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I don’t know what it is about me, but I’ve never been one of those girls that can create good hair. My sister always has great hair. For as long as I can remember, she has looked polished and poised with salon perfect hair. I see women at the gym who are sweaty one moment, and incredibly sexy with lovely locks shortly thereafter. Yes, I have hair envy. I can’t help it. My hair is a little on the curly/wavy side, which means any hint of humidity can make me frizzy. Now, back in the 80’s, when big hair was in style, I could manage. Give me some hot rollers and hairspray, and I was THERE.

But then times changed, as they always seem to do. Hairstyles became sleeker and polished looking. I struggled with mouse and gel and round brushes and flatirons, but nothing seemed to work. I would look reasonably suitable as I left the house for the day, but the first thing I noticed in the women’s restroom was that I looked frizzy and unkempt. I was frustrated. My career was blossoming, but no matter how great my suits and shoes were, I looked unpolished. When my travel schedule became a bit heavier and the frustrations of trying to blow dry my hair with a hotel provided hair dryer, I turned to an age old trick: leave it to the professionals.

I have to confess, I really had thought my mother was crazy. Since 1972, she has had a standing Thursday afternoon hair appointment. Now, granted, my mother is (still) wearing a modified beehive (so maybe she is a little crazy) but…she was onto something. Having her hair “fixed” each week means her complicated hair-do won’t have to be recreated each time she is heading out the door. Out of frustration, I asked my hairstylist why I couldn’t get my hair to look half as good as she could. I bought expensive shampoos and ceramic brushes…but still, it didn’t work.

I began secret jaunts to the salon….and let her blowdry and style my hair for me.

It was like an addiction. I would enter the salon frizzy and frumpy and leaving all slick and polished. I felt guilty and like I had failed one of those womanhood rituals…but the results outweighed my guilt. I continued my secret habit. A shower cap, a round brush (for my bangs) and hair elastics became part of my regular packing.

Then one day my guilt lessened a little.. I was reading the book “You On Top: Smart, Sexy Skills Every Woman Needs to Set the World on Fire” (by Kate White) and it was right there in black and white in Chapter 7 (Own Your Hotness)….saying that “…own your hotness, rather than rent it” and it mentioned regular visits to the salon to have your hair blown out as part of owning it. Visits to the salon on Monday mornings has become just part of my regular routine. My hairdresser even introduced me to her other regular who comes in not once, but twice each week.

Seeing that I wasn’t the only one with the same habit made me feel a world better. I say to you, my sisters with the bad hair gene, don’t be afraid to seek a little professional help…..

Posted by Deb in Career, Lifestyle |

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 18th, 2008 at 3:31 pm and is filed under Career, Lifestyle. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.