 | Nadine AK
United Arab Emirates |  |
Shocking Experience at Havie and Moon: Irreversible Hair Damage and Complete Lack of Empathy
I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience at Havie and Moon left me in tears and caused irreversible damage to my hair. What should have been a simple wash and haircut turned into a nightmare.
As a new mother, just a few months postpartum, I was transparent with the team that my hair was more delicate and frizz-prone due to hormonal changes. I even brought my own brush and detangling products for extra care. Despite this, I was reassured multiple times: “We’re professionals, trust us.”
What unfolded next was a disaster. I still don’t know what products were used, as I asked several times and received no clear answers. It felt like a harsh clarifying shampoo was repeatedly applied, along with aggressive scrubbing, leaving my curls dry, tangled, and severely damaged.
Despite my repeated requests to brush my hair while the conditioner was soaking in, my pleas were ignored. My hair clumped into huge knots, and I started to panic. Instead of escalating the situation to a senior stylist, I was reassured that everything was fine, and junior team members spent over three hours tugging, brushing, and trying to cut through the knots, making things worse. When a senior stylist finally arrived after 3.5 hours, she simply said, “If we can’t fix it, nobody can.”
I left in tears and desperately sought out another salon, where the damage was confirmed: wrong products, wrong techniques, and no consideration for my hair type. They spent six hours detangling my hair, but I lost half my length and up to 70% of my volume—years of growth and care gone in a single visit.
Hair is not just aesthetic for me—it’s an important part of my professional and personal identity. I’ve always chosen high-end salons, but this experience didn’t meet even basic hair care standards.
When I reached out to the owner that evening, I hoped for compassion and accountability. To my surprise, the owner already knew about the situation but didn’t feel the urgency to reach out personally, even though she claimed to rarely receive complaints. I was met with a defensive tone and no acknowledgment of what had happened. She even involved my nanny, who had only been with us for ten days and couldn’t speak to my hair care routine. Her remark about my hair not being washed for a few days was uninformed, especially since washing curly hair once or twice a week is completely normal.
This showed a lack of understanding of curly hair, which should be essential knowledge for any professional salon.
The most disappointing part was the lack of an apology until I had to escalate the issue by filing formal complaints with Dubai Municipality and Dubai Consumer Protection. Only then did I receive an apology.
The AED 1,000 compensation offered didn’t come close to covering the emotional distress, the ten hours spent fixing the damage, or the thousands I’ve already spent—and will continue to spend—on recovery. Two professional salons confirmed that the damage is severe and will take years to repair.
The photos I’ve attached show my healthy hair on April 1 and the state of my hair after the visit on April 12.
The positive online reviews were one of the reasons I chose this salon, but I now believe they don’t reflect the true experience. Since sharing my story, I’ve heard from others in my community with similar poor experiences.
This wasn’t just an unfortunate visit—it was emotionally distressing, mishandled with a shocking lack of empathy, and caused lasting damage. I spent over 10 hours away from my baby, who I am breastfeeding, trying to fix the issue. To make matters worse, the owner attempted to shame me as a mother by dismissing my valid concerns and even making uninformed comments about my hair care routine, which only added to the emotional toll of the situation.
Please think carefully before trusting this salon with your hair—especially if you have curly hair or are a new mother. What happened to me should never happen to anyone else.
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| Incompetent |
25-04-2025
