Hair Troubles...

My husband says it is because I never stick with the same hair dresser for more than once, maybe twice. But how to do you go back to someone who doesn't listen or discredits what you want. For instance, a few days ago, I go get my hair colored (yes I have a lovely bit of gray coming through) with some soft highlights and a trim. I request a color that is between medium brown and dark brown with some golden (not yellow, not red) highlights. Just a few, no tiger stripes and I don't want it to look like I am brown underneath and blonde on top. I bring pictures, point out exactly what I like or dislike about the pictures. I am not asking to look like Jennifer Aniston, I recognize I have thin hair and would just like a decent color to cover the gray and make me look 20 pounds thinner. Okay I realize that is unrealistic but a girl can dream.

I was going for something along this line with the brown being maybe a shade lighter..



First bad sign was when she told me I shouldn't go dark. I have had my hair darker before and really liked it. It wasn't a dark dark brown, but was darker than medium. I once again express my desire to be between medium and dark with some soft highlights. My hairdresser then goes in chat mode. It always makes me nervous when they are so busy talking to you, to the lady in the next station, the person who walked through the front door, answering the phone, that maybe they aren't focused on "your" hair. But I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best. After finishing the color she wants to know how I want it cut. I just want a trim, otherwise it ends up too short and with a plethera of layers (which I always tell the person cutting my hair I am trying to grow out). She nips the ends and asks if I want it styled curly or straight. At this point I really just want to get home and check the damages. I tell her to fix it however she wants.

I always brace myself as they spin you around to face the mirror for the first time. You try to paste that smile on your face like you are pleased as all get out, while in the back or your mind you are trying to think how we got from what you wanted to here and how you can fix it once you get home. This is what my hair looked like (not the color, just the style) when I looked in the mirror.



Seriously? I realize I have thin hair, but PU-lease don't rat it until I could store a kitchen sink inside. She then hit it with a nice load of hair spray, wouldn't want to mess this baby up. I personally accept blame for another 3% of the ozone being gone with all the hairspray applied to my hairdo. In fact on the way home I stuck my head out the window while driving, was attacked by wild rabid dogs and saved 3 children from avburning building and my hair still looked as fresh as a daisy.

I know what you are saying, have her fix it! Really? Do you really have someone "fix" your hair when they thought this looks good to begin with? I mean maybe "I" would wear this to a big awards show with a big puffy dress, but for crying out loud I am a 42 year old mother whose only opportunity for dressing up is wearing a lovely sweater to the grade school carnival.

It wasn't until I finally got into the car that I was able to check out my color. This is what my first opinion was when looking at it.



An overabundance of blonde with something resembling brown underneath (minus the haircut and the cleavage in the photo). The hairdresser did mention that she may have put to many highlights in the top, but she thought it looked okay. She probably also owns a naked mole rat for a pet. No, I am not bitter. I own a lovely collection of hats that I will be utilizing until my husband gets a chance to throw some darker strands on the top.

The thing that frustrates me is that I have a hair stylist that I love. He has done my hair 3 or 4 times and each time I walk out of his salon feeling like a million bucks. It is as much fun getting your hair done by him as it is watching.



He is the fellow in the middle, Tuan Tran. The new salon that he is part owner in and just opened is called Studio H20 Salon in Salt Lake. He wears a holster that holds 3 pairs of scissors. He will wet cut your hair first, style it, then goes back in a does a dry cut so everything lays lovely and heaven forbid the head massage you get whe he washes your hair . You walk out with healthy, swingy, shiny hair that even a thin haired woman like myself loves. I have even seen him use two hairdryers at once in the same hand while styling with a big round brush in the other. I could get my hair colored, highlighted and cut for $100 which is not common in Washington. His new salon is a little more posh and slightly more edgy than the pervious one he worked at, which is where we met him and got to know him. He is really a down to earth person with a good sense of humor. He is married and has a couple of kids.

Once when he was cutting my hair, I told him if I ever become filthy rich (why do they call it filthy rich?) I wanted him to be my personal hairdresser. Imagine, getting up in the morning, breakfast with the fam, 1 hour aerobics with your personal instructor, 1 hour strength training with personal trainer, massage, shower and then someone comes in a does your hair everyday. Okay it would get annoying after the first couple of days, but man! Would I look good.

So in summary, if you have a hair dresser you would recommend, who really listens to their clients and does a great job for under $100 (maybe I am to cheap). Would love to hear from you. Until then, I will be the girl wearing the baseball hat.