Hair Hair and More Hair.

So, have you ever moved and DREADED finding a new, or a few new stylist to do your hair?  Well LET ME TELL YOU... I have been avoiding it like the plague!

With our recent move from the homeland of Grand Rapids, MI to the motherland of El Paso, TX- aka; Fort Bliss, I was TERRIFIED.  I mean, you want me to trust someone I don't even know and  have no recommendations on with scissors to my sweet soft locks of hair!?  Since the last person I had my hair cut with was Lauren, owner of  Ecouter Studio Salon, she told me that if I went to a Paul Mitchell salon, to make sure it was a Focus Salon, that said, it was the first place I went to per her advice and after leaving numerous messages with no return call, and no valid website for the ONE Focus Salon in El Paso, I said screw it and went with the next route; Aveda!  Looks like I'm making trips home just for haircuts and color Lauren and Jeffrey!!!

Now, let me first set the stage for what I KNOW an Aveda salon to be...Specifically, Jeffrey Richards Salon. Walk in, check in, offered a beverage of amazing naturally flavored water, Aveda Tea ( that's AMAZING!) or a barista beverage.  Then, once your stylist is ready, mind you, the longest I've ever waited was less than ten minutes, they great you with a warm smile, a hug most of the time and an epically calm and relaxing environment.  After you get your smock on, you sit back in the chair and pick out what oil you are going to have them place on your temples and in your hair, then they take brushes and brush your hair in such a manner is magically awesome and SO relaxing!

Once the brushing is done, its onto the shampoo bowl.  Ahhh yes, its like a ten minute head massage of awesomeness! Then back to the chair for your cut and/or color service.  Now mind you, at Jeffrey Richards Salon, the stylist is focused on YOU. They only talk to YOU. No chatting with co workers, no employee sits out front and chats chats chats and talks about what they did at the bar the night before...etc.  Jeffrey has his salon in such order, I'm totally spoiled. And its not just JRS, Lauren too! Lauren will sit with me, chat, WE can talk about what WE did the night before because shes talking to ME... not her 10 other co workers that have nothing better to do apparently.  And by spoiled, here is what I mean.

Here is my experience from today, at an Aveda Salon here in El Paso. Walked in, the woman at the counter was curling a co workers hair, no make up and nasty sounding Halloween music blaring over the speakers.  I checked in, was shown the smock changing room and once I got out, was instructed to sit on the other side of a couch and wait for my stylist.  He comes out in jeans and a tee shirt, and right then, I was terrified.  He was super soft spoken and looked fresh out of hair school.  Yup he was, but moving on.... I kept telling myself I try to give everyone a chance, its only hair RIGHT... It grows back...( shaking in my smock right about now).  He brushed my hair a little, then moved me to the shampoo area.  And well, shampoo and conditioned my hair.  Asked about my life etc. Sadly, no massage.  Then back to his station.  He told me he was using the Blue oil for my neck and hairline to relax me and it helps with sinus issues and headaches.  Wait, you mean I can't PICK what one I want... what the.. anyhow... moving on.  So, he tells me he is going to study my hair so he knows what he is working with... well I can tell you he was actually measuring to see if everything was blended because he made a few "key" remarks about my hair cut... Bitch please, either cut my hair or have someone else with more experience do it because I'm already afraid I'm going to come out looking like Miley Cyrus!  My appointment was at 10am.  I arrived like I was suppose to 15 minutes early.  I didn't leave there until 1135 am!!!  For a haircut, say WHAT! I have never in all my years of having to have my own haircut had a haircut last more than 45 or so minutes, maybe an hour. But that's it.

OK, so after my hair was finished, which mind you he parted in the middle, my part is on the left of my head, but anyways, he walked me back to the smock room, I came out when I was done and it was like, here is your amount you need to pay and here is your receipt and here are some referral cards, have a great day.  Really... No hug good bye, never asked for another appointment for a trim, didn't offer me ANY products... and the last thing, it was HORRIBLY out of balance, and by that I mean it was painted VERY unprofessionally, none of the window dressings were even and the constant gabbing of employees made me want to get up and slap them.

I'm obviously spoiled!!! See what I mean, Between Ecouter and Jeffrey Richards Salon, I don't actually know if I will be able to go to a salon down here.  Talk about a disaster.  Did my hair turn out OK, yea I like it, once I put my part on the right side and not the middle it will be fine, but lets face it, its not JUST about a haircut, its about the experience too.  I didn't even really talk to him not because I didn't want to, but because he seemed like be was too focused on being careful with my back hair line, I swear he spent like a good 30 minutes JUST on that part.

I'm sure with time, I will be able to find SOMEONE down here to stick with, but... I'm so picky and well lets face it, I know I have lots and LOTS of AWESOME hair, ( thank my mother for that!) that I just don't want to end up looking like a I stuck my finger in light socket.  Know what I mean?! :)

Have you ever had an insane or scary hair experience? What is YOUR go-to salon and what do YOU look for when trying to find another, be it for relocating or your favorite stylist has moved on?

~Heather