I’ve had lectures before on the condition of my hair. One was particularly judgmental, I’d been bleaching my hair for a few years and decided to give it a break and had gone for a darker colour. I then went to someone else for a cut and for the entire time I was there, the only thing he could talk about was how bad the condition of my hair was, that he wouldn’t have bleached it, and on and on. The thing is, my hair wasn’t in poor condition at all and every stylist I’d had in the time I’d been bleaching it mentioned the fact that it was actually in really good condition.
I had a really crap experience a couple of years ago at my usual salon. I’d been going for a while and absolutely loved my stylist who was also the owner and, for once, looked forward to going. Then she left hairdressing and sold the business. The new owner hired all new stylists and I ended up going to a young guy. He was actually very good, however he spent the whole appointment bitching with another employee about other staff and clients and generally making conversation that I wouldn’t consider appropriate in a customer facing role. While it’s not a massive issue, it didn’t make for a relaxing few hours. Anyway, he’d finished the colour and the cut and was about to start drying/ styling when the coworker announced she was going out to get lunch. He put down the hairdryer, picked up the mirror and asked if I was happy with his work. I told him I’d let him know when he’d finished. Not only was I paying for a cut, colour and blow-dry, but with a short style, I don’t feel like I could really know how it looked until was styled. He was clearly unhappy and really rushed the end of my appointment and the whole experience was really stressful.
I’ve had so many stylists over the years remind me that I have fine, thin hair, like after three decades I’d be surprised by this revelation. They also remind me that the style I’ve chosen won’t look exactly the way it does on the model, usually after I’ve said this myself. I’ve also yet to find a stylist who doesn’t try to pressure my into growing my hair, like it’s some sort of taboo for a woman to have short hair.
Like many posters, a trip to the salon is something to be endured for me rather than enjoyed.