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Thursday, May 15, 2008

I'll Be Moving On

I have a long and sordid history of getting into relationships with the wrong kind of people.

In high school I never wanted these kinds of relationships, and thought I was an independent woman and could take care of myself. With time and wisdom, however, I realized that there are things a gal can't do on her own no matter how independent she is.

Like, say, achieve the perfect highlights.

So yes in late high school I made the leap from DIY color kits and experiments with Sun In (ok and in one ill fated incident, with a friend's Jolen facial bleach) and got myself a hairdresser other than whoever happened to be on duty at Supercuts. It was a lovely little salon in downtown Braintree whose name escapes me but was a favorite amongst the blue haired old lady set which is why our relationship did not last long. But I did learn about the beauty that is a layered cut, especially when you have Hair For Days.

I dabbled with a few other salons in Braintree, especially after an unfortunate OH HAI! DYING YOUR HAIR BRIGHT DAMN RED AT HOME IS A GOOD IDEA incident. And while they all had their good points, I could not commit.

In college, I frequented Dellaria in downtown Boston for a few semesters. I liked that their blowouts were only $20 so I would treat myself to one once a week on Friday mornings before class. They also did a pretty decent job with highlights - who knew that getting highlights did not ALWAYS necessitate using a cap and a little scalp-picker/comb? It was quite illuminating! But as time wore on the allure of downtown Boston faded and I began going to the Dellaria in Braintree at the mall. Here I met a stylist I would be with for a while. . She had a way with color and to this day still gave me the best cut I have ever received. I literally brought in a picture of SJP and was like "please make my hair look like that" did it and I was in love and it grew out BEAUTIFULLY! Then she decided having babies was more important than doing hair (how dare she!) and I never saw her again.

Snif snif.

I tried to go to a coworker of hers who she recommended but we had a difference of opinion. The difference being I said I did not want eggplant colored hair and she decided that I did.

Sigh.

Around this time, my bff Andy started working at a LOVELY salon on Newbury Street and so I followed him there and for about two years, as I have expounded about on this blog many times, had a fabulous hairdresser and fabulous hair and could not have enough good things to say about them. I still don't.

The thing about me is? I am cheap. Well no,cheap has a nasty connotation so let us say I am budget-minded at times. And this salon was always pretty reasonable for a Newbury Street salon but when a letter arrived stating they would be raising the prices on all of their services, I did some calculations and arrived at the decision that it might be best to test other waters. I mean fabulous hair can be achieved at other places. And it had been a while since I went to a salon in the actual town I live in (which is chock a block with salons) so why not?

I did some research and asked around at work and after hearing the same great things about the same place, I arrived at the front desk of Aura Salon in Quincy last night, ready for a cut, partial foil and blow out. My stylist K, was super friendly and sweet and we chatted about what I wanted, where I was coming from, etc and then dove in.....and did a FABULOUS job. My highlights are exactly what I wanted and the cut is perfection. At the beginning of the appointment I half apologized for the behemoth that is my hair, and she scoffed "My hair looks exactly like yours when I don't straighten it". Hello! No one can do curly hair like a curly haired girl, am I right? I was very pleased with how it turned out, she at no point made me feel rushed and I appreciated that she didn't have 3 other clients and could focus exclusively on me. She also gave me free samples of the products she used on me so I can try them out myself at home before buying. Love it. Oh and the price? About $100 for all of this.

!!!!!!!

At that price I can definitely go once a month and it's conveniently enough located so I can pop in on a whim and get a blow out if I so desire. Score!

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(obligatory sh*tty camera phone pic)

I finished off the night at a local restaurant/bar with some friends and I have to say, martinis taste a little better when you've just had a fabulous hair cut.


20 comments:

Zippy said...

Very nice. But reading that it took $100 for that makes me more glad for being a guy and having the $4.99 Great Clips option :)

But that's a good look for you.

Flamingos & Flip Flops said...

Great color and cut! She's a keeper for sure!

Anonymous said...

Lovely!!!
I lOoooOove my hairdresser, but I agree with you that no one understands curly hair like a curly haired girl. Whenever my hairdresser attempts to leave my hair curly (rather than one of her fabulous blow-outs) I have to walk out of the salon sideways. It is a frizzy trainwreck. It's not her fault, I've yet to meet someone who has mastered these curls. (Aside from myself, of course!)

Greens and Pinks said...

Looks FAB! Yeah, I got that letter too. Um. I'll be shopping around for another salon as well. AGAIN! That's a lot of cash to drop once a month and since I cut my hair super, super short, once a month is a must. Sniff.

Sarah said...

Haha Nicky I have the same prob. They never put enough product in my hair when they style it curly. I try to tell them HELLO MY HAIR EATS ALL PRODUCT SO YOU HAVE TO USE TWICE AS MUCH but they never believe me and then voila, crazy frizz. So I always opt for the blow out. Hey its one less blow out I have to give myself which is alwyas a good thing! :-)

Andy said...

You look absolutely FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!


Watch out Vicki Beckham!

kolls said...

Gorgeous! Also, so unfair. $100 for all of that?! That's what I paid in Dallas with my favorite stylist! Here in NYC, getting your hurrr did is entirely too much money.

MegFordice said...

Remember when "Scream 2" came out, and Courtney Cox and those big chunky highlights in her hair and it became all the rage? I attempted to give myself chunky PLATINUM BLONDE highlights, at home.

Needless to say, I ended up looking like a skunk, and drove to the closest salon in tears. They had to bleach out all my hair. I looked like an albino.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous!! Glad you had a good experience at the new place.

I'm still feeling slightly wishy washy about what to have done to my head tonight--picking up some magazines at lunch for inspiration.

Gal on the Go said...

Well done and the cut and color are fantastic! She's a keeper!

East Coast Teacher said...

Sarah, you look fabulous :)

Rebecca said...

LOL you keep going shorter and shorter! It looks great! Very cute cut!

It is so good when you walk out of the salon feeling fabulous.

ShelbyAnne said...

EVERYTHING is better with a fabulous hair cut.

And I know how you feel, I have finally found a stylist who GETS me and my hair and all it's quirks and don't know what I'll do when I move 7 driving hours away. I don't want to find a new stylist...BOO!

Anonymous said...

That looks very nice. And 100$ is quite good.
I moved to another village last year and I was looking for a good hair dresser for ages. Now I found a brilliant one which is only about 1km from our house and for highlights, wash, cut, blow and style I only pay 60€ (nearly 100$ with the exchange rate right now).

To Be Announced said...

Looks great!!

I'm jealous of you people who can have cute side bangs!

Unknown said...

Looks great. That stylist is a keeper. You can understand why I was thrilled to find my long lost stylist. And since she owns her own place now it is only $90 w/tip for highlights, cut and style. Can't beat it.

alanna said...

oh just TOO cute! i love the shortness even better then the one in your profile pic :)

Anonymous said...

It is a cute cut.

"Well no,cheap has a nasty connotation so let us say I am budget-minded at times. "

This was the best part of all. Fug it - I'm cheap. :)

Britt said...

So true! A Curly headed gal always cuts better and your hair looks fab!!

Dinner and drinks always taste better with a new hairdo!

Anonymous said...

xD This is how I stumbled, happily, upon your blog. I heard that Martha Stewart used "Jolen" while incarcerated to maintain her highlights(because the general population is certainly concerned with that golden glow)and a light-bulb went off. So, I googled highlights and "Jolen," and eventually ended up here.
Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your witty posts. Your astute observations and off-beat humor are a delicious combo.
~Keep it up!
=)