There’s nothing like the confidence boost you get from leaving the salon with roots touched up, split ends trimmed, and a salon blow-dry to boot.
But, my word, this bi-monthly grooming ritual comes at a cost, and I’m not just talking about the exorbitant prices some salons now charge. It’s also not about the static shocks of creaking nylon scrubs or the stiff neck from tilting your head back all the way into an out-of-sight sink.
No, I’m talking about the unbearable agony of having to make small talk with the stylist, an agony that can last more than three hours if you have a head full of color, cut and blow-dried. If, like me, you also undergo occasional special treatments (like keratin straightening), you’ll look locked in for up to five hours.
While some people are happy to chat with the person who does their hair, there are many others who find it tedious, uncomfortable and even stressful.
For some reason, confessing your boring, unglamorous life to a hairstylist several times a year becomes embarrassing.
Congratulations then to Finnish hairdresser Kati Hakomeri, who has started offering a “silent appointment” service at her Helsinki salon.
Earlier this month, The Mail reported that throughout her career, Kati has noticed that many of her clients view her salon as a sanctuary, a place to sit, enjoy a coffee and escape the stress of their work. daily life.
Kati also observed that regular customers often had nothing new or exciting to report and she felt embarrassed to have to admit it. I’m there with you Kati!
Saying “nowhere” to a friend when she asks where you’re going on vacation this summer is not a problem. Answering “watching Netflix in a bathrobe” when asked what you’re doing that night is equally easy. The same goes for “last night’s leftovers,” in response to a question about your planned dinner.
But for some reason, confessing your boring, unglamorous life to a hairdresser several times a year is embarrassing. So in my case, I previously invented an exciting fantasy existence just to seem less tragic.
Vacations in the Caribbean, dining at Michelin-starred restaurants and a variety of exciting hobbies. The only problem is that you have to keep track of the lies or you will become unstuck.
‘How were your holidays in Saint Lucia? Did you finally try water skiing?
And how are the Russian classes going? Can you say a sentence yet? These are both questions that left me stunned when, for a moment, I forgot the nonsense I had said in my previous appointment.
Of course, changing salons is always an option. But as any woman will tell you, once you’ve found someone who doesn’t rub you the wrong way, you tend to stay with that person no matter what.
That’s precisely why I endured seven years of Wendy, my former stylist. I knew how to cut my thick, curly hair so I didn’t look like an extra from the Muppet Show. Unfortunately, she also talked so much and asked so many questions that she left appointments feeling like she had run a marathon.
Even if I picked up a book or opened a magazine, she didn’t seem to get the cue that I’d rather read than listen to his analysis of every contestant on The Apprentice.
When your hairdresser takes such an interest in your life, you also feel obligated to return the favor. So he regularly asked Wendy how her son was doing in school, whether the vet had fixed the dog’s limp, and whether her grandmother had an appointment for her hip surgery. I didn’t care about any of that.
Traveling to Helsinki for a cut and dry with Kati seems extreme, but I bet I’m not the only one who’s Googled Easy Jet fares.
If that wasn’t bad enough, some hairstylists even involve other stylists and clients in the conversation and it ends up turning into a huge group discussion.
With four decades of salon visits, I know that the age of the stylist doesn’t make much of a difference either. The younger ones want to talk to you about their love life (and yours), while the older ones detail their pain and medical appointments.
Having to do the entire exchange while making eye contact through your own reflection in a mirror adds another layer of awkwardness to the experience.
Many people cut and colored their hair during lockdown and I know many people who, after restrictions were lifted, decided to never go back to a salon again. Some wanted to save money, but I’m sure others simply couldn’t face the thought of having hours of small talk again.
I had to move to another part of the country before I saw the back of Wendy the Windbag.
It’s true that UK salons are starting to introduce silent dating, but they’re still few and far between. Traveling to Helsinki to get a haircut and blow-dry with Kati seems extreme, but I bet I’m not the only one who’s Googled Easy Jet fares.
