Tuesday 5 February 2008

Hair styling/removal/grooming. Serious business, let me tell you...

I was really busy this past weekend, so I chickened out on the haircut. I also realized that I shouldn't be spending "London" money (a trim that is pretty much the same price as a plane ticket) to get just an inch trim. So a friend of mine referred me to her stylist who is much more reasonable (again, my perspective is a bit screwed up here)and I get an additional 50% off because she's his client. Okay, I'm sold.

The mister has been really sweet of late telling me that I am gorgeous and I don't need my hair trimmed and my ends coloured, but bless him he's a man, he's biased, and he even loves me when I wear my hair in braids and mismatch my clothes. So, I tend to take him with a grain of salt and just booked myself in.

Coincidentally, I've taken full advantage of the hair grooming/removal/styling business and I've finally scheduled my waxing appt this week (yes, I've grown accustomed to doing this, but I swear in the name of all that is holy I will never get used to that PAIN) and then I'm going to the new stylist this Saturday afternoon, which I'm excited about, because a few days after that, I'm going on a much needed break abroad to Dubai with the mister. I need me some colour in my cheeks to counteract this British pastiness that I'm acquiring.

Okay, so it's a little bit of not-too-expensive pampering, but hey, can you blame a girl for wanting just a little bit of maintenance? Just a little. Thanks, Janet, you made me feel not so guilty. ;-)

I promise to post before and after pics so you can all throw tomatoes at your computers.

Friday 1 February 2008

Vanity

I haven't had my hair cut or coloured in about a year.

No, I don't have a strange phobia, I just haven't had the time. And quite honestly, I could care less about being that vain. When I go out, I only wear lipgloss and mascara and I cut my fringe myself, because it just makes me feel more natural (and I secretly believe that too much makeup will ruin my skin as I get older). That's how I roll. If the mister could cut hair, I would rather him just do it (he's had me as his personal hairdresser for over a year now, and loves the rock n roll faux-hawks I give him since I used to cut hair for friends' rock bands in New York (though it took him a long time to trust me, those advertising execs are very particular...).

I am, however, a creature of habit. And when I left New York I got very nervous about who would eventually be the person that chops my hair here in London. I've had all sorts of cuts: the Rachel (complete with caramel highlights- BAD), the Maggie Gyllenhall short hair, the bob, the Eva Green. The most recent cut from 2 years ago was the Meg Ryan, which I loved and the mister adores (it reminds him of when he met me). So, it's now long, down to my shoulders, layered and wavy, and I'm also growing out a reddish colour that I had put on it. Because I've been patient, I have a glorious 6 inches of regrowth: medium brown, soft virgin hair. I had forgotten what my natural hair looked and felt like!

All I really need is to just cut the ends off, but I'm even nervous about that. I am petrified that the swish stylist will breezily say "oh, dahhhling, don't you worry, we'll make you look hotter than Kate Moss!" And 5 minutes later I'd be staring in wintery panic at my reflection looking like a drug addict that just woke up from a 3 day bender. No thanks, I want to look like me: healthy, wavy, funky hair. No tendrils hanging by my ears, no asymmetrical shapes. No bucket-bob. Just ME.

So, I booked myself in to Richard Ward Salon and Spa. Apparently, it's really highly reccommended here in London, it's in a nice neighbourhood, and the stylist seems to know what he's doing. Plus, I trust a man to cut my hair, not a woman, I have no idea why, I think it's because I assume he'll be objective (too many women have sabotaged my haircuts). I also tested him and said "if I got a drastic cut again, what would you reccommend?" And he provided this picture. Hurrah!

I'm also thinking about getting my ends temporarily coloured, just to make my hair less two-toned, but that may be too much vanity for me to handle.

Anyway, I'm going to see him tomorrow at 9am. Fingers crossed all will go well. If not, it's been nice knowing you, and I'll see you in 2012.