got upset. She told me I had ruined her weekend, she told me to come by and pick up my money, and that I should look for another stylist. Hmm. I responded that she should keep the money (again) and this would be the last she’d hear from me. Santa Fe certainly has some «interesting» residents.
THIS IS WHAT LYNN WROTE IN RESPONSE TO MY REVIEW:
8÷10÷2015 After several correspondence emails from Cindy I did mention to her the available times and days to give her any adjustments she may need to her cut as I offer ALL of my clients, this was the email that was sent to her:
«Hi Cindy,
After reiterating several times how awful you felt your hair cut was, I found it very hard to enjoy my trip and could not get my mind off the email and you being unhappy. I just want to let you know, that it is never ever my intention to send you out of the salon with a bad cut and I am so VERY sorry for causing you distress over the matter. I think the best thing to do is to refund your money because I do not feel right keeping it and I think maybe I am not the right stylist for you. I will be in the salon tomorrow from 10 – 12 you can come in a pick up the money I owe you. Best of luck to you, I hope you find a stylist that will better suite your needs, and Cindy, once again I am truly truly sorry for the grief I have cause you.
Thank you
Best wishes
Lynn Antoinette»
I offered to make adjustments to the cut, and was sincerely apologetic, and felt the best thing was to find a new stylist better suiting. I believe I offered everything in my power TO PLEASE her. Not to mention my co-​workers were present to her behavior. I do believe that it is OUR job to offer our services as trained professionals, and we should never be treated as servants and to be talked down to. This has nothing to do with emotional instability, if a relationship does not work between two people, then it needs to be addressed to prevent any further uncomfortable appointments.
MY RESPONSE TO LYNN:
Lynn did offer to make adjustments, but I wanted her layered cut to grow out a bit first. I stated that in my first email below and I was busy with out of town guests anyway. The photograph I subsequently sent was an angled bob with less layering.
This was my initial email to Lynn:
Hi Lynn,
Now that I’ve washed my hair, I can see I’m not communicating with you very well. I thought my hair was going to be shorter in the back and longer in the front, but it looks almost the same length all the way around. I used to have a more dramatic (contemporary) angle to my hair. The front needs to be a couple of inches longer than the back. So… I’ll look for a photograph to show you next time. I feel like a bubble head. Anyway, I’ll let it grow for a couple of months or so and we’ll try again.
Cindy Lamb
My subsequent email was an attempt to better describe what I wanted. And I did feel badly about not liking my haircut, but other than trying to communicate better, what do you do?
There was nothing wrong with my behavior while in the salon. I was polite and accommodating to Lynn. I was early and brought a book along to read, telling Lynn to take a break before my appointment if she needed. I left it up to Lynn to wash or not wash my hair, whatever was easiest for her. (She didn’t wash my hair.) So I find Lynn’s statement «…we should never be treated as servants and to be talked down to…» distorted under the circumstances.
The only thing her two «co-​workers» didn’t like about me is the fact that I buy Aveda hair products from Elizabeth (owner of The Salon) next door. Lynn told me during my very first appointment that the owner of her salon (Élan) doesn’t like Elizabeth. I’ve known Elizabeth for years and she’s always been pleasant. She’s an excellent hair stylist, but she’s also expensive and booked months in advance or I would have used her before now. At least Elizabeth isn’t catty.
MY RESPONSE TO CATHY IN PECOS:
It appears that Cathy Mascari has removed her previous comment.

I switched from another good salon in town to Lynn and have been very happy after two haircuts and a color treatment. These are the reasons why:
1. She is great at shaping and styling my hair. As a middle aged white girl with fine hair living in the desert, the latter is really important!
2. Her color treatment was the best I have ever had in my life. It looks extremely natural and I can hardly notice where it has grown out.
3. She has a great online scheduling and text messaging system, so I can find a time that’s good for me and the program reminds me of my appointment.
4. She’s just a really nice, professional and friendly person. She’s not just good, she’s the best stylist I’ve ever had.
5. I felt that the other salon didn’t really want or need my business, but I have not had any similar experience with Lynn. I feel that she is a friend. She will go out of her way to try and make space for her customers and their needs, aside from number 3.

I found Lynn after my stylist of many years moved back to CA. Lynn is professional, fun, and extremely good at what she does. Not only the first time, but each time I go in, she takes a few minutes before we start to discuss what we are going to do and how I want to create my next look. She is always up for anything and is great at both cuts and color. I have platinum short hair, and I love love love it! She is an artist and a friend. I could not recommend her more highly.

The attitude I got from Lynn was less than what I would expect from a professional. She was erratic and rude and seemed to have emotional problems that were present during the session. She was at one point even physically aggressive with me while treating my hair at the washing station. This happened after she was unable to match my previous color for the root touchup and changed my color completely from blonde to brown. Extremely disappointed and personally, hurt by this first time experience.

I have curly hair and Lynn Antoinette did wonders with my curls! Even though it was the day after a big snowstorm, she kept my appointment and patiently took her time to get the layers and shapes of the curls just right. She used some nice products I haven’t experienced before, and did a very thorough wash before cutting. Most importantly, she listened to my ideas about what I wanted and looked at the pictures I brought in, while keeping in mind what would be right for my natural hair texture. Highly recommended!

So happy with my new hair cut! Transitioning from long extensions and growing the top out I couldn’t be any happier with the style Lynn Antoinette gave me. She was so patient and understanding 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!

Had my daughter ‘s hair done, it looks perfect! Look no further– Lynn is the best in Santa Fe

Lynn is awesome! She was able to squeeze me in post thanksgiving to tame my unruly hair. She has a calm and easy going demeanor and I felt at ease discussing what I wanted done. My hair is hard to manage and most stylists have a hard time giving it much shape or style but Lynn studied my head and explained what she was doing and with ease and finesse transformed my lifeless hair into a stylin’ textured cut that now has body and movement! The salon has a great vibe, love the products they use, and I was treated like a guest.
Thanks Lynn!

Lynn is amazing. Both my daughter & I scheduled haircuts and generally, whenever her hair needs a fixin’, my daughter becomes ornery. Lynn was kind, generous, and understanding. She spoke to my daughter with respect and asked permission through the whole cut. Daughter’s hair looked great, my hair looked great, and we were smiling. I highly recommend Lynn!

Just went back to Lynn, and again, amazing cut. Love going to her! Very few stylists understand how to do longer cuts that still look edgy. Lynn GETS it! She is funny, warm, and approachable. She’s great!

Another great review for Lynn Antoinette. She is a very talented stylist and also a great person to spend an hour with. I went in without much of an idea what I wanted for my hair (besides the length I like), and I let her have free reign, and walked out feeling fabulous about my hair. She transformed it! It has wave, texture, and complexity… usuailly it’s very straight and drab. Also the ambiance of the studio was great, very clean & tasteful. I will definitely be recommending her to my friends. A+

I’ve been a client of Lynn’s for about 18 months. A couple years ago my below-​shoulder hair started showing its age – it was getting thin and stringy. I was depressed about having to finally cut it since I’ve always had longish hair. Well Lynn created a chic hybrid layered style that enabled me to have my long hair but get the appearance of a short look with more volume. She seems to have a grasp of «technical» hair cutting and good with color too. She’s got a hip, sleek, youthful vibe. I’m sure she could work in any major city, I’m glad to have her in Santa Fe.

Lynne is an amazing stylist ! She gave my daughter a beautiful haircut. If you are looking for a great haircut look no further!

Lynn is awesome! I am so glad to have found her. I trust her completely with my hair. Plus, she uses the Keune line, which is my absolute favorite.
Her salon and service feels like going on a mini vacation. I can’t wait to go back to her and see what magic she can do next time.
Definitely recommend her highly!

Lynn is amazing. I live in Santa fe part time as well as Los Angeles. Lynn is the only person in Santa Fe that I will let color my hair or cut it. I consider her one of the top stylist in Santa Fe, NM. She is always on time and professional and has an great eye for color and highlights.

Went back again to see Lynn and get a trim. Didn’t think she’d be able to top my last haircut but I was wrong! She had some extra time after my haircut so she offered to curl and style my hair for no extra charge. So nice of her! Will be back again!

Marlene
Lynn always gives a seven day «come back in and I’ll fix it if you have a problem with it.». You should have gone back if you weren’t happy…
I’m not sure what they charge in Michigan, but Lynn is VERY reasonable for Santa Fe, especially for the quality of work that she does. I’ve always had just the opposite experience — my color is fabulous and lasts and lasts and her trims and cuts are fab…
Hope you find the right person for you — I’ve followed Lynn to three salons and will keep following her wherever she goes.

After reading all these great reviews I thought perhaps at last I found a great hair salon in Santa Fe. I did not.
I did not like the last salon color I had in another town. I usually go for highlights and low lights but I like my highlights beige, not orange/​gold. I needed my roots done and explained my desire for beige/​baby blonde and that I needed gray coverage, particularly around my hairline. I think what too often happens to me, in even very high-​end places, are that my roots get under-​processed, voila the orange effect!
Lynn did just the one process – highlights. I came out the same goldilocks I went in, in fact it was hard by looking at my hair she did anything at all. The gray roots around my hairline were all still there and the color was same except I had a little less noticeable roots. The biggest difference was the dent in my wallet. She charged a ridiculous amount for what she did! She also has this awkward system where you choose 10, 15 or 20% tip on her ipad right in front of her. I think she knew she over-​charged me. She had a bit of a pained expression on her face as she asked if the amount was do-​able. «Do-​able», I asked?
She also did not feel at all friendly. I came in friendly/​chatty but she more often than not did not respond when I talked. She asked a few somewhat personal questions but did not respond at all in kind. I found it a little unpleasant and half way in I just stopped talking at all.
In fairness she said to be brutal in telling her how I felt about the outcome but it is always a little hard to see with the lights in a shop and although I sensed it may not be totally what I asked for it is not until I got home that I could really know for sure and I even said that to her. She must of known she did nothing about my gray around the hairline though. She also does not include a trim like most salons when charging a small fortune for highlights. I just felt she was in it for the money and didn’t really care about me as a client.

Let me start by saying I have a love-​hate relationship with my hair. The women in my family have soft, silky beautiful hair that always does what they want without styling product or tools and for some reason I didn’t get that gene. I’ve been to several places that never understood what I needed as a client and did not listen at all. I’d go home initially happy but after the first wash… sigh, disappointment.
This is not the case with my experience at Che Bella. I made an appointment with Lynn after repeatedly seeing amazing reviews. I went in and she was very friendly and we got started right away. She intently listened as I told her about past experiences and the last horrible ordeal I had with my hair. Then showed her my pictures of what I wanted and she got to work. She was very confident with her work and was also fun to talk to. In the end, she used a technique on my hair that made it lay perfectly and I was blown away with how my hair looked and felt. It was like having completely new hair. It was the very first time I was completely satisfied and genuinely happy with my cut.
I’ve washed it since and am happy to report I am still loving this cut. I am not going to go anywhere or let anyone else touch my hair but Lynn! I am even bringing family to her next time! :D I wholeheartedly recommend this hair wizard to anyone with a similar situation because she will work her magic for you too!