Time Out For Women: A Haircut

Hello, my name is DeAna, and I'm picky about my hair.

I'm not the kind of picky that's "high maintenance" picky. I don't get my haircut every 6 weeks. I don't get a perm, or highlights, or colored.

The fact is, I don't get my hair cut. at. all.

I am so picky about my hair when I get it cut, that I have only had 1 haircut in my entire 33 years that I actually liked.

Just 1.

And that was about 12 years ago.

I went to a salon, explained what I wanted, and walked out of there with a cut that was completely different than what I asked for. So a few days later, I went to a second salon, explained what I wanted, and the beautician really tried, but she didn't exactly know how to give me the style I wanted with the type of hair I had. And sadly, she failed as well.

So a couple days afterwards, I had my 3rd haircut that week. And I cut my hair myself. And I actually loved it! That was the absolute one and only haircut that I actually liked. But I never would have achieved "the look" had I not received the previous two failures.

Another time, just two weeks before my wedding, I went to a salon to get my haircut. I explained that I was getting married and in the process of growing out my hair. I just wanted a trim and a bit of a style. I left with the shortest haircut I had ever had. I think she knocked off a good 6 inches instead of just 1. I was devastated. I had to go with "the wet look" just to get my hair to lay down. It was a rough couple of months for me.

One time, my husband decided to send me to get highlights in my hair as a birthday present. $80 later, I had 3 different highlights in my hair, and my hair color had not changed a bit. It didn't take! Tell that to the haircut lady who said, "It looks great." And I was gullible enough to believe her and let her take my money.

I'm not one to hop up and get a haircut. I prefer to just wash 'n go in the mornings. I just don't have time to blow dry, curl, straighten, whatever. My hair just doesn't cooperate very well, so to do anything with it is time-consuming. I've got extremely thick hair, a cowlick above my forehead, and a natural wave that refuses to lay down in any direction that makes sense. I'm not good with the "terminology" so it's hard to describe what I want, and even when I take in a picture, the beautician (is that still an appropriate job title?) can never get it right because my hair doesn't cooperate no matter which way it goes.

So I just don't like getting my hair cut at all. I dread it. I put it off. I think of other things that the money could go to. Pajamas for the kids. Groceries. Gas for the car. Money that could be saved for a rainy day. I could go on and on.

I realize that this logic is not very logical. I know that, really, it's a matter of finding a stylist who really cares and sticking with her so she gets used to my hair and what works best for me.

And certainly, not getting my haircut like I should definitely doesn't set a good example for my little girl. She is what you might call a "girlie girl" loving all things pink, purple (her favorite color), sparkly, flowery--girlie.

I've cut her hair every few months ever since she had her first cut. But I've never taken her to the salon. A couple months ago, I decided that it was high time I took her for her first beauty shop experience. But I didn't want to take just her. I wanted to take both of us and we'd have a mommy/daughter day at the salon.

It took me awhile to get up the courage time to actually go. I even invited my mother-in-law to go with us. I made an appointment at Fantastic Sam's, but hubs, who knew I'd just end up disappointed yet again, said something to his mom, who made an appointment for me with her beautician at another salon--a real "beauty shop."

I was really, really nervous. What if I'm disappointed again? What if it's expensive? What if...?

Well, I went, I calmed down. And I like it. Mostly.

I don't "like it, like it" but I definitely don't dislike it.

My daughter grabbed my face and said, "You look beautiful, Mommy." She insisted on taking my picture. Quite the close-up. I realize now that I should have put on some make-up other than lipstick before leaving the house that day.

Now I need to buy a hair-straightener if I'm to keep this look.

I think I'll go back. Maybe in 3-6 months, instead of 1 year.

How about you? Do you take care of your hair and get it cut frequently? Got any tried & true mommy tips for how to keep this mop on top my head tame without it costing me an arm, a leg, and my sanity?