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A little background. I have fine hair. I mean really fine, like baby fine. Not every hairdresser knows how to cut hair like mine, and consequently I’ve had some really bad hair cuts over the years. Like the time the hair around the crown of my head that stood straight up, or the time the sideburns were choppy and uneven. Bad memories.
I’d been going to a former hairdresser for a long time, not because I really liked the way she did my hair but more because it had become routine. She was a nice person, and we bonded over our love of dogs. Anyway, when my husband started going to another salon and he liked the cuts he was getting, I decided to give it a try. This is a national chain that charges about half of what my former hairdresser charged for a cut, so that was a big incentive. I made the jump.
At the chain salon I met M. And miracle of miracles, she gave me a very good cut for an excellent price. My problems were over!
Maybe not.
M. is a little… strange. After several cuts I discovered she really likes to talk, and talk, and talk, and talk. Sometimes she would stop cutting my hair to make some point. I wanted to scream “Just cut my flipping hair already!” Don’t get her started on Vladimir Putin, and the politics of eastern Europe. For a few haircuts in a row, she had a story about someone who had just died. I don’t mean to sound flippant, but I was starting to get depressed at the thought of having to get my hair cut. I came to the end of my rope when during one cut she started bad-mouthing the entire veterinary profession in my province, not knowing that I work for the professional association for veterinarians. Enough was enough.
I complained to my colleagues at work and one of them gave me the name of her hairdresser. So I made an appointment with T. She is a lovely young woman and I get along great with her. I’m relaxed when I’m in her salon. But her haircuts…average at best. And they’re expensive. I’m back to square one.
I needed a decent cut.
So, I went back to M. for a cut. She took one look at the highlights in my hair and said, “You didn’t get those highlights here.”
Me: “Umm, no.”
M.: “This is not my cut.”
Me: “Umm, no.”
M.: “Did they use clippers to cut your hair?”
Me: “Umm, I don’t think so.”
M.: (muttering something I can't print here under her breath)
She expressed her passive-aggressiveness by spraying me in the face with her water bottle, followed by a whole lot of uncomfortable silence. Not so talky anymore.
When she finished, she showed me the back with a mirror. “This is the best I can do because it was so uneven.” I wasn’t sure what to say to that. I probably mumbled something profound, like “Umm, okay.”
Finally, it was over. I thanked her (I am Canadian, after all. We’re polite. I say “Sorry” when someone steps on my foot.) and left the salon. I’m sure M. had a few choice things to say about me when I left.
So now I’m wondering if I should suck it up and go for the good haircuts at a decent price with M. or have a lovely, relaxing time with T., even if I don’t care for the cuts as much and I have to pay more. Such a dilemma.
Why do we feel so guilty about changing hairdressers? What would you do, fellow Word Wranglers and faithful readers? I need help!
I feel your haircut pain! But your hardtesser should keep in mind the two of you are not married. It's not a committed relationship, it's a business relationship. Maybe try laughing it off with a "I tried to save some money, and I certainly got what I paid for!"
ReplyDeleteThank heavens we're not married! Though it is a business relationship, there's something very personal about the relationship with the person who cuts your hair. A friend was just telling me about her dilemma. She'd been going to her hairdresser for years, but for a long time she'd admired the haircuts of another stylist in the same salon. But she didn't feel right about making a move. She didn't change hairdressers until her first hairdresser moved away, which was years later. I think my friend felt it would be disloyal or cheating. Sort of like a marriage!
DeleteJana, I'm what my friend Dee calls "a chair whore," meaning I switch hairdressers frequently. I've probably had four different stylists in the last ten years. I've been going to the same person for about two years now and I really like her, but seriously, if she raises her prices or stops doing what I like with my hair, I'll change again. Yes, it's personal, but it's also business and it's your hair and your comfort with it and them that's important. It's not cheating if you leave one for another you like better--it really is just business. Find one who does what you like at a price you can handle. And btw, I totally get the fine hair thing, mine is too, so it's so important to have a good cut! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Nan. "Chair whore". Love it! I totally agree with everything you've said. My problem is I can't seem to get everything I'd like from one hairdresser. I just want a decent haircut at a decent price from someone I can feel comfortable with. I think I'm going to have to start looking at other hairdressers until I find someone who fulfils all three of those criteria.
DeleteI'm there with you, Jana. I've had a few I've "gone through" quickly, but for the most part, they're keepers. As in buying them baby presents, etc. Good luck finding someone who fills ALL the criteria.
ReplyDeleteI don't need a hairdresser to be my BFF. I just need to feel comfortable and relaxed in his/her chair. And get a decent haircut.
DeleteI only get my haircut every couple of years--much to the chagrin of my mother and sister. Lol But, it is important to find someone who can cut your hair to your needs. My daughters gave super thick hair and it took a few tries before they found a gal who could cut their hair without butchering it and who they enjoyed talking to.
ReplyDeleteI vote for keeping up the hunt--there's got to be someone out there.
Your daughters have the opposite problem from me. LOL. I think you're right about the hunt. I'll keep auditioning hair dressers until I find one that really clicks.
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