<p><a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/salcalvinfo.gif"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1326" title="salcalvinfo" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/salcalvinfo.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></a><a href="http://www.hairpeace.com/Home.html" target="_blank"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1319" title="salvadorsign" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/salvadorsign2.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>

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<p>Most women tend to be fiercely loyal to their hairstylists.  Suggest to a woman that she try a new stylist and a look of horror (tinged with guilt) crosses her face.  A woman would sooner call it quits with her significant other than abandon or cheat on her mane guy/girl. </p>

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<p>And, yes, this applies to women who are downright unhappy with their stylist!  They would rather stay in a dysfunctional hair relationship than break away to healthier pastures.  They walk around with a bad haircut and/or color because they don’t want to hurt their hairstylist’s <em>feelings</em>. </p>

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<p>I know.  I used to feel that way as well.  Until the day I was forced to break up with “G”.  He left me with no choice.   </p>

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<p><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff; font-size: large;">Like all new relationships, it was A Match Made in Heaven.  At first.  </span></strong></p>

<p><strong><span style="color: #ff00ff; font-size: large;"> </span></strong> </p>

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<p>G was my hairstylist from five years ago.  I met him at a party.  At the time, I was displeased with my hair.  My metrosexual poster boy friend recommended a top stylist in Snobbsdale who dyed my tresses a lighter shade of black and razor cut my hair.  The color made me look like I was in dire need of a makeover, and the razor made my hair frizz to a frazzle. </p>

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<p>At the party (hosted by metrosexual poster boy, ironically), G sat down next to me and told me that he loved my dress.  (+10 points)  He then commented that my shoes were to die for.  (+20 points)  We talked incessantly for a while, and it came up in conversation that he was a hairstylist.  I immediately blurted out my hair woes. Don’t we often treat our hairstylists like therapists?  God bless them for listening. </p>

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<p>G calmly assessed the damage.  He explained to me that my hair was too dark and washed me out.  (+50 points)  G was HORRIFIED that someone had taken a razor to the hair of someone of “Mediterranean descent”.  (+100 points)  My hair should be blunt cut to eliminate the frizzle-frazzle!  (+500 points) </p>

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<p>This was destined to be a hair relationship made in Heaven! </p>

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<p>I called G that Tuesday to schedule an appointment.  When our big day rolled around, it was everything a girl could want.  I will never forget – he dyed my hair with a color called “Swedish blonde” which sounded ridiculous at first.  Me?  A blonde?  Uh…no.  BUT!!!!  G transformed my hair into shade of golden brunette perfect for my skin tone.  And his blunt cut layers made my hair bouncing and behaving!  (+ points ad infinitum)</p>

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<p>I was hooked. </p>

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<p>G and I also started to see each other outside of the salon.  (Platonically.  G wasn’t attracted to women.)  He shared my taste for indie restaurants and coffeehouses.  We had so much fun together.  </p>

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<p><strong><span style="color: #800080; font-size: large;">Drama Queens belong on the stage and not in the salon.</span></strong></p>

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<p>Then one day, G was in a mood.  (He had a flair for the dramatic.)  He was stressed out about a guy who dissed him and ticked off at his landlord.  In the midst of relaying his hassles in vivid detail during my haircut, he cut my layers unevenly.  i.e. He screwed up my hair.  Big time.  Every woman’s worst hair nightmare. </p>

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<p>Now, I am a forgiving sort.  I am prone to granting second chances.  We are all human.  We all make mistakes.  We should all give one another a little more grace. </p>

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<p>So I went back to G for a quick fix. </p>

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<p>Which turned out to be not a fix, but another disaster. </p>

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<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">Breaking Up is Hard to Do </span></strong></p>

<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;"> </span></strong></p>

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<p>In some aspects, breaking up with G was worse than breaking up with a boyfriend.  With a boyfriend, you take time off to heal and ready yourself for another relationship someday.  With your hairstylist, you need to find another one right away.  This is far from ideal when you’re gun-shy and suffering from hair trauma. </p>

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<p>Argh. </p>

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<p>I went through a few hairstylists after G.  Everyone was good at first, and then they slacked off after a year or so.</p>

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<p>I was then introduced to a husband/wife cut/color duo who are great.  I absolutely adore them – talented, super smart, and warm.  But our schedules haven’t been meshing lately.  Availability is limited to one Saturday a month, and if I happen to have other plans that Saturday, then I’m SOL.</p>

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<p>And this is how I came to cheat on my hairstylist.  I needed an appointment for this past Saturday, and my stylists were unavailable. </p>

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<p><span style="color: #ff6600; font-size: large;"><strong>If you are going to cheat, then reach for the hairstylist to the stars.  </strong></span></p>

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<p><br class="spacer_" /> For months, my friend Britt waxed on about <em>“Salvador”.</em>  The way she talked about him, I envisioned some sort of mythical Hair God. </p>

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<p>“<em>Salvador</em> is the best stylist that I’ve ever been to.  He specializes in natural color.”  (+50 points)</p>

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<p>“<em>Salvador</em> is the only one in this town who knows how to cut hair.  He cuts the layers blunt so your hair is thick and voluptuous and doesn’t get scraggly as with point cutting.”  (+100 points)</p>

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<p>“<em>Salvador</em> has a really cool artsy studio downtown with art and photographs and instruments.”  (I’m a sucker for artsy fartsy.  +50 points.)</p>

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<p>“<em>Salvador</em> understands how to cut wavy hair.” (+100 points)</p>

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<p>“<em>Salvador</em>!  <em>Salvador</em>!  <em>Salvador</em>!”  (+50 points for reputation of mythical proportion) </p>

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<p>So this past Saturday morning I hauled my cookies downtown for an appointment with <em>Salvador</em>. </p>

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<p>Upon entering aforementioned artsy fartsy studio, I was greeted by an overly enthusiastic Golden Retriever named Tahoe.  (+ points ad infinitum)</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.hairpeace.com" target="_blank"><img title="tahoe" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/tahoe2.jpg" alt="" width="97" height="118" /></a></p>

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<p>Salvador (with locks of mythical proportion) welcomed me to the salon and chit-chatted away about the morning.  I was up late the night before, slept in, and had just started drinking my coffee, so I slurped it down in a hurry with hopes that I could be a tenth as chipper as Tahoe and ready to talk to another human being.</p>

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<p>Classical music played in the background (+10 points) while Salvador sat me in the chair and inquired about what I wanted to do with my hair.  I asked him what he would do given carte blanche. </p>

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<p>All I can remember is “natural color” and I agreed to the rest.  When a mythical Hair God shares his opinion, you really should just take it and get on with your day.</p>

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<p>Once I was properly caffeinated, we were able to ramble on about all sorts of common interests from music to guitar to writing to entrepreneurship to topics ad infinitum.  (+1000 points)  I am sure that you will agree with me that NOTHING is more awkward than sitting in a hairstylist’s chair whom you are unable to talk to.  How can they <em>possibly </em>serve as your surrogate therapist/dating coach/sounding board if you can’t carry on a decent conversation??? </p>

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<p>Salvador worked his magic throughout conversational turns and many musical shifts (as you ease into the morning the classical needs to be replaced with rock) and then…Voila!  Hair Extraordinaire! </p>

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<p>I have already received numerous compliments from “the outside”. </p>

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<p>In this illicit affair, the cheating paid off and no one got hurt.**</p>

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<p>The most surprising thing about Salvador is that for a mythical Hair God, he is extraordinarily down-to-earth and <em>a really good guy</em>. </p>

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<p>Often with myths, we develop high expectations that can’t be adhered to in Real Life.  Salvador will exceed your expectations.  And you’ll have fun in the process.</p>

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<p>Go see him and Tahoe.  </p>

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<p><a href="http://www.hairpeace.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff6600;"><strong>http://www.hairpeace.com/</strong></span></a></p>

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<p>** Please note that I do not condone cheating in other relationships.  But if your hairstylist isn’t cutting it (pun intended), then by all means get out there and sow your wild oats with someone new! </p>

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