Truthfully, I have done some of my clients’ hair for over 20 years.  They have grown up with me.  We have raised children together.  A few have even helped to raise me.  We share stories, and laughter, and tears.  We share recipes, and advice, and prayers.  We listen to each other and sometimes work out answers together.   I thank God for each and every one of them, and I will be in the shop on Friday!  See you there!

You just have to find the hairdresser that fits your personality and style.

How, you ask?  Exactly, you ask!  Whenever you see someone with awesome hair, you ask them who did it and get a number.  Hairdressers live on recommendations.  Many will offer free cuts or styles for a certain amount of referrals.  It is called getting your clients to work for you.  Everyone wins!

Call the stylist and book an appointment for a style.  Why just a style?  So, if you don’t like it, you can simply wash it out.  Chemical services and cuts require trust and commitment. 

Be observant on your first visit.  When you enter the salon, are you greeted immediately?   Is there loud hip music playing, or is it soft and soothing?  If your stylist is running behind, is an explanation or apology given?  Is the salon neat?  All states differ in sanitization and sterilization laws, but even older salons should be clean.  All dirty implements and towels should be placed in the proper receptacles.  Floors should be swept after each cut, before blow drying.  Some stylists rent an area in a salon and have no control over the other areas.  Is the individual’s area neat?

 Observe the stylist while he or she is working.  Watch facial expressions.  Are the clients in the chair pleased?  Does the stylist have the most beautiful hi-lites you have ever seen?  Do you both have pink and green hair?  Is cursing relevant during the conversations?  Does the stylist dress conservatively?  Are most of their clothes missing?  Is their hair even done?  What about tatoos and piercings?  These are not questions of good or bad.  These are simply questions that you should consider to insure your own levels of compatablity and comfort.

However, whether or not the stylist reflects your personal style, the most important questions are these:  Does the stylist listen to what you are saying and act on it, and are you comfortable with them?  If the answers are yes, and you are really happy with your experience, you might have found a match!  If so, ease into cutting and chemicals later on, again observing other clients as you go.

If all is well and you are pleased, make standing appointments.  Most Hairdressers will book ahead, and otherwise, it might be hard to get in to see them.  You now have a new hairstylist and will be building a lasting relationship with them over the next several years!

Now, congratulate yourself!  Go out and show off your beautiful hi-lites, perm, relaxer, or awesome hair cut!  You are the star!  After all, “All the world is a stage!”

Apparently, I have neglected my blog for a very long time.  It is amazing as it doesn’t feel like it has been but a few months.  Time seems to travel so quickly.

My little boy is now a sophomore, and my baby girl is in 6th grade.  This brings us to the fact that school is starting all over the nation, and it is time for those back to school do’s.  Little boys and girls, all freshly scrubbed in their new clothes, with bright shining eyes, and those adorable haircuts, will be filling the hallways soon.

 Do you like cutting children’s hair?  I say, it depends on the child. lol  Some sit quietly, others cry gently, still others scream, kick, and act like they are terrified.  It also depends on how you, the stylist, handle the situation.  Why is this?  It has been my experience that having a stranger come at you with sharp objects and noisy loud clippers can be a little terrifying.

In order to cut back on everyone’s stress, here are few ideas that may help.

Have the child accompany the mother to the salon for her appointment first, in order to aquaint the child with the surroundings.  If your salon has a no visitor policy, or a no children unless receiving services policy, perhaps the child could come in with the parent in order to make the appointment or to receive a consultation.

During this time, talk directly to the child.  Show them around the salon.  Show them how the chairs go up and down. Explain why we do not sit and spin around in the chairs.  Show them the equipment that you will be using.  Turn the clippers on and let the child feel how they vibrate.  Ask if they would be more comfortable sitting in a booster seat or on a pillow.  Show them how a cape feels around their neck.  A lot of children do not like to feel confined by a plastic cape, and will  much better with a small nylon cape made for children.  These are normally covered in bright, interesting colors and shapes that you can discuss during the actual appointment.

During the apointment, it can usually be beneficial to have the parent in a nearby chair.  Only twice has the presence of a parent caused a child to act worse in my chair.  Very small children sometimes actually prefer for the parent to hold them.  I simply put an extra cape on Mom or Dad.  It is all about making the child feel comfortable and safe. 

 Use directions the child will understand.  Instead of saying, “Please look down.”, say “Please look at your shoes for me.” Asking a child to hold a roller under the chin also works.  Instead of saying “Hold Still.”, try saying “How does a Mouse sit? Really still and quiet?  See if you can sit as quiet and still as a mouse.”   Talk to them the entire time you are performing the service about things that would interest them and keep their mind off of the “itchy haircut.”  One of my friends, who is the absolute best with children, actually uses cartoon character voices.  It is a little scary how well she can do those voices!  Ask the children about their favorite tv shows, what they like doing with their family, how they spent their summer, what kind of cell phone they have, anything that will help make them feel at ease.

Try not to discuss subjects that might cause emotional conflict, like if they think they will have any friends at school, or whether they like school, or whether they like the new teacher, etc.

In my years of hair dressing,  I have done many children.  Most are very well behaved as long as they are prepared correctly.  You would not take your child to receive a shot without explaining what is going to happen, in order to keep them from being scared.   It is the same with getting a hair cut or trim.  The word trim seems to be more “kid friendly.”  I have one client who has very long hair.  He will allow me to “trim” it, but told his Mom that he didn’t want it “cut” because it would hurt.  I personally don’t think they make ”hair” band-aides. lol

In any case, enjoy your young clients, they will grow up soon and bring their own children to you.  However, (only with the parent’s permission,)  no matter what you do, or how perfect you can get the hairline on a squirming little boy, if you offer a piece of candy or a lollipop as a reward for sitting still, never, I repeat, never, give it to them until  you are finished.  Avoid the stickiness! Hair belongs in the wastebasket, not in their mouths!  

 Have a great school year!  Remember, you are never too old to learn!

After a few months of resisting, I joined Facebook last week, and I am now addicted. lol I have found several people from high school that I haven’t seen in too many years, and it is a great way to just keep up with people. Some of the comments are hilarious!

We are planning a little surprise lunch at the salon. One of the ladies who has been there almost a year neglected to tell us that her birthday was Tuesday. We always try to have a potluck on those days, but as she didn’t let us know, and we all worked late last night, we are ordering in. Hope she likes chicken alfredo.

One of my ladies that came in yesterday is 91. I also do her daughter, grandaughters and great grandaughter. I do tend to spoil her. She is always so cold. So yesterday, I took a throw to work for her to cover up in. Every time we moved to a different chair, I would cover her up again. She was so tickled with her cover and her cup of coffee that you would have thought I handed her the moon. You know, at her age, she deserves to be spoiled. For that matter, we all deserve it. So be nice to yourself and to others. The return on your investment will be fantastic!

By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my brother Joe, who was born 45 years ago on Friday the 13th!!!

Ok.  Life at the hair salon.  Let’s see.  A hair dresser that we all used to work with decided to join us.  She is really sweet and added a lot to the salon.  However, apparently the conflict at the last salon where she worked was resolved, and after 5 weeks, she left us and went back.  Just when I was enjoying getting to know her all over again.  Everyone misses her.

This is the time of year that business picks up even more with all of the holidays approaching.  Everyone wants to look good!  Clients, if you do not have a set weekly or bi-weekly appointment, please remember to call at least a week ahead for an appointment as working in last minute callers will be very difficullt for all hairdressers.  We have a life too! lol

Also, remember that hats and heaters can dry out your hair.  So, ask your hairdresser for a deep moisturizing conditioner at least once a month.  Have your ends trimmed at least every 6 weeks to help keep the frizzies away.      

I would like to thank LaShonda for bringing in her cousin Celeste.  I love meeting new clients and helping them resolve hair issues.  I met one such lady last year.  She is a caucasion lady with very fine thin short hair.  She told me that she spent almost an hour and a half every morning trying to fix her hair.   By using texturizing techniques and some dovetail cutting, I gave her a cute flattering haircut.  I spent 5 minutes blowdrying it and styled it using only Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine.  No curling iron at all.  She couldn’t believe it.  She was amazed that she could do her hair so quickly.  She hugged me goodbye, and called me the next morning to say that she felt a burden had been lifted off her shoulders and that she was felt so free that she didn’t know how to act. That is what doing hair is all about.  I thank God that He has given me an ability to help people, and for all of my wonderful clients.