Well, I was going to say move outta town , but it looks like she beat you to it. That's really all the opening you need. I'd just stop calling and find someone new, but if you feel you need to give her a reason, tell her the scheduling is too much of an inconvenience.

ugh. as someone who has had the same stylist for almost 30 years (yes my high school friend turned stylist who is amazing) I understand the relationship well.

I would just stop scheduling with her and make an appointment elsewhere and move on. Nothing is worse than someone cancelling appointments or being unreliable, in any business. There are so many amazing stylists and advances in color technology, there are great opportunities for you to find someone who really gets what you want!

Thanks a lot, guys. I'm still trying to decide what to do. I'm hesitant to completely burn that bridge until I know I have another stylist who "gets" how to cut wavy/curly hair (not all of them do, and although I have another stylist lined up, she hasn't cut my hair before. You never really know until you try). I also want to avoid any bad feeling. But there's no question that it's time to move on to a new stylist.

One thing I'm still waffling on: I'm not sure if I should go back to this stylist and get her to fix my ginger hair. I know she'll do it for free (she has offered), but then I will feel obliged to go back to her next time. If I just live with it for a couple months, let it grow out a bit, then start from scratch with someone different, I won't feel any obligation. (I think I can live with it. It's not the best, and it's not what I wanted -- but then again, it's not like I haven't had all kinds of crazy hair colours in the past!).

If you don't like your highlights I think you should definitely ask her to fix them and I don't think it obligates you to go back in the future. In fact, I wouldn't even think about that right now, Get your highlights fixed. Then try another stylist. If the new stylist works out, you can tell the old one that you loved the way she cut your hair but that scheduling was becoming a problem -- or, as Gaylene mentioned, that you needed someone closer to home.

Jill -- yeah...I guess you're right. I will still feel an obligation, though, even though I shouldn't.

Plus I'm feeling a bit lazy and rebellious today. It annoys me that I have to make yet another appointment. Does anyone else hate appointments as much as I do? The only appointments I used to sort of like were hair appointments, but since I'm irritated with my stylist at the moment, even those are no fun!

I hate appointments, too. Perhaps not as much as you do, but certainly a whole lot!

When I've had "free" correction services, I've tipped. This resolves my sense of obligation.