I have a difficulty keeping the same hairdresser for a long time. I'm not sure if I'm very picky, but I have never found the one I like. When I was a teenager, I really hated hairdressers. I have to pay to them and usually they cut the way I don't like it. Sometimes I think it was acceptable at the salon, but as soon as I come home, I hate the cut. So most of the time, I cut my hair by myself between the age of around 12 to early twenties.
It isn't easy cutting your hair by yourself. First of all, your hair must be long enough and never cut too short. So in case if your cut isn't very even and couldn't fix it, you can always make a ponytail or a bun. It is also a good idea to keep some wave on your hair, so unevenness won't show that much. Around the mid twenties, I started going to the salon again, but I never let them touch my bangs. I still hated their cuts, but I only went once a year, so it was tolerable.
After I needed hair colouring, I needed to go there more often. It is a very difficult process for me to find the right place. First I tried going to cheaper places like Sears. The problem is that some of them are good some of them are horrible and depending on how busy they are, they have different attitude, too. One time I went to Sears salon, and it was busy. The supervisor said that I could book an appointment for a bit later and I could come back. So I booked for a couple hours later and went into the mall to kill some time. When I came, the place looked still very busy. It wasn't that important for me to get it done that day, but the supervisor said that I can have it done and placed me in a chair with very upset looking hairdresser. She was arguing with the supervisor that she didn't have time. I had a bad feeling about this, but went to sit for the hairdresser to work on my hair. As I expected, she was rude and put colour all over my face. Since then, I don't go to Sears any more.
I thought it might be better to go to a regular salon. So I went to Ray Daniels salon. First few times were o.k. although it bothered me to repeat myself for not wanting to have hairstyling. They charge me a lot more for just using a brush to hairstyle after colouring. I don't need that as I don't plan to go anywhere after my hair is done. (And I never trust any hairdressers to do a good enough job, so if I had to go out somewhere, I'll make sure to go home and fix my hair first.) However I noticed that they are mostly Iranian hairdressers and they do seem to favor their regular Iranian customers. A couple times after that, while the hairdresser was working on my hair, their Iranian customer came and they left me in the middle and started working on their hair first. It bothered me a lot. At one time, three hairdressers worked on my hair and each time when they come, they ask me what the other person was doing on my hair. I never make an appointment with any specific hairdresser there because I didn't really like any of them. I was hoping that the next one would be better than before, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. The last time when I was there, I was very upset with what the hairdresser did. As usual, I went there every three months for touch ups. The male hairdresser there coloured entire hair (that's what he said, but I don't really know the difference between touch ups and full hair colour when they are working on it.). I booked on the phone for the touch ups, I told so at the reception, and how does this man do what I didn't ask. He also blow-dried my hair, meaning styling. I told him that I don't need styling, but he might not have heard me. Each hairdresser is different. Some of them use a brush, but still charge me as regular dry, but this man was charging me full hair colouring plus styling. So when I went to pay at the reception, I was shocked to hear the charge. It was double of what I usually pay. I told the reception that I didn't ask for a full hair colour and I didn't ask for a blow-dry. He said that my colour was all gone and he had to do everything. Since I'm coming there regularly, it was their problem if the colour was all gone. They had to do a better job. The receptionist told me that she could change as touch ups instead of full colouring, but can't change the blow-dry fee. So I sent a message to the owner of the salon complained about the incident. He apologized and told me that he placed twenty dollar certificate on my name at the salon, so next time, I could get twenty dollars off. Of course, I never went back there.
So I had to find another salon and I did find another one in another mall. The first time when I went there, the lady who worked on my hair had to stay one hour later than her shift and finished my hair without any attitude. She was very pleasant and she did a great job on colouring my hair. So I gave her a large tip and I came back to this salon regularly. Since I gave her a large tip at the first time, I kept giving her the same amount for all other visits. Although she was really nice, I noticed that there was something going on in the salon. Sometimes they are arguing among them. Not sure what the issue was, but some of them just do washing the hair but never in charge of anything else and maybe that they aren't very happy with it. One time when I was there, there was this lady with a bit of attitude and atmosphere wasn't very pleasant. My hairdresser was always pleasant and nice, but having to argue with someone else while doing my hair wasn't very comfortable for me. I also felt that I'm paying way too much at the salon, so I decided to find somewhere nice but maybe new. It was my problem giving her too much tips, but after giving her the same amount for every visit, I couldn't give her less.
My neighbor told me that she and her husband always go to this Korean hair salon. They don't speak much English but the price is good and they do a reasonable job. So I decided to go to this salon. Salon wasn't so nice looking as in malls, but it was true that they did a reasonable job and price was fine. However I noticed that they do handle customers differently depending on how busy they are. If you go there during the busy day, the quality of service wasn't so good. Although they are supposed to be experienced, they often wet my clothes while washing my hair. I was regularly going there for a several years. Then, one day, when I went there, the design of the place was changed a bit and I didn't see all these people who used to work on my hair. They sold the business to someone else. Although the new people were nice and eager to keep the customers, they aren't very good at doing hair, so I had to find somewhere else.
So I found another place. I found this place online. It is close to where I live and open on Sundays. When I called and asked the price, they told me something like $55.00 for a hair colouring. When I arrived, I confirmed the price with the hairdresser. She said that usually she uses $65.00 colour, but if I want cheaper one, she can use $55.00. So I told her that $55.00 is fine. She was quite good at doing the hair. The washing the hair was very long and relaxing. It was almost like a getting a massage. I was quite happy for the first visit. So I booked again with her. However when I arrived, she wasn't there. They said that she wasn't there today, so there's someone else to do my hair. I was surprised to hear this because I booked earlier on the same day and they didn't tell me that she wasn't available. Anyway, this time, I asked them to use better colouring. Because the last one she used came off on bed and made a stain. The guy who was assigned to do my hair didn't seem to understand English well. He was also not very experienced. When he washed my hair, it was long like the other time, but not relaxing at all. He kept putting water in my ears and pulling my hair in the wrong way. When he's done with washing my hair, he started styling my hair with a brush. I stopped him and told him specifically that I don't need blow-dry, just simple dry would be fine. He said O.K. and continued with the brush. When all was done, I went to pay at the reception, and I was charged for blow-dry. I told her that I specifically told the guy that I don't need any styling. She said that "He didn't understand English" and still charged me the blow-dry. So of course, I don't come back there any more.
Currently I go to a Chinese salon. I found this online, too. It is close to where I live, open on Sundays and they had a few very good reviews and no negative reviews. This place employs lots of Japanese people. They say that Japanese workers work very hard and polite and they like to keep them around. It is true that these Japanese people in this salon are very polite and pleasant. So far, I'm quite happy with this salon, but let's see how long I could come there regularly.
Image by deanwissing on flickr
No comments:
Post a Comment