Stylist comes to bride-to-be’s rescue after hair is ‘destroyed’ just before wedding

Bad hair days are always the worst. So imagine what it would be like to have one with your wedding day just a hair’s breadth away.

And that’s happened to Catherine Batista, who went on TikTok to talk about her bold decision to switch salons for a routine treatment just three weeks before her wedding only for them to drastically mess it up.

In her original video, which received almost five million views, Batista — who goes by the username @cat_batista on the social media channel — told how she’s gotten Japanese straightening treatments done on her hair for the last two years, but went to a different salon closer to her house this time. Immediately she noticed some things were hair-raisingly wrong.

For starters, she said the product was put on her roots, which is normally avoided, and instead of leaving it on for 20 minutes, it was 40 this time. The next thing she knows, 50 to 75 per cent of her hair was on the ground and what was left on her head felt damaged. The video ends with her debating whether to wear a wig or extensions. Meanwhile, wary of wearing a wig, some stylists said her hair was too damaged for extensions.

Her story clearly spoke to those who watched it, with many commenters tagging a Los Angeles-based hairstylist on TikTok named Alfredo Lewis, who is known for helping victims of hair damage in his videos.

The two got in contact with one another, with Lewis telling Insider that he and two collaborators arranging to meet Batista in Las Vegas on 29 August for a cut, color and hair extensions. Lewis told the outlet that the cost of the services he and his team are bestowing for free could cost $3,000 to $4,000.

To prepare for the cut she was sent a box of hair products, including two shampoos, a hair mask and a hair oil. Batista then made a TikTok when the products arrived and explained how grateful she was for the positive comments on her original video. “Most of the feedback has been so positive and so encouraging, and it’s given me so much hope,” she said.

She’s even more thankful to Lewis himself, “I cannot even express how grateful I am right now. The kindness of this man! And of everyone who tagged him to get this seen,” her TikTok was captioned.

The comments section was even more pleased that their constant tagging was able to accomplish something for the soon-to-be bride. “I’m so happy Alfredo Lewis saw your post and is going to help you! You are going to be the most beautiful bride,” one commenter wrote.

“This is what I love about this app. Can’t wait to see the results!” chirped another person. “Good people. Restoring faith in humanity. Oh my heart best of luck, I know you’ll look gorgeous!” a third person wrote.

“YAASSSSSS OMG ALFREDO CAME THROUGH AND IT DIDN’T HAVE TO BLOW UP FOR HIM TO DO SO !!!!” a fourth person wrote in expressing their happiness for her. “Amazing omg.”

The Independent has contacted both Batista and Lewis for comment.