Hairdressers and chatting?

[AClassicTrenchcoat]

Do hairdressers get irritated if you chat to them when they are working? Does it slow them down?

I think they like to have a chat, to get to know you - beyond the cliched 'are you doing anything nice this weekend?' 'where are you going for your holiday this year?'

I've been going to the same hairdresser for around 20 years now, and we know each other so well. We have a great chat/catch-up when I'm in the chair! She certainly isn't irritated by our chatting.

I can't tar every hairdresser with the same brush lol but the majority of hairdressers (and beauty workers in general) I come across seem to absolutely love the conversation. Most are little busy bodies who love the drama and knowing all the gossip. The majority of beauty workers I find are loud, outspoken and they seem to know everyone and everyone knows them 🤣 this is just my experience.

My old hairdresser used to cut my neighbours hair, I didn't know this til she asked me where I lived and our building is quite unique and she asked me ohhh does neighbour live in your block and I said yes unfortunately he's the miserable bugger underneath me who complains about everyone in the building and she was telling me all the stuff he used to moan to her about 🤣🤣 so every time I went in she would tell me his latest moans 🤣 she found it hilarious.

Must have done something to upset mine, although not sure what, I keep the conversation light. Been going to same one for about 7 years. He is the owner of the salon. He went a bit odd just after lockdown- seemed to spend a lot of time online and spouting some odd views, conspiracy theories. I used to change the subject. He also infers that his wife is moody, but I think I might be too if he was spouting the same shite at home (Michelle Obama is a man, alien people living on earth etc). I don’t react when he raises his eyes to the heavens or makes a denigrating comment about his wife.

Last three visits, including one I had a month ago, he was decidedly off with me. The last visit he kept pushing me head roughly into position which he had never done before. Like noticeably roughly. I couldn’t call it an assault but nobody has pushed my head around like that ever. Or he flipped my hair over abruptly and it went in my eye, that’s new behaviour too. It was bizarre. He also answered my attempts to lighten the mood with monosyllabic answers.

I was wondering if I chatted too much, even though he was the one who used to do most of the talking. I thought maybe he just doesn’t want to talk, which is fine, but the rough handling is not fine. I don’t think I have done anything wrong, feel pissed off that I paid a not inconsiderable amount of money to be disrespected as a customer. Of course I tip well too, and still did the last time. I could kick myself for that.

I don’t want to go back, but as I am leaving the area in the next year I have been thinking I would just go back a few more times because I can’t face the hunt for a new hairdresser. His behaviour keeps popping into my heads at random moments in the last few weeks and it’s my subconscious telling me I can’t go back. He treated me with contempt and I would rather have a bad haircut elsewhere than give him another penny. I am actually angry now rather than a bit hurt and baffled.

I am genuinely bemused what it is I have done. I am about the same age as his wife, maybe he has lumped me in with her, he mentioned she was going through the menopause. Maybe he now has a downer on middle aged women, maybe he is a fan of Andrew Tate (his online meanderings have no doubt come across Tate).

I don’t suppose I will ever know. But disconcerting nonetheless.

Why would you stick with a hairdresser that is so objectionable?

Your hairdresser sounds a bit off. Chatting is part of the job and generally they stick to safe topics and don’t touch on the controversial ones.

I’ve had the same one for years so we stray into politics now. We mainly agree with each other.. bit of healthy back and forth about the somethings we don’t: but I enjoy it. Honestly if I had to be listening to someone saying that Michelle Obama is a man I just couldn’t be doing it.

Go and find someone to chat about your holidays or kids with.

He started off normal, chatting about holidays, family, dogs etc. His haircuts were always good. I had some bad haircuts elsewhere so finding him was great. Last few haircuts haven’t been great, but as I am moving on soon, I was just carrying on because it was easy. But he overstepped a line last time, I can’t go back. He seemed angry, whether that was at me, or just that he has become angry in general. Why the fuck didn’t I say something, I certainly shouldn’t have tipped him. Hairdresser and client relationship is an odd one, hair is important, and they are using sharp implement! But there was no need for rough handling.

He’s the owner? I would not let this go. You need to challenge this. E-mail him. Put it in writing and put it through his letterbox but don’t leave it unchallenged!

It’s been a month @LittleEsme,I missed the boat. I feel v.annoyed with myself. I wouldn’t allow my partner to shove my head around like that but I allowed him to, and paid him to boot, with tip. I am a very assertive person but when I get in a hairdressers chair I become smaller for some reason. It has clearly bothered me. I won’t go back.

He sounds horrible, there’s no way I’d go back where my customer obviously isn’t welcome. My hairdresser loves a chat, he’s about my age and we reminisce about our wild times in the 80’s.

He was really nice pre covid, still nice afterwards but with a few odd opinions (conspiracy theories) but still a family man, chatting about his kids and dogs and holidays. He seems to be online a lot, and in the last say 18 months he has changed. I mean, he could have all sorts of issues I don’t know about, but his behaviour towards me was off. You don’t bring your personal issues to work when you are cutting someone’s hair. It was awkward. I am a grown ass woman and I should have said X are you ok, you are being quite rough. But I didn’t, I kept trying to lighten his mood. I am angry with him but even more angry that I didn’t say anything. I hope his wife isn’t standing for any nonsense.