I went to Chez Lloyd having gotten a deal on a haircut from Groupon. I have very long hair…read more(mid-back) and was initially thinking of lightening up considerably for the spring/summer. I pulled up to a quaint, historic building just outside of Carytown and found my stylist (and proprietor) waiting for me. I told her what I wanted, which included a side swept bang (I was wearing a part down the middle), and she quickly told me if I wear a part down the middle that my hair wouldn't do a side part. I have worn my hair parted on the left, the right, down the center, and none at all. And I have gone to stylists who have styled my hair differently than how it was when I went in. But I realized quickly that if those words came out of her mouth, then her ability was limited. I'd already paid for the Groupon, and I needed a cut pretty badly, so I dumbed down what I initially wanted and basically asked her for a good trim and layering. Then she told me she could do whatever I wanted, and asked me what side I wanted the part on. When I didn't answer, she acted as if I didn't understand English. So at that time, I had a bit of an attitude. I stuck with the dumbed-down trim so I knew I wasn't going to leave there looking absolutely crazy. Can you say tension?
So, after the hairwashing, I'm back in the chair, she combs me out, then asks me to stand up so she can cut the length because my hair is too long to cut while seated. I've never been asked to do that, but okay. She cuts some, then shows me how much she's cut. I tell her to cut more if she needs to to make sure the dead ends are off. She doesn't. When I'm back in the chair, she begins the layering and drops the hair on me -- on my arms, my clothes... Finally, she gets a cape and drapes it around me.
I asked her who does her hair. The guy next door -- who she says gives a good cut, but cuts way too much and gives every 40-something-year-old woman the same cut. Interesting. She didn't want to (or couldn't) give me the cut I wanted so I wonder if she gives all of her clients the same cut. And is that why she doesn't cut enough? Because he cuts too much?
Cut finished and time for the blowout, which is done with a rectangular vent brush. Ouch! Every other stylist (and I myself) have always done a blowout using a bristled round brush. Hmmm.
Anyhow, the final product looked pretty much the same as it did when I went in -- which is a good thing if all you're going for is a trim. When I get a haircut, I decide if I'll go back after I've styled the hair myself, so I can see how good the cut is. I haven't done that yet, so for now, I'm giving the experience 2 stars. If the cut ends up being good, I'll keep it at 2. If it's bad, I'm changing it to 1. But I will never go back. Just bad chemistry.
UPDATE: So I've done my hair, and just as I thought (1) she didn't cut enough -- still some frazzled ends and (2) it's uneven. Chez Lloyd gets a 1.
