Tag: hairdresser

Hairdresser Dilemma

LagosMum4 Comments

I’ve been meaning to try out a new hairdresser.

I need to have my roots/highlights done quite desperately, but don’t really want to go back to my usual place.  There are many reasons, but I’ve also never been totally happy with the end result.

I thought about waiting until I get to Dubai, but then wondered if I really want to spend three hours sitting in the hairdresser, when I could spend it in the mall…

Anyway, so many people have talked about this lady – I’ll call her….  I’ll call her Tina.  She’s meant to be AMAZING at highlights and colour.  I do always feel a twinge of envy when I look at my friend’s hair.  Also, she’s cheaper than my usual hairdresser.  So I thought I’d try her out.

I asked someone for her number.  She gave me the salon number and Tina’s mobile number.  I decided to call the salon – if she wasn’t in how would she be able to take an appointment, etc.

A Lebanese man answered the phone and this is what transpired…

Me: Hi!  I’d like to make an appointment with Tina for colour and highlights, please.

Him: Madam, you don’t make appointments with Tina, you make them with me.

Me: Ok – sorry.

Him: Tina works for me.

Me: Okaaay.

Him: You must be Indian if you’re asking for Tina.

WTF?

I’m thinking that all the Indians want Tina to do their highlights because she’s good at it, and he’s a bit peeved?

Me: Yes, I am.

Him: That’s why you’re asking for her.  Who gave you this number?

Me: *gives name (of non-Indian) friend*

Him: Who?

Me: *says name again*

Split second of silence

Him: You are welcome, madam

And then he went on to take the appointment.

WTF was all that about?  What a complete twat!

Please correct me if I’m wrong – but when you call a spa or a salon or somewhere for an appointment, if you want a particular person to do your treatment, don’t you make that known?

What crawled up this guy’s backside?  And how long is it going to be stuck there for?

Did he get all twitchy because the lady that works for him is better at doing highlights than him?

When I go there on Tuesday is HE going to do my hair?  Or will he let Tina do it?  And if he does it – is he going to fuck it up on purpose?

Maybe I should cancel my appointment and go back to my usual place?

Frizz

LagosMum5 Comments

I’d been toying with the idea of having that keratin treatment thingy to make my hair straighter/less frizzy. (Have I already given away that I actually don’t know much about it?)

I’m so sick of always having to tie up my hair as soon as I wash it. I’m useless at blow-drying my own hair and if I don’t tie it up after washing it, it dries a bit like this…

big-frizzy-hair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok, ok – I’m exaggerating. But seriously, it’s not a pretty sight. Even when I tie it up, it’s always messy and frizzy. It used to dry nicely – when I lived in London. But not here. Not in this heat!

I thought about doing it while I was in Dubai. My sister has had it done there about three times, I think she said. But she also said she found the treatments she’d had in the UK more effective than the ones in Dubai. So I decided against it.

I had my hair blow-dried in Dubai three times, I think. And all my activities had to revolve around getting my bloody hair done. For example, going to the gym or for a swim the next day was a no-no as it would ruin my hair. Ridiculous, right?

Just so you know – I usually wash my hair every day. But if I’ve had a blow-dry, I wait a day before washing it.

Last Saturday I went to the salon for my weekly (if I know we’re going out) blow-dry. There was a lady there having something or other done and I asked the hairdresser what she was doing. He said she was having the keratin treatment.

I didn’t even know they did it at that salon.

He told me a little about the process (some of which I already knew from my sister), the price and some other information.

By that evening I had decided that I wanted to do it.

On Wednesday I messaged my hairdresser to clarify a few points.

1. Did I have to use a special shampoo?

No.

2. If I did it on Thursday morning, would I be able to wash my hair on Saturday?

Yes – but in the evening.

3. How long would the whole process take?

A couple of hours.

Great – I booked my appointment for the following morning.

I was late in the morning – LagosDad’s fault, of course. But that didn’t matter.

To be honest, I can’t even remember half of what the guy did (the hairdresser that did it wasn’t the one I had been talking to about the treatment).

They washed my hair first (and the water ran out – so they were using bottles of water). Then dried it, applied some stuff to it. Left it for a bit. Made me sit under a dryer for a while. Blow-dried it. Flat-ironed it. I don’t know.

It took two hours. Thank God I took my iPad and could alternate between my trashy novel and Candy Crush!

After I finished and paid, I said, ‘So I can wash it on Saturday evening, right?’

He replied, ‘It’s better to wait until Sunday. Or even Monday if you can.’

WHAT?

Does this man not understand that I usually wash my hair every day? And that the thought of waiting even two days makes me feel queasy? Also, if I’d known I couldn’t wash it over the weekend, I’d have waited until Monday before doing it.

So then I asked if I could tie it up.

No. Apparently not. At least, not for the first two days. And after that, very loosely. Like with a scarf or something (which I don’t own).

He told me to come in on Saturday to have it flat-ironed again. Which I did yesterday afternoon. He then told me that I could wash it on Sunday.

By yesterday evening, my hair looked disgusting. It was so greasy, it looked wet.

LagosDad and I wanted to go out for dinner. We had to go somewhere dark – so no one would see the state of me!

So I’m about to go in the shower and wash my hair and I can’t wait

I can’t even think about what my hair will be like – I’m just so excited about it being clean!

 

 

 

I Don’t Need Your Advice… But Thanks!

LagosMum5 Comments

Vinay needed a haircut.  Desperately.  And I *knew* what was going to happen when he had it.  I could just imagine the tears and screaming.  So I asked Hub to take him on Saturday.  And he agreed! (Lovely Husband).

He took him to the same salon I used to go to regularly.  I haven’t been there in months (for several reasons).  Anyway, so apparently the tears and screaming were just as I imagined they would be and to distract him a little during the haircut, Hub gave him a BlackBerry case that happened to be lying on the table at the salon.

Vinay was still teary when they came home and he was still holding the BlackBerry case.  Hub gave it to me and asked me to return it during the week.  I knew I was going to *have* to go in there…

I dropped by there this morning on the way back from playgroup.  Vinay was clutching a few Nairas (local currency) which he’d taken from my wallet in the car when we went in.  He remembered the place when we arrived and started squirming and whining immediately (he sounds like a dog!).

I greeted the owner – the man who used to do my hair.  Like I said, I hadn’t seen him for months.  Maybe about 9 or 10?  

The first thing he told me was that I shouldn’t let my son hold that money because the notes are very dirty.  And that *he* always keeps new notes in his pocket for his son.  Granted, the notes were quite manky (as they usually are) – but so?  He was coming home and going into the bath straight away, anyway!

I then tried to put V down on the sofa while we had a quick chat – but he had already spotted the man who cut his hair and was very clingy.  I said, ‘Oh – I think he’s a bit scared!’  Response I received?  ‘You know why?  It’s because you don’t take him out enough.’  

WTF?

I didn’t really feel the need to explain that I take him to playgroup 4-5 times a week (yes, we’ve increased it from 3).  I made my excuses and left.

I don’t know if he means well, or if he actually thinks his parenting skills are better than mine – but I wish he’d keep his advice to himself.  Unless I ask for it!

It’s been bugging me all day.  And I’ve remembered why I don’t go there anymore!

 

 

Excuse Me, Mr Salon Owner…?

LagosMum5 Comments

Dear Mr. Hairdresser and Salon Owner,

I have been coming to your salon for many years and I am very happy with how you (YOU) or your other Lebanese hairdresser man blow-dry my hair.  I am also happy that you have renovated your salon and that it looks much nicer than before.

Unfortunately, there are things that I am not happy about.  Please find the list below.

I am not happy that you have increased your prices from N2500 to N4000.  But anyway – I can deal with that.

I am not happy that I (usually) always have to wait at least 40 minutes for my hair to be done (even though I wash my hair before I come).  But anyway, since you don’t take appointments – I can deal with that.

I am a mother.  I loooove to show people pictures of my baby.  But I’ll only show them if they ask!  I am not happy when you put your phone onto slideshow mode to show me every single picture of your child. More so if you are not going to ask to see my photos!

And while we’re on the topic of our children – please don’t tell me that the mats I have in my car are unhealthy for my baby.  Or that I have the wrong kind of sun shade.  Or that I shouldn’t use x, y or z product.  I will decide – thank you.

I am not happy that all your staff (hair washing girls and girls that do weaves, extensions, etc) have conversations by shouting at each other across the salon.  It is too noisy and irritating.

I am not happy when you are all busy and you think it will be ok for one of the girls to do my blow-dry.  Ask me first.  (I know I should say… 😦 )

I am not happy when I see that girl who is about to do my hair has been eating plantain chips and she comes to do my hair without washing her hands first (I did tell her to go wash her hands).

I am not happy when said girl pulls my hair, rips it out of my scalp, burns my ears, knocks me (repeatedly) in the head with the hairbrush and the back of the hairdryer and actually, really doesn’t know how to do my hair properly.  And then expects a tip.

I am MOST unhappy when you then ask me to still pay N4000 even though it was not YOU or your other Lebanese man that did my hair!

I am not happy because going to the salon is meant to be relaxing.  And it really isn’t anymore.

Please spend some time training your staff and learning about good customer service. 

That is all.

Annoyed

 

Pulling-my-hair-out