I was in Cambridge at the weekend and when I got home today I switched on my computer to find a huge wodge of emails, some bead-related and some not. There was also an absolute shedload of spam. Emails from banks where I don't even hold an account and super-duper deals from Vista Flippin' Print along with offers aplenty of cheap bead imports, medicine, hot girls that are ready to chat to me now and patches that will do miraculously wondrous things to pieces of anatomy that I don't even possess. I love the internet, I really do, but I hate spam!One of the nice and normal bead-related emails I received was from Joy who sent me this photo of a bracelet that she made with her first beads. Isn't it fab?!
You may have gathered from the title of this post that I'm currently in the midst of a hair crisis. This happens every now and again. As you might know I'm 'blessed' with curly hair which annoyingly has a mind of its own. I need to find a new hairdresser but in my experience hairdressers that can cut curly hair well seem to be few and far between. Sam, my hairdresser back in Southampton, was wonderful and she knew exactly how my hair 'works'. My mop could really do with some sort of professional help right now but I'm nervous about trying a new salon. My hair looks enough of a mess as it is and I don't want to risk trying somewhere new and then walking out looking like Brian May. That would be bad. Last week I discovered a wonderful website - Naturally Curly - which is full of advice and information for us curly girlies and it has a really well-stocked shop full of interesting-looking hair products. Thing is, it's a US-based site and the financial mess our country is in makes buying things from America pretty dang expensive at the moment. Rubbish. Anyway, by looking at the Naturally Curly website I've discovered that my curls are type 3A. I didn't even know that there was some kind of Curly Locks Classification System, but now I do.
So I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet and go find me a salon and I think I'm going to have to do that walk-in-and-speak-to-someone thing. I hate that. I've never been a girly girl and hairdressing salons make me feel uneasy. It's all the technical hair language, forced conversation, girly chit-chat and staring at yourself in the mirror with your hair in some crazy pinned-up mess while wearing a back-to-front-cape-and-a-rubber-car-mat-thing that puts me off. Plus all the other ladies in the salon always seem to be having interesting and complicated colouring and cutting done - things that involve spacey-looking swimming caps and tin foil. I always feel a bit of a frump just having a trim and a few layers done. Going to the hairdresser is quite a stressful thing. Am I alone in thinking that or does anyone else feel that way too?
Okay, I'm going to stop droning on about my 'do (it's more like a 'don't, actually) and instead I'm off to work out what colour beads I fancy making tomorrow. But before I go I'm going to say two words - 'Slumdog Millionaire'. Go see it. It's an awesome (as Chris would say) movie. Definitely one of the best films I've seen in a very long while.
Oh I feel your pain! I had a great hairdresser up in Leicester but it took me over a year to find one in SOuthampton who could deal with my curls - I wish I had known you then so you could have given me Sam's details! The worst experience was before a pair of scissors had touched my hair. I was asked "so, how often do you have your hair permed?". I walked out! Good luck in your quest!
ReplyDeleteMe too (though I've got straight-wavy hair. I hate going to the hairdressers. Lately I've been going without any make up as I know that, when they wash off the colour, they'll also wash off my make up & I end up with mascara in my eyes stinging all day! I also sit with my fingers crossed throughout the whole "relaxing" (not!) process & scared that I'll hate the cut I end up with (which is never what I may have shown them in a photo, just one of the 10 or so cuts they've been taught to do & which everyone in the salon ends up with!). Does Sam do non-curly hair??
ReplyDeletePS Joy's bracelet looks great & what a lovely way of keeping all her first-made beads.
Kay (Soton) xx
Love the bracelet - fab way to keep a record of her day! I'm with you on the hairdresser thing, having curls myself & a loathing of being titivated. I've found a great hairdresser who does what I want, but she's getting on in years so I dread the day she retires.....
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely way to showcase her beads, it looks lovely, my first attempt at lampwork were no way good enough to let anyone have a look at well done!!
ReplyDeleteAs for the hair I know exactly how you feel, my hair is naturally curly, (never knew there were different kinds) and people think I am mad when I say I can't find a hairdresser that can cut curly hair, I am looking for one at the moment, I even resorted to asking someone I know but not well who cuts her hair, I think she thought I was a bit made though!! best of luck finding someone
Hey, thanks for putting up the picture of my bracelet Laura and the nice comments everyone.
ReplyDeleteI can add a second plain bracelet to it and it converts to a necklace. It is a bit distracting wearing it really as I keep looking at the beads and showing it to everyone I met :-)
I so sympathise with the hair thing. My hair has a mind of its own and new hairdressers always think they know better when you tell them it just doesn't like being cut a certain way. Good luck with your search!
Davies hmmm? That would explain my soft spot for Jonathan Creek...
ReplyDeleteJo - That's unbelievable! I don't blame you for walking out.
ReplyDeleteKay - Yes, Sam does do non-curly hair. She's a a great hairdresser. I'll email you her details.
Caroline and Elizabeth - It's so nice to know that I'm not alone in my curly hair trauma!
Joy - The bracelet is gorgeous and how nifty that you can convert it a necklace. Brilliant!
Beards - You're odd ... but I like you! A lot. ;o) L XXX
Oh, the fun of finding a good hairdresser who doesn't decide that your curls would look lovely if they were just a bit tighter and cut so you look like an 80's poodle! Yes, I have that t-shirt, been there as they say. I still go home to Cornwall to get mine cut - how sad is that LOL Anyone you know who needs visiting in Southampton? It would stave off the inevitable for a few more weeks:)
ReplyDeleteI love Joy's idea of putting all her beads on one charm bracelet - what a lovely keepsake.
Good luck with finding a good hairdresser - I empathise. Vx
Yeah V, I have contemplated going back to see Sam but the salon is right at the end of the road where the old house is. I think it would upset me if I went back there. I know, I know, I'm being a sap. And anyway, I'm going to have to find a new hairdresser - one here in Abingdon and then another in Cambridge when I move. So I may as well just do it and if I end up looking like a poodle then so be it! :o)
ReplyDeleteOh wow! Love the bracelet its such a great way to keep the 'beading experience'.
ReplyDeleteI have the opposite problem at hairdressers. My hair is nothing but straight and I spend most of my life trying to make it big and full of body. Hairdressers seem to think they need to grab the straighteners and make my hair super sleek which I'm just not into! Will us girlies ever be happy?!
J xx
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteas you know I only live a short distance from Abindgon but when my hairdresser moved to Bransgore I decided that every 6 weeks I would treat myself (and my Mum) to a trip to her for a haircut, lunch and a nice day out. Why not do that, visit your hairdresser in Southampton and catch up with friends at the same time?
Lynne
Janine - No, I don't think any of us will ever be happy with our hair! It's just the way most of us women are programmed.
ReplyDeleteLynne - I may well have to resort to doing that, although I have spied a salon in Abingdon that looks alright. I'll check it out later this week.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteFirstly, your beads are really lovely.
I came across this site by doing a google search for hairdressers in Southampton who know how to look after curly hair, so sorry that this is a little off topic. I was wondering whether you would be able to send me the details of your Soton hairdresser please, as I am moving down there at the end of the month and am also too scared to try new stylists!
Also, if you're looking for recommendations for stylists in a new area, try www.britishcurlies.co.uk who have a forum about curly hairdressers throughout GB. Unfortunately no-one could recommend anyone in Soton!
Thanks a lot, hope you can help me and find yourself a lovely new hairdresser!
xxx
Hi Georgie
ReplyDeleteI used to ask for Sam at Lucia's salon in Hedge End. I don't know if she's still there but she did a great job with my hair!
Best of luck and I hope the move goes smoothly.
Laura
Hi Laura,
ReplyDeleteThank you very very much! I'll give them a ring tomorrow and see if Sam is still around.
xxx