Why do I hate hairdressers? I don't hate the individual people themselves, I just hate the salon experience, I guess. I hate the head massage they give you as they wash your hair; I hate the lighting that makes you look washed out and sick; I hate the smell of the chemicals they use; but mostly, I hate the small talk.
- Getting your hair done for a specific event?
- How's your love life?
- Oh, the weather.
etc.
The annoying thing about this small talk is that you have to engage with it, especially because the fate of your hair is in this person's hands. You can't look pointedly at the magazine in your lap, because that would be rude, and you can't just answer: you have to join in and ask questions back. It's exhausting! I could never be a hairdresser because I couldn't cope with the constant chit chat. It's one of the reasons why I feel like a fraud when working in retail: I'm sure the customers can see through my act and that I just don't care about their day.
Plus, I've never left a salon feeling overjoyed by my hair. I always say how much I love it, then I need to put it in a ponytail for a couple of weeks until the cut has grown a little and looks more me.
But I decided to deal with it and suck it up, because my hair has been frustrating me to no end over the past few weeks. Also, I've been watching all three seasons of Tabatha's Salon Takeover to get psyched up, so I feel I know what to look for now.
Which brings me to the second reason I hate getting my hair cut: the price. $87 for a wash, cut and blow dry!!! WTF? I nearly died when they read the cost out to me. I had a $20 giftcard I'd gotten from my area supervisor at the Santa gig, so that helped a little, but $87?! How on earth can anyone justify charging that amount? And I didn't even get offered a coffee! I was offered a "complimentary hand massage" instead. But I didn't take it because I HATE massages of any kind. Now I wish I'd taken it just to feel like money was spent on something.
How on earth can a salon justify charging that amount. And in this economy! And how is it that with all the gay friends I have, not one of them is a hairdresser?
Oh well. I actually don't mind my haircut because the hairdresser was lovely and actually listened to what I wanted, which was basically to keep my hair the exact same. Hmm... Maybe it's exactly the same? It would explain why for once I didn't walk out covered in my hair clippings...
5 comments:
I can give you the details of my hairdresser - she's not too far from your nans house, and a cut (which is all I ever get) is $20. She's chatty, but also a nice person and also listens to what you want :)
That would be great! This is why I get my hair cut every six months, if that - it's a stupid amount of money.
$87 for a haircut is ridiculous! Yet I pay something outrageous too. Why is it men only pay a fraction of what women pay? I think it has a lot to do with the fact that their generally not afraid to speak up and say its a rip off.
I remember in Australia 10 or so years ago a couple took a hairdresser to court in breach of anti-discrimination laws. The husband and wife had the same hair length and asked for the same haircut, but were charged completely different prices, with the wife being charged about $50 more. The couple won, and hair salons have had to change suit, but it's still ridiculous. And it's true about not speaking up - it wouldn't occur to me to get the price upfront, and because these people have my precious hair in their control, I feel I can't say anything!
Being a boy makes it easier! They never want to talk to us! But I have to disagree on the head massage. Best. Fucking. Part. Of the whole experience. I'd go in just for that if I could.
Post a Comment