I tried to get an appointment with the girl who did it last time because she was very good. But the only opening she had was at 6 am. Because yeah, I wanna get up that early on my day off. So I decided to take an appointment yesterday afternoon instead with somebody else. I've been going to this place for over a year and I've had a different stylist each time and I've never yet been disappointed. Well there was one who didn't cut anything short enough but that wasn't a big deal. The point is I wasn't worried about a new person because everybody there is good.
Or so I thought.
I got there actually about 5 minutes late and I felt really bad about it. But that guilt kind of evaporated after 15, then 20 minutes went by and I had yet to see my stylist. There were two receptionists, one who just ignored me and another who didn't talk to me but I could hear fussing with the other girls about the fact that I wasn't being taken care of. Finally she comes and introduces herself and tells me that my stylist is a little behind so just to get things moving, she's going to do my shampoo.
I go ahead and assume that she is actually a stylist in addition to the receptionist and let her shampoo me. She mentioned sort of offhand that she was going to give me a free chemical treatment of some kind since I'd had to wait so long. She didn't actually tell me what it was or what it did, but it did necessitate my sitting with my cold wet hair back in the sink for 5 minutes, so that was...a bonus?
Then I finally get to my stylist who does apologize and then I assume she's going to blow dry my hair since it is completely wet and I have never seen her before so she has no idea what it is like. She doesn't blow dry it. She doesn't even ask me about my hair. She just says, "It looks like you've had it in an a-line bob before?"
I told her that was correct, that I wanted it like that again, very short. Just long enough in front to tuck behind my ears.
She says, "As short as you're describing it it doesn't really sound like a bob anymore." I just shrugged because I didn't want to argue semantics. So I take off my glasses (without which I am close to blind) and close my eyes. When I open them again I can see from the blob in the mirror that she has taken off way to much hair. The shape is completely wrong. What she has done is more along the lines of a pixie cut.
It's not a poorly executed haircut, but it is completely not what I asked for, and no offense to any old ladies in my readership, it's a haircut appropriate for someone a couple decades older than me. To top it all off, the cut was about $10 more than usual. I didn't bother to ask why. Even the obligatory compliment by the receptionists when I left was pretty lackluster.
The whole thing was really disappointing, and now I don't know if I ever want to go back there.
I went home and tried to figure out what to do about it. I'm not really fussy about my hair, but it was pretty bad when I went in, and it wasn't a whole lot better coming out again. I didn't get the confidence boost that I needed at all. Plus the haircut sucked and I didn't want to pay somebody else to do it again. So I decided, "Fuck it." I've thought about shaving my head before, and I've always wanted to crazy colors.
Space Cases anyone?So I decided to dye it. Then I figured I could alter the cut as needed.
Today I went and got some bleach and some Manic Panic in Atomic Turquoise and Red Passion (which is totally pink), and I went to town.
This is what I started with. Bleh right? Yeah.
Here I am after the first round of bleach. I look like that guy form the Food Network. Guy Frizzeti? Something like that. There were a couple spots I missed, plus it was a little orange still in the back. So I went in under again for 40 more minutes. Then I thought to take that picture of my stylish bleach cap there.
Here it is all frosty and I really liked it actually. It came out really well. No chemical burns or anything. I debated for a bit about whether I should wait a few days to let my hair "rest" as the stylists say. I decided not to because I am impatient.
Then followed some agonizing and calling and texting various people to get opinions on the proper ratio and distribution of Atomic Turquoise to Red Passion (which is totally pink and has the lamest name of all the Manic Panic colors). I also didn't have vaseline to put around my ears and hairline to prevent stains, and I contemplated going to the store but again, I am impatient plus I'd already spent enough on supplies even without counting the initial cost of the crappy haircut. So I headed back into the bathroom and figured I'd wing it.
Tada!
The pink goes all the way around the back and sides, then there's the streak that starts at the bangs. There are still a few places with blond sticking out, and a couple spots where the colors bled. Fortunately Atomic Turquoise and Red Passion blend into a lovely purple. I'm rather pleased with it, although this might get old fast. Next thing on my list is to dye the poodle. Just a little. And just pink.
