A Beautician's World

I used to own a beauty shop. Back in the day. Back when everybody got perms and highlights and changed their hairstyle every week. Back in the 80s. Back in the days of big hair and bigger hair bands ... Bon Jovi, Queen, Pat Benetar, and Aerosmith. My daughter, Jillian, was just ten and loved every minute of getting her hair done at mom's shop. (She'll be 29 this December, and we still laugh about her hairdos back then.)

I didn't "do hair." I owned and managed the 12 chair stylist shop. An upscale place for white collar types to get nails and hair done. It was wedged between a pizza parlor and a florist. For two years I had a ball taking the "show on the road." We did free cuts at mall shows and bridal fairs. It's a touchy-feely ballsy business. But there's one thing I did learn about the hair business. These people are artists. And there are good ones, bad ones, and inconsistent ones.

All these years later, I find they're not much different than they were back then. I've yet to find a stylist in North Carolina that can give me a consistent hair cut and highlight. I've resigned myself to doing my own hair. At least if I have to scream about the way it looks, I've no one to blame but myself. I don't want a stylist to tell me how they think my hair should look. I don't give a crap what you think or what "big name" you studied with in New York and London. I don't care you're Vidal Sassoon's second cousin!

If I have to pay $100 for your time (believe me, color and perms don't cost much wholesale...) then I just want you to be consistent, do it the way I want it, and shut up. And if I'm paying that much for your time, then I don't want you rushing me through so you can do a wash and set on some old lady while I sit and wait on you to finish. I don't care about your schedule, I care about mine ... at $100 (the average price on cut, color, and style) I want your full attention.

Last time I went to the beauty shop, I came out looking no different then when I went in! All for the low price of $80.00. Never again. Not until I hear about a stylist that will listen to me, give me exactly what I want every damn time I sit in his/her chair. And not work on two other people at the same time.

Am I unreasonable?

I don't think so. I expect consistent care and service from my doctor, dentist, plumber, cable guy, banker, grocery store, and my minister! These "artists" or stylists as they're called these days, (beauticians for those of you who remembers the shops of the 60s) are licensed individuals. Besides doctors and dentists and your local massage therapist, they're they only people who will put their hands on you. Think about it. They're hopefully trained and paid to give you their best. I give everybody two chances. After that ... I'll find somebody else.

Or do my own hair.

What happened to my shop, you ask? A little thing like D-I-V-O-R-C-E. I couldn't go through a divorce and manage to put in my normal 60 hour week, with two kids to raise. So I went back to medicine, working for doctors ... getting regular paychecks. Life was rolling from one disaster to the next back then. But my employees, my stylists, though I expected a lot from them, were wonderful and warm. They were a consistent bunch and I will never forget the lessons they taught me. Especially about what to expect when I get my hair done.

Blessings to you and yours.