A woman says she told her stylist ‘good for you’ about her divorce, and by the end of the cut the stylist wasn’t ‘comfortable’ continuing

Astrologer Megan Pompetti (madampersand) recently went viral with an Instagram video about a haircut gone wrong that has drawn more than 7 million views. In her video, she showed viewers her attempt to style the haircut she hated, writing in the overlay text, “GRWM to fix the bowl cut from hell.” In her narration, she said she had been looking for an edgy bob, but things went wrong when she tried to make polite conversation.

After telling the stylist that her husband was making her dinner, Pompetti says she asked whether the stylist had a partner, and the stylist revealed she was divorced. Pompetti says she tried to be supportive with a “good for you,” but the stylist shut the conversation down, saying, “I think that’s actually none of your business.” While Pompetti noted this was a powerful way to set a boundary, she said it made the rest of the appointment incredibly awkward.

As the haircut progressed, Pompetti says the style looked worse by the minute. When she finally voiced her concerns, she says the stylist told her the cut was not finished and suggested Pompetti didn’t trust her. Agreeing that she might be jumping the gun, Pompetti let the stylist finish. However, after noticing Pompetti wasn’t happy, the stylist told her, according to Pompetti, “Look, we’re really not seeing eye to eye. I don’t think I’m your hairstylist, and I don’t think you should come back.”

Her reference photos did not save the appointment

Pompetti says she pulled out her reference photos again when the stylist asked how she could fix it. According to Pompetti, the stylist called the cut her “interpretation of this cut,” then eventually said, “I don’t feel comfortable continuing this haircut,” and asked Pompetti to leave.

Pompetti’s viewers were shocked by the story, and one user wrote, “I am really hoping that you also left a review.” Some tried to theorize why the stylist reacted that way, with one user suggesting, “I have a feeling her divorce was yesterday.”

Others found the stylist unprofessional. One commenter wrote, “As a hairdresser, just don’t mention anything you aren’t prepared to talk about.” Some viewers tried to lighten the mood, with one user quipping, “girl you got a nonconsensual bob.”

Melbourne’s Bob Salon suggests that customers who aren’t happy with a haircut should “speak up promptly,” since it is easier to fix things during the appointment. The salon recommends being specific with feedback and keeping the conversation calm and collaborative, and contacting the salon as soon as possible if the customer is still unhappy, as many salons have guarantee windows. One Londoner flew abroad for a haircut after finding the whole trip cheaper than a cut at home.

In a follow-up post, Pompetti showed that her hair had been fixed. She said the “incredibly kind” salon owner worked with her to fix the cut, focusing on Pompetti’s fine hair texture and using better references. Pompetti said the experience taught her about grace and finding humor in tough moments, even though she admitted to crying after the initial appointment.