Drop the Scissors and Step Away from the Box
Okay, admit it. You miss seeing the selfies, especially the ones helped by filters to look absolutely perfect! No one is showing their bushy hair, eyebrows, not-supposed-to-be-there mustache, and skunk-like or dark roots, usually so well cared for by our stylists. No one should have any doubts about their classification, they are ESSENTIAL. If you don’t believe it, just ask the loved ones living with those of us struggling to accept reality, when our stylists have helped us feel polished and confident.
Let’s talk about a few things. First, I want to say those of you experiencing hair care after 1990 are truly blessed. Don’t get me wrong we all had our hair day and there were some moments…you just don’t want to think about. Let’s expand…
I vividly remember my last perm. The image in my mind is terrifying! I had finally outgrown the stylist I had used for years for the same haircut and perm I had taken on for four or five years. Her entire clientele had pretty much the same look, you could identify her clients on sight. So, I decided to trust a friend of a friend, just out of school. Not a bad idea if the stylist has someone they are learning from, a seasoned stylist. That was not the case. My shoulder length hair was just below my ears when the perm was finished. I was mortified. After all, everyone I encountered could see it. You may have heard of the three-day rule, don’t wash your hair or the curl will fall out? The curl did not fall out, it could not be washed out, I tried.
I was lucky enough to have friends with great hair and great stylists. I met my new stylist and she relaxed the perm, conditioned my hair and improved the style. I was committed to her until she decided she would retire. If you find, “your” stylist, you know retirement or relocation is devastating, because you have to start over. You may go through several before you find “your” stylist.
Many years later sitting in my stylist’s chair, I heard about his opinion of when hair changed drastically. The end of the perm as we know it. He swore Demi Moore broke the mold. Ghost was released in mid 1990 and he claims when we saw her rocking that straight pixie, our eyes opened. Thank God, the perm in general was over. Our beloved stylists were able to step away from the horrible smell, and style our hair in a manner which suited our face, the texture of our hair and if you had “your” stylist, they nailed it.
Perms were bad, but I realize there are still a few who get them, and their stylist helps them with their needs. Our stylists are there to support our needs, sometimes they talk us out of them and sometimes they can’t. Some of the cuts and instruments we used were just as awful as the perms we remember. Crimping, benders, banana clips, mohawks, the shag, Jheri Curl, mullets, fly-backs, flocking, pompadour, men with short bobs and bangs, and some hair-raising flat tops. And, if you’ve seen pictures from the eighties you’ve been wowed by our ability to have BIG hair. Thank you volumizing shampoo, volumizing mousse, and your choice of Aussie Hair Spray, Rave Hair Spray, Grand Finale Hairspray or the classic Aquanet. You would be surprised how much hairspray and styling products those high-flying styles required.
Take a moment and think about your stylist, is he or she going to appreciate the bangs, uneven ends, or so wrong hair color you return with? We’re closer than we have been to the upcoming “end” of our stay at home period. Hopefully, our stylists will be allowed to return to their essential salons. Then we are going to have to give them grace, because you know their phones are going to be on constant ringing status. We need them.
Put down the scissors and step away from the box. Go online and sign the letter to Governor Cooper, as of this morning over 5,000 people have. We want them back sooner rather than later. Stay strong, you will be back to your selfies before you know it. Don’t make your hair something you’re going to regret! Here’s the link: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/hair-salons-one-client-at-a-time-soft-opening-april-27?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1587036526&utm_campaign&utm_source=facebook&share=26856ac6-3a93-4dcf-8c4f-931cd8677e95&fbclid=IwAR0ipjNyDSdfGU22tYBT39dfhj2uqmjj4KmWk3ZaJe1ojvWwwWxobgW7jnU
SGHR