AVOID THIS PLACE!!

AVOID THIS PLACE!!

Decided to go back here after having had a previous tattoo done by Hayley and receiving what I believed was good and friendly service at the time only to be utterly disgusted and shocked with my second experience at the ‘Painted Lady Tattoo’ parlour.

My review is a little delayed as I didn’t actually have the emotional energy to write this and sometimes you need to just let things go but I really thought it is important so others can be aware and not have the same disgusting experience I had. After all - we rely on others experiences and reviews to see if we should use a place or buy a product.

I live in London but booked a trip back to SA as my little dog was very Ill and only had a few days left to live. Grateful I got to spend 3 days with her before she passed away. Absolutely devastated by this I had decided to get a tattoo done in memory of my little dog and that I would go back to Hayley who had previously done a little triangle for me (I must say I wasn’t fully impressed with this tattoo as it had actually blown out but nevertheless had experienced pretty friendly service and I wanted to support their company). I contacted Hayley, booked the appointment and off I went.

On arrival, I must say the hygiene and rules are very good especially given Covid - also the husband Michael was very friendly on arrival and then I saw Hayley who was very friendly too (as she was before). We went through the design I had and Hayley mentioned that it’s lovely. We discussed the size - I was given three options of sizes of which I chose the smallest one and off we went to do it. Whilst in the room I had asked if we could touch up my triangle as besides the tattoo blowout, I had noticed it had faded quite a bit and for a tattoo that was only 2 years old I wanted it to be darker. Hayley had no problem at all and said that the touch up is complimentary (which I thought was really nice). Although I don’t believe this should have faded so quickly. We start on the doggy tattoo which is very special and dear to me - let me explain here that for me to decide to get a tattoo in the first place was a very big thing - it took me about 3 years to decide on the tiny triangle (which has meaning too). The tattoo is complete and it looks beautiful - I’m really happy with it and I explain the whole story to Hayley about how it’s in memory of my little dog and how special this dog was to me. As we are finishing off Hayley explains the instructions on care for the tattoo - I ask if I can record her speaking it through with me as I want to follow the instructions word for word (I’m pedantic like that and of course I want to look after it as best as I can). I leave the tattoo parlour and say that I will be putting up a good review and I thank them for their service.

Let’s fast forward. I was there on the 6th of November for the tattoo. The plastic wrapping is recommended to stay on for between 4-24 hours. I kept it on overnight and then followed the steps given by Hayley to wash it with a soft and gentle soap once taken off and then wait about 15 minutes and place an opsite flexi-grid dressing on it for 6 days. I saw this dressing started lifting but that the tattoo was still covered and no water was able to reach it so I managed to keep it on for the full 6 days. On taking it off in the shower (as recommended) I was shocked with what I saw - the tattoo was completely faded and almost like rubbed off as if it hadn’t been done correctly. Feeling so upset and knowing I was traveling back to London the following week - I urgently contacted Hayley - this is now Friday 12th November (6 days since I had it done) to ask if we could touch up this tattoo as it looks completely faded and undone. Just to make note of this - I had emailed from my work email address explaining my other email address wasn’t working (so that can’t be used as an excuse as it would make sense to respond directly to my email I had sent). I emailed very early morning - no reply ! I followed up at midday again - the rush being I needed this sorted before flying a few days later. I explained the urgency. I then received a response about 2 hours later - “…… and Please let me know if you would like a weekday or weekend booking for your touch up And I will be able to book you.”

So I was happy now with that response and rep**** almost straight away to say please can we do tomorrow at 10. To which I received no reply. I emailed again 3 times after this to explain the urgency and still no reply. Tried to call their office number a few times - no answer. Gave up for the day/evening and thought I’d try again on the Saturday.

Saturday arrives - I phone first thing as they open - no reply! I try again - no reply! I email - still in the morning to say how disappointed I am in the service received and again re-iterating that I had answered their question on when I would like it done and I need it today. I finally get a response in the afternoon explaining that “Unfortunately Hayley is fully booked up tomorrow. I do have Tuesday the 16th at 10:00 currently available.” No apology - no nothing! Now making out like I’m asking for a Sunday appointment when I clearly was asking for the Saturday! I get one may be fully booked but here you have a client who isn’t happy with the job you have done and quite understandably so - so then you make a plan - you work after hours or come in earlier or whatever you need to in order to sort the problem out and make your client feel like they didn’t pay for something that is a complete mess on their arm!

Back to the story - I reply straight away and explain that I was asking for Saturday and not Sunday and how urgent this is and to please help me as I leave in a few days and the weekend was the only time I really had as I had appointments and work the following week before leaving. I now asked if I could be refunded seeing as il need to get this fully redone in London - which i think is fair enough. I was asked by them when suits me - I told them - they ignored me and then made out like I was asking for a different day. I had to constantly chase them and call to follow up and then to ask for a refund, which I feel they should have been more than happy to after their very poor customer service and attitude. I then received poor excuses that they couldn’t get an email through to me when we had been communicating on my work email this whole time and they had my number but just chose to ignore me and hope I would go away. When they could see I wasn’t going away they were pretending to want to help me during the week when I had told them I can’t come during the week!!! You can understand how angry and disappointed I am at this point so this was expressed in email - only to receive the most disgusting and rudest emails I think I have ever received in all my life: Hayley to me - “Clearly you are the expert in the tattoo industry and all your friends are too. No you are not an excerpt Nor are your friends either we are trying to help and you are being unreasonable with us on this we can't just book people in When you snap your fingers we are not your slaves so just like every other person we deal with has to go through a protocol for a booking.” Just a bit of a snippet of the rudeness! Remember I am the client at the end of the day. I started off nicely. This all could have been avoided – all you needed to do was show that you care and gone out of your way to fix the problem.

I actually believe that mistakes of course happen and things don’t always go 100% according to plan but what I do believe in is making the problem right and doing whatever one needs to in order to do so. I feel the behaviour, attitude and complete lack of professionalism of Hayley and Michael is beyond disgusting. I would avoid this place at every turn. Can I also just add that I spoke to a few other professionals (where I should have actually gone) and they told me that one can’t tattoo on top of a tattoo that has just been done so soon after - it needs to be at least a month to let the skin heal. Hayley was more than happy to suggest days I couldn’t come but within a week and a bit after getting the tattoo. Not once did she tell me - we can’t go over it so soon as it will damage your skin further. These two are amateurs and I would stay as far away from this tattoo parlour as possible. I hope Hayley and Michael both learn from this experience. Mistakes happen - it’s how you deal with them – that is what truly matters.

Picture available (looks worse in life) and if anyone would like to discuss further with me or have any questions - I’d be more than happy to assist.