Since moving to America, I've struggled to find a really good hairdresser. No, it's not because they're all rubbish - they're not. But it's not easy to find a hairdresser who gets me, my hair and what I want... especially when it comes to my fringe! And my husband doesn't understand the obsession with finding the perfect hairdresser. The way he sees it, if someone's got a pair of hairdressing scissors and a blowdryer, and they know what to do with them - then what's the problem?
It cast my mind back to when we lived in London and we moved home quite a few rimes until we moved to the States. But the problem was - problem according to Mr. D. that is - was that he could never understand that no matter where we moved to, I still insisted on trekking to the other side of the city to visit my usual salon.
"What's the matter with you?" he would ask exasperated, "we have a salon just down the road from us and you still want to go to your old salon!"
"Yes," I replied equally annoyed, "because they know me."
"So what? The beauticians at the new salon will get to know you too. I don't see why it matters..."
And on and on it raged. Most people might not care who cuts their hair just as long as it's done well and for a good price. But for some of us, we are very particular who we allow near our face, hair, nails and body. If they prove to be good, we will continue to use them no matter what the cost or how far we have to travel.
And it's not only that but over time, we start to build a rapport with our beautician/hair stylist. They know what treatments we like; what products work for our skin and which don't; how we usually have our hair styled etc. And of course there's the bonding that occurs over the luxury pedicure. We talk; we tell them things; they tell us things; we share advice about things that aren't even remotely related to hair and beauty. That's why we keep going back to the same people time and time again.
And as I know only too well, good salons are really hard to find. I have had my fair share - and probably everyone else's fair share - of horror stories including the disgusting beautician who used window cleaner on my face (?) and the even more hideous salon owner who tried to cover up for her. So is it any wonder then, that when we find someone whose work we like and whom we bond with, that we make like Velcro and attach ourselves to them?
Over dinner with some of our friends one night, Mr. D had a good moan to them about me traipsing for miles to get to my fave salon.
"Well," one of my friends began, " when you get used to a salon, you don't really want to go anywhere else. That's just the way it is."
That told him! He even said that he overheard his work colleagues talking about the same thing: that they would travel out of town to go to a salon that they really liked. I think he's beginning to understand that it's just what some people - especially us girls - do. However my friends did laugh their heads off when they heard that I was constantly emailing my hairdresser when I went on holiday - saying that I was taking the attachment thing too far!
I'm now going to contradict everything that I've just said and end the story by saying that eventually I did visit a new salon that was only a ten minute walk from where we once lived. Well it was Mr. D. who persuaded me to give it a go. "Just go and see how it is," he said. And I did because it was the weekend; I was frazzled after a hard week, and I didn't want to travel too far for a well deserved facial and massage. And I'm glad that I did because I was very happy with the service - and they cut my fringe exactly as I wanted which many hairdressers can't do, even when I go in with a photo - and I got on brilliantly with the ladies who worked there. But that does not mean that I have abandoned any of my regular haunts. And whenever I go to London, I go to whoever is nearest to the place where I'm staying. It always helps to have somewhere local to go to when I need a super quick pick-me-up.
So why do I feel so guilty? I feel like a cheating spouse! As though seeing more than one stylist is a crime. Does anyone else have salon issues?
Photos: Pixabay
Blog graphics: Angel Noire
I feel that my hair is my best feature. If I may say so myself! So I'm very careful who I trust with my locks. When someone does an amazing job with my hair, I tend to stick with them. The hairdresser i have now, I've been with for eight years.
I have to say I'm certainly not one of those people who chop and change. Once I find someone who does a brilliant job I tend to stick with them. I love my hair - it really is my crowning glory. And while my style hasn't changed a whole lot over the years, my colour has and I'm very particular about who goes near my hair. I know there's a lot of us ladies who feel that way. I wonder if it's the same with the guys.
My hairdresser does my colour and my fringe exactly as I want it. If ever she quit her job I don't know what I'd do or where I'd go!
I'm a black woman so when I look for a hairdresser or any kind of beautician or stylist, I need someone who understands my skin and hair. Where I grew up, it was mostly a black neighbourhood so I had no issues finding someone to do my hair, and if I liked it, I would stay with them. But since moving to Australia, it's been harder and I now have to travel much further than I would like to my hairdresser. But it's worth it because she understands what I like and what my hair needs, and I'm always happy with her work.
The relationship between beautician and friend is hard to explain but it's almost like a friendship, so that might explain why we feel a little disloyal when we have to go somewhere else, even if it is only short-term.