To hate going to the hairdressers?

[SebastianTheCrab]

I just hate it. I don't find it relaxing at all.

I hate being trapped in the chair for hours, having to make awkward small talk with the receptionists, assistant and hairdresser, staring at myself in the mirror, having to fob off the endless attempts to flog me products and expensive treatments, smiling and nodding at the end while they gush about how great my hair looks (are they complimenting me or themselves? I mean, I've just been sat on my arse scrolling Mumsnet for hours while they've done all the work?) and then fiddling about with tips for everyone at the end.

But today took the absolute biscuit. I went in for my once-yearly colour and ended up there for five hours. It killed my entire day. I had so many errands I was supposed to run today and had to bin my entire To Do list. I literally walked out in the middle of the blow dry so I could be on time to pick up my son from nursery.

I have no idea what they were doing for so long. They kept putting goop in my hair, washing a bit out, adding more goop, putting me under the heater thing, combing through, adding more goop etc etc. After 3 hours I asked how much longer it was going to take and my eyes nearly popped out of my head when they said 1.5 hours. It ended up taking a further 2.

And my hair looks almost exactly the same.

Dear hairdresser, this is massively obvious who I am if you read this - I'm sorry. I just hate going to the hairdressers!

I hate the hairdresser too. Sooo boring.

I started colouring my own hair at home largely because I can’t stand sitting around at the hairdressers (have since stopped colouring at all, which is even less boring!).

I love it. I love the small talk -- I've been going to the same hairdresser for eight years and I know most of them and their lives and stories so I like catching up. And I like all the local gossip.

I love all the ritual of it as well: the nice smelling potions, the sound of the dryers, looking at all the swatches of colour which I'll never be bold enough to actually try on myself, having my hair properly blow-dried.

If money and time were no object I would get a salon blow-dry two or three times a week.

I hate going to the hairdresser's too. In my case it's probably because my mum used to cut my hair off if I'd been naughty as a child, so I still see it as a punishment.
But anyway... Yes, it's a chore... Making small talk, having to wear a gown that appears to be trying to strangle me, none of it is pleasant.

That's why I use a mobile hairdresser. She's the only one I need to talk to (and she doesn't mind if I don't want to), no mirror to look in, no up selling treatments or products and I can get on with stuff while I'm waiting for the colour to develop. Oh and it's way cheaper than a salon.

What small talk? My hairdresser knows that I come to her for a breather from (1) work and (2) looking after our disabled son. She knows I don't want to talk, I just want to zone out. So no small talk here

I don't mind a quick haircut but the colour appointments that go on for hours are awful, I run out of things to say after about half an hour, your bum goes numb, the sinks always kill my neck. Such a waste of a day!

Yep I hate it too for all the reasons you say OP. 5 hours! I can't even contemplate having to endure that.

DIY haircuts? I cannot afford the hairdresser and have been cutting my own hair for well over a decade. You get good at it after a while.

I love it too, we have a proper giggle. We chat about absolutely everything.

I always used to hate going. I’m not high maintenance and just want a cut so I can see. I’m also a hairdresser tourist as I can’t stand visiting the same salon more than once as this often results in the same bloody rituals and conversation. Cut my hair, don’t chat bollocks and get me out of there ASAP. I’d prefer a barbers I think.

I detest it. In fact I’ve not been since I was 18. My hair is shit and thin anyway and never been something I like about myself so I bleach the shit out of it to put bright colours and cut it myself. It looks a state but at least it’s orange and purple (currently )

I hate it too. I always go in with high hopes and come out with flat flat hair. The hair itself looks good, just not good on me. It's an exercise in disappointment. It doesn't help that the last time I went, my hairdresser was telling me about her recent holiday, coughing into her hand, saying she'd been ill 'but was fine now' and running her fingers through my hair. I had to take a shower when I got home.

Got my haircut booked tomorrow. Thinking will get asked am I looking forward to Xmas. I have always hated Xmas so no lol.

@Gobbledygook20

Got my haircut booked tomorrow. Thinking will get asked am I looking forward to Xmas. I have always hated Xmas so no lol.

Heard plenty of Christmas talk today though mostly along the lines of "what are you doing for Xmas"

The phrases "hairdresser tourist" and "exercise in disappointment" both resonate strongly with me.

It took me a loooong time to realise handing the hairdresser a pic of Kate Beckinsale and saying "I want hair like that" wasn't going to actually make me look anything like Kate Beckinsale (not to mention my natural hair has more in common with a scouring sponge than a Hollywood actress).

If they didn't talk then I would love it.. I love my head and hair being played with. I just hate fake small talk.
So I haven't been since feb 2013.. and before that 2007 I dye and cut my own.

I’m with you op.

I hate it when they touch your hair pull it about and say ‘ sooo what are we doing today?’
I don’t actually know the answer - Ive booked in for a trim so perhaps ... a trim
Or ‘how do you want it?’- um the same but shorter

I hate the mirror. The pointless small talk the smell the trying to sell products the gown

I have long hair now which I cut and colour myself

I take my laptop and work while my colour does its magic. Means I can go during the working day (am a single parent so this is good), and means I just get on with what I need to and so does the hair dresser/stylist.

Everyone's happy.

nb it's more like just over 2hrs than 5!

I hate the whole "salon experience", hate being fussed over, the head massages, the inane small talk (9/10 hairdressers aren't remotely interested in any of my many and varied hobbies, and I'm not remotely interested in soaps/reality TV/influencers/fashion), and I'm sick of the disappointments. Last time I had my hair cut I showed her pictures of what I liked and what I disliked and was really looking forward to it. But I made the mistake of giving her free rein to do what she thought best and (although I suspect it's a technically good cut) I hated it. For the first time in years I actually cried every time I looked in the mirror for 2 days afterwards. It's taken weeks to feel a bit better about it but I'm still not happy. Thank god it's cold enough to wear a hat when I'm out in public!

Yanbu

I ask for quick wash, not twice, no head massage. Still takes an age though.

I have to brush my own hair as it gets so knotty after they wash it.

Haven't been for years...I detest it

I do my own. Cut and colour (which I make from foodstuffs). No faffing!

I go because i like the end result. But i hate the process. I find it stressful Especially when its windy. Had a power cut while i was in there back in 2018 during high winds and now i get nervous when its windy on the day of an appointment.

I still go too as it’s good at the end