another salon lover....i love going in looking ok and coming out looking fab...i love the people watching and the ability to listen in on other peoples conversations, love to catch up on magazines, love talking with the guy who does my hair....

I don't hate it but I'm not a huge fan either. I have had a hard time finding a stylist that does my hair in a way I like so it's always stressful too.

I hate it. six years after my last reliable hairdresser left, I am still struggling to find someone who will consistently cut it the way I want. Plus, I’ve become really sensitive to chemicals/fragrances and cannot seem to convince people to just leave out the $&*# product, so every cut is followed by some days of headaches and itchy scalp.

I’m currently about two months overdue for a cut, now you all know why I wear my hair up so often!

I have never colored my hair, my gosh I can’t even imagine dealing with that!

I enjoy the salon experience and find it relaxing and refreshing.

I love the salon, its really the only me time I get.

I LOVE it. If I was ridiculously wealthy, I'd have someone do my hair every day ... dye, brush, blowdry, I don't even care haha! But I do get how it can become a chore!

I will think of you all while I'm captive in the chair for three hours today.

I really like the salon I go to and my stylist is a god-send. I don’t mind a little chit chat, although I am fairly quiet and more apt to be a listener to other conversations. I neither love, nor dislike salon appointments. They are like any other appointment I have. Something that needs to get done, then move on until the next appointment.

I used to enjoy it but hate it now. Don't have the time or money. I have a lot of hair, and I imagine stylists trying to control their horror when I walk in.
If I could find a "curly hair specialist" (I thought they were a myth) like Kathie found, I might go for a trim once or twice a year. For now I cut and color it myself.

If I like the vibe the stylist is giving off, I enjoy it very much. If the stylist is kind and caring and attentive, it is a big treat.

Ophelia, have you tried looking on the Curly Girl website?

What ChristelJ said.

This is a revelation.l thought all women were supposed to love going to the hairdressers!Another cliche debunked.
I am ambivalent,I like the end result ,the coffee and the magazines.l don't like the time it takes,the cost,the plastic shawls they wrap you in or when the stylist would obviously be anywhere else other than in the salon.

I tolerate it, but definitely not my favorite thing to do. I don't like sitting still for long!

Wow, interesting how many find no pleasure in the experience. I think I’ve been spoiled by going to the same stylist for 16 years. He gets me, and we’re friends. We’ve even met each other’s spouses and had dinner together. I love that he makes conversation but also seems to read my mood when I’m a little quieter too. I’ve followed him from a salon where he worked (he was in his early 20s then) to one salon he owned with a partner, and now one he owns as the sole owner. He’d better never move away!

Ophelia, I found my curly hair specialist on the Ouidad website. Maybe take a look?

Wow, this thread makes me really sad for those who find going to their stylist boring, or feel captive or stuck until the whole dreaded process is over.
I have laughed, cried , gone through marriages,divorces, graduations, deaths ,babies and diseases with my clients. Who are from every age , background and political spectrum. Many have become wonderful friends I have never once felt that they weren’t genuinely happy to see me or happy to be there.

Me too Taylor. What a missed opportunity for so many.

I've seen the same stylist for the better part of 20 years now, and my husband and I are very close friends with she and her husband socially. Our kids are best friends, and I would absolutely die if she ever moved away (which she's threatened to do in retirement ). There is no one else who would indulge my whims, change my colour , change my cut, fit me into her super-booked schedule when I really want to come in and haven't booked a month in advance, and generally put up with the hair drama I cause Best relationship ever.

Clients like , Lisa p, Janet , Kyle, delurked and everyone else who enjoy their visits ...make their stylists job and absolute joy !

Taylor, I wish you were my stylist! Mutual enjoyment would be ideal.

I enjoy getting my hair cut and styled. I haven’t done any hair color in almost 20 years, but I didn’t mind it. To be fair, I only went in for highlights, nothing too complicated or anything that took more than 2 hours. I find haircuts relaxing, other than trying to fit appointments into my packed schedule. And my stylist is 45 minutes away, but worth the drive.
My mom, on the other hand, absolutely HATES sitting in the chair - she complains about her current stylist not giving her what she wants in terms of color or cut, but she doesn’t want to switch because they are fast!

Usually, I do have fun with getting my hair done. A big part of that is my stylist, who is amazing, and part of it is that I just get real relaxed when I'm in the stylists chair. I find it very soothing to have someone playing with my hair, even if it's from getting a haircut.

Taylor, at the risk of sounding like a cliche, it’s not you (or any stylist), it’s me. Truly. I don’t like small talk and am bad at it, am easily overwhelmed by strong smells, bright lights, etc, don’t like to have my hair touched, and am bad at sitting still for long periods.

April and Taylor I am sorry if I sounded like a curmudgeon! I actually like my hairdresser a lot and have been seeing her for 7 or more years. I just got my haircut yesterday and I loved walking out with my new do, even if the process is not my favorite activity!

Oh , goodness Shevia, no need to be sorry for anything ! Everyone has a different experience . I just was surprised some have a less than happy experience ,
Diana has articulated very well why some people may have adverse reactions , I understand that . We are all different and have different sensitivities.

Taylor, I've had my hair stylist for 16 years, and if I move somewhere else - I'm taking her with me! We always have a good time during our sessions every 6 weeks, and catch up on everything. Greg goes to the same stylist, and they get on really well. He loves the head massage

Yes! When I retired it was very difficult for many clients , they had been with me for many ,many years...much like you and Greg....I did family’s too!
I was able to turn the bulk of my business over to my daughter , so we are still connected through her. She is actually better suited for many of them ....mid 30’s and VERY educated in current styles and color techniques!
I suppose going to the stylist isn’t fun for some just like clothes shopping is not fun for some .
. It’s all OK!

I should add that even though I may not enjoy the process very much, I very much appreciate my hairdresser and what she does, and the finished product makes it more than worth it.

I am very loyal to my stylist and love to catch up with her. She owns her own salon and at times (when she was on maternity leave) I have had to go to other stylists in her salon - but I love coming back to her. She did my son's first haircut and he enjoyed going to the salon and being fussed over by a group of gorgeous young girls. I get to talk to her about fashion, food and family - I see her as not just someone who helps me look better, but also as a friend.