WIBU to ask this of a hair salon?

[WingsofNylon]

Would they react badly if I asked them not to make any conversation beyond deciding what needs doing and to provide me with an extra towel to put over my face during washing?

I need a cut so badly. But I don't want to endure the process.

I usually get my hair cut when I’ve just come off a week of night shifts (only time I have weekdays free). I make small talk for the first couple of minutes (how are you, are you doing anything over Christmas/summer/whatever) and then just tell the hairdresser I’ve been at work all night and am tired, and am going to zone out for a bit. Never had any bad reactions, and in fact my hairdresser usually gets a couple of magazines out now for me to flick through instead of talking.

The towel over head thing is s bit weird though. It implies they are so crap at hairwashing they’re going to drench you. I had one male junior once who tried to do some sort of full-face massage during the hair wash (and obviously completely wrecked my makeup ), but most of the time they are quite good at keeping water off your face. If your hairdresser is getting water on you regularly, they sound a bit shit.

Just asked my hairdresser and he said he would be absolutely fine with it, whatever the client feels comfortable with is ok with him. He said phone to have a quick chat before booking and explain, they can pop a note on their computer system as a reminder and it would actually be nice just to crack on without the small talk. No decent salon would refuse a request as simple as this. Good luck OP, hope you enjoy your peaceful cut!

I think the PP was spot on - “I’m a bit tired and not feeling too chatty today, I hope that’s ok?” And “would you mind if I popped a towel over my face, I sometimes find the glare of the lights a bit much”. If you are polite and smile they’ll be fine!

You could get your hair cut without having it washed. Wash it beforehand so it’s clean, and ask them to just spray it - it will be cheaper then too.

A proper hair wash makes your cut so much better though! I hate the hair wash process at the hairdressers - it’s so long and tedious - but it always looks, feels and smells so much better than my crappy shampoo and conditioner at home!!

I don’t think you are being odd. I agree with a PP that it’s a good idea to let them know in advance though.
As I get self conscious making personal small talk in a public place, I take the opportunity to ask the hairdresser questions about my hair. I have learned quite a lot!

Do you have anxiety? My mum did and used to wildly overthink everything and in doing so usually drew more attention to herself.

Take a book or magazine
Get a regular stylist who gets used to you and knows you're not a talker
Keep explanations simple - can I have another towel - I don't like water in my face.

Any good stylist will take your requests and think nothing of it providing that they are made politely.

I tend to go in, have an initial chat about what the stylist is going to do to my hair (is it a maintenance trim or am I going for a drastically new style?) as they need that information - and if i dont want a lot of chat then I make sure I am going in knowing exactly what I want them to do to reduce the need to have too much conversation.

When I go over to get my hair washed I tend to just close my eyes but I doubt the junior would find it weird if, once sat down on the chair, you asked if you could have something - a face cloth/towel - to cover your eyes as you found the lights very bright and uncomfortable to look up at.

When I go back to the stylists chair they usually ask a couple of questions to confirm my decisions about the cut (e.g. confirming the length I want taking off before they start cutting) then once they've offered me a coffee they're usually more than happy to let me get on with my book etc. If they seem chatty then a quick "Do you mind if I read while you work, I never usually get this much uninterrupted reading time at home?" usually clues them in to the fact I don't want to chat.

Could you get a mobile hairdresser to come to your house? Or would that be worse in terms of anxiety? But then you could email and explain the situation beforehand and not worry too much about how you are perceived by the hairdresser or others in the salon?