Recently my sister asked, “How did you find your hairdresser anyway?”
The truth is, I found them because I liked their wallpaper. One night I was driving through the backstreets after working late and I drove past and noticed the wallpaper. I didn’t notice the name of the salon, just the walls. So I drove past again the next week, jotted down the name and promptly made an appointment the next day. It’s been true love ever since.
Last week, whilst staying in the Country, I wanted to have my hair blow-dried for the funeral. There’s only one salon in town {and calling it a town is a bit of an overstatement – it’s small and quaint} so I called them up, made an appointment and gasped when I learned that it was a mere $25 for a wash and dry. Perfect.
I turned up for my appointment and almost felt like I was cheating on my own hairdresser, even though she was hours away and it was only a blow-dry {there was no use of peroxide or scissors, for that matter}. The hairdresser was working away in her one-man salon. She had foils in her own hair, and had just finished dying her dog’s hair pink before I’d arrived. ‘Oh how I love my hairdresser,’ I thought.
“Are you from Sydney?” She asked as she straightened my hair with a diamante covered straightener, “I could tell from the way you gasped when I told you the price yesterday that you weren’t from around here.”
I giggled.
I headed back to my temporary home for the night, and of course it rained as soon as I got out of the car. Isn’t it always the way?
The next day as I was anxiously dressing for the funeral, my phone rang. “Hi. This is Kathleen. I just wanted to let you know that Kate has left the salon. She won’t be able to do your hair anymore.”
I wanted to cry, instead I had no words.
“You there?” She asked, “Kate’s moving away. So she won’t be able to do your hair.”
“I’m here,” I sighed, “That’s OK. Can I see someone else?”
She organised for me to have my hair done by a new hairdresser that she’d hired, assuring me that she’d be just as great as Kate.
I’ve always been the one to break up with my hairdressers, so this was a first. I’m hoping that I fall in love with her replacement.
How did you find your current hairdresser?
I grew up with my hairdresser, we've been friends since kindergarten! I love her, the kids love her, the husband loves her! lol! It's who we all go to – and the only person we'll all go to! I completely trust her too! Last week, I went in and said, “I want something different, do whatever you want…” and I love it!! 🙂
I had the same thing happen my hairdresser moved across country but she trained the new lady how to do my hair. She did and awesome job. Which reminds me I need to see her soon.
You never know – she might get in contact with you when she settles at her new place and get you to follow her. That's what happened to me!
I am in between as my hairdresser left to become a personal trainer. Have tried on a few but nothing fits yet. Nightmare!
Oh, the heartbreak! The same thing happened to me, but with my chiropractor. He left me. I was devastated. Then I started seeing a new chiropractor, who just happened to be one of his close friends.
When it comes to hairdressers, I'm a bit of a drifter. I go wherever and whenever it is convenient. Yes, I am a hairdresser slut. I go anywhere that is cheap and decent.
xxx
I've had the same hairdresser since I was seven (so 25 years…). There were a few years in my teens and early twenties when her tip cap and backyard 'salon' weren't cool enough for me, but $73 for a whole head of blonde tips + cut has kept me there for the past eight years.
We'll only break up when she stops being a hairdresser or we move too far away!
It's a tough thing breaking in a new hairdresser… Hope your new one is as good! 🙂
You are so lucky that this is yoru first experience of this – when i lived in Sydney (for 8 years) I had 4 different hairdressers 9all from different salons around Sydney) leave on me – most leaving hairdressing alltogether, some for different cities.
I was lucky that I found my last hairdresser through a friend (it was her cousin) and was thrilled when she said she was movign up to Brisbane – this time I was following – we happened to be moving up here 1 month afetr she did and she has gone on to do my hair for 4 1/2 more years!!
My current hairdresser is just my local. It's suburban, attached to the new shopping centre and I got my hair cut there yesterday for $36. yay. I don't have a relationship with a particular hairdresser there, I just like the price and the location.
I once had the best hairdresser ever.It was in Christchurch. He was Russian and fabulous. We would sit upstairs in his salon while my foils did their thing and drink coffee and smoke cigarettes. Then he ran away with a man he met online and his salon closed. 🙁
Hairdressers are the bane of my existence. I am ridiculously picky. I found the perfect one and then she moved to Melbourne. The salon didn't tell me and it was only when I turned up for my appointment that they mentioned she wasn't there anymore. There were tears. I may have yelled. It was so unprofessional of them – they said they had left a message with a man who answered my phone which was a complete lie. I drifted for a few years then until I found her and now I fly to Melbourne four times a year to get my hair cut. I am preparing to find a new one though because she is pregnant 🙁
i found mine through a personal recommendation from someone i had never met in real life. it was a great recommendation. then my hairdresser went and left the salon she worked for and i panicked but she rang about 2 weeks later to say she was setting up on her own. phew.
then she went and got herself selfishly knocked up [LoL] and is currently on maternity leave. in the mean time i've had the cut from hell from a big name salon and my hair was butchered – to the point of me contemplating cutting it even SHORTER to make it look semi decent.
i can't WAIT for my girl to get back off her maternity leave!!
good hairdressers that you TRUST are bloody hard to find.
~x~
I'm a hairdresser slut as well.
I used to go to a regular place when I lived at home (same one as mum went to, now it's just awkward as mum had to tell the woman that her husband had died in a car accident, since moving I haven't found anyone I like that is reasonablly priced
I'm going to try a work from home mum next time I think.
My story is similar to yours, I had driven past my current salon lots of times and it always reminded me of the movie 'steel magnolias' a cute, squishy salon where laughter and friendships thrive. so when my hairdresser moved away i tried the salon and immediately loved it and luckily they are all great with my hair so if one girl leaves i have a few backups.
Bettina x
I have been seeing my hairdresser for about 5 years now. She started cutting my hair after one other girl left for overseas and it has been love ever since. The salon that she works at charges me a fortune, but i am lucky that she and I have started walking together and she mentioned that she would do my hair at home, colour and cut for $100. I don't get the massage chair or the head massage that i love from a salon treatment, but if it costs me $100 less than the salon. I don't care.
I sourced a hairdresser through a friend of a friend before I moved over here. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to find someone who was familiar with dyed blonde caucasian hair and got a rec for a lady who had done a 3 month stint in Melbourne before coming back to Singapore.
Well guess what? After my first visit, she left the salon! So I tried someone else there and am very happy with my (now darker) hair 🙂
BuBbles
x.
Wow, I feel like a total loser.
I can't afford to go to the hairdresser 🙁
The only time I've ever been to one was on my wedding day!!
Sometimes I can’t afford to go to a hairdresser either, they can be so expensive, wish I had lovely long hair that could be ponytailed ….but no short hair…on it’s way to very grey. 🙁
I have followed my hairdresser to 5 different shops. Thank goodness she now owns the shop she is in so maybe she won't move again 😉 She is also my friend so that helps. I just sit in the chair and tell her to work her magic.
i have changed a few before i finally settle for one now.. she is more familiar with the problems of my hair.. lol..
by the way, you have a beautiful blog here..
I've been dumped a couple of times and I've dumped hairdressers many times. I'm not exactly a 'loyal' customer. A year is about the longest I have stuck with a hairdresser (but to be honest, I hardly ever have anything done other than a trim and blow dry, boring!)
Hope your new hairdresser is a winner :o)
I really don't have one, I loved this salon in Hurstville where they cut my hair the POB but I that was over 2 years ago now, I usually just go to the Asian salons as they are cheap.
but I think im going to try Mr Joe Bailey. (His located at my work, discount haa)
Hmm. I have always gone to the same salon. There was a period of time I had the same one but she left. That has happened over and over for years. I guess they just move on.
I may only go once or twice a year.
I haven't gotten to that point where I go often. Not that I don't want to just haven't done it yet.
Good luck with your next hairdresser!
Years ago, I saw this hairdresser at my fave salon. I was lured to another salon with better prices, however. After a couple of years, my new hairdresser passed away from a horrible car accident! By this time, I had my son and was ready for more pampering and decided to go back to the higher priced place. I called and made an appointment with the lady I used to go to, but I mis-remembered her name (don't you love my fancy word for “forgot”). When I showed up, a different girl came to get me to do my hair. My previous lady was there. It was awkward. Then, I ended up liking the new, new hairstylist better, and I still go to her. My old lady is still there. She never looks at me or talks to me. Am I a hairdresser slut?
To me, $25 is a lot for a wash and dry, but I guess compared to prices in Sydney it's good!
That's funny how you found a great hairdresser via the wallpaper!
I've never had a regular hairdresser before. Usually I just go to the cheapest place I can get!
I hope your new hairdresser, whenever you decide to use her, is as great as your old one!
i had a similar experience in hubby's home town with waxing… $25 for eyebrow, lip and chin whereas in canberra I pay $50+
my hairdresser is an old friend, but she didnt start cutting my hair full time until a few years ago. i wont let anyone else touch my hair now, and even though she is clear on the other side of town, I make that 40 min drive every 8 weeks!
I found my current (amazing) hairdresser around 10 years ago. I had had a disastrous colour by a crazy hairdresser in town (apparently “rich deep brown” equal ravens-wing blue-black to some people!)
I was crying to my mum and her good friend, and the friend happened to know an excellent hairdresser who had just set up her own salon. She got me an appointment, this miracle-worked somehow fixed my hair, and its been an enduring relationship ever since.
I absolutely love that you stopped at a place based solely on the wallpaper. That is so something I would do
awww I love my hairdresser. She costs me dearly but every 6 weeks I am there and I've been seeing her since I was a newlywed! she was a local hairdresser and I could walk there but owned a busy salon that had won awards. I love her
I want to see a pic of your eyebrows too! I wouldn't get approved as mine are too thin probably but love how you have to send a pic to get approved! hilarious:)
Corrie;)
I cut my own – if I can't find the hairdressing scissors I use whatever is available 🙂 No issues with a hairdresser leaving me! My husband pays $19 max every few months for his to be done at a nearby shopping centre by whoever is available when he turns up!