forensic hair stylist

*All names have been changed on the off chance that more people than I think read this blog. Except for Julie, because she rocks...

Without a doubt, one of the top three things I hate most about moving is trying to find a new hair stylist. (In case you were wondering, the others are getting a new driver's license and finding a new doctor, neither of which I've done since we moved here 18 months ago...) I don't really have easy hair...it's very thick and very unruly and in the wrong hands...well, just look at some pictures of me over the past 20 years and you'll see what I mean. I was totally spoiled with the last hair stylist I had before we moved here...Julie. She was the epitome of everything you want your hair stylist to be. She was friendly and made conversation, head and neck massage with every shampoo, used great smelling products, and I never felt like I had to rush home and re-do my hair. In fact, I so didn't want to give her up that I even made an appointment to see her during one of our trips to Indy for Ainsley's surgery. (6 months after we moved here!) But, I knew I couldn't keep waiting 6 months or longer for a haircut, so I started searching for someone here. I've always loved Aveda products, so I located an Aveda salon not to far from here. It was a nice experience. The salon was nice...I was offered a beverage while I was waiting and even got a hand massage while my hair was being shampooed. My stylist was Christie*, and she didn't talk to me as much as she did to the other stylists and customers, but she took her time and when I left, I felt like a million bucks. And the cut looked nice for a couple of weeks, and then I noticed it would take me longer and longer to style my hair. And then it was taking 30 to 45 minutes to do my hair and it would still look ridiculous, so I'd end up pulling it back anyway. For the past couple of weeks, I haven't even bothered drying it. I just pull it back all the time, because as you can imagine, I just don't have that kind of time to spend on my hair!
I thought about going back to Christie*, but then I found out that a new Aveda salon opened up in the shopping center right next to our house, so I decided to give it a try. The salon is much smaller and there were only 2 stylists working on a Saturday afternoon (instead of the 15 at the other salon!), but everyone was nice and when I explained to Andi* the problems I was having, she suggested that it was because my hair had so much texture from the last cut that it wasn't holding it's shape well, and perhaps layering was a better way to go, given my length. (Yes, I realize I have most likely lost all the guys reading this...) So, Andi started to work on my hair and we started talking and she asked me where I went before this salon and when I told her, she said she used to work there. And then as she started cutting some more, our conversation went like this:

Andi: This looks like a Christie or a Steven cut.
Me: Excuse me?
Andi: You don't have to tell me. It's just that I've worked closely with both of them and this either looks like a Christie or a Steven cut.
Me: You're right...but how can you tell?
Andi: Well, Christie and Steven are the cutters...they like to cut. Lots of texture and that sort of thing. Keri is good with color and so is Sam. But Christie and Steven are the cutters.
Me: Hmm.

And then she cuts a little more.

Andi: I'm going to say Christie.
Me: Seriously...
Andi: Okay, well, most stylists who are right handed will leave the right side a little longer than the left. And the opposite is true too. And your left side is a little longer and Christie is the only left handed stylist there. So...
Me: Wow.

Freaky, huh? Anyway, I liked the cut...even though Andi says it will take another 6-8 weeks and one more really good haircut to get all the texture out. I was able to dry my hair and style it in just a few minutes and I was able to leave it down the whole day. So I'll be going back to see Andi in March. Maybe I'll even have a new doctor and a new driver's license by then.