Hair Anxiety

DEBORAH CROMBIE: After all the stress on the national front last week, let's talk about something just a little less anxiety-inducing–our hair, and who we trust with it.

Back from almost a month in London, I'd made an appointment several days in advance with my usual stylist for a haircut. Then the next day the salon called me back to say that they would be permanently closed as of that Friday! What a panic! I played out all the scenarios. Would my stylist move somewhere else? And if not, how–and where–would I find someone new? 

I'd been through this fairly recently, post-pandemic. Pre-pandemic, I'd been going to the same stylist every six weeks or so for more than ten years. Then, lockdown. After about eight months, I cut my own hair (after a fashion,) and learned to cut Rick's (much more successfully.) I grew my hair longer (collarbone length!) than it had been since I was in my twenties, and let my color grow out, too, so when it finally felt safe to try a salon, I needed a brand new start. 

Fortunately, it only took me one not-too-damaging failure to find someone I really liked, but I wasn't eager to go through the process again. It is a scary prospect, putting something that's so important to our self-perception in (quite literally) a complete stranger's hands.

My story has a happy ending--although the salon chain (UK based, natch!) closed three Dallas area locations, my stylist is moving to a spot only a little less convenient for me. Crisis averted! Here's my post-pandemic do, taken in London by my photographer friend Steve Ullathorne. (First proper photoshoot since 2016, and so much fun!)

Reds, do you have a trusted hair person? And did you make big changes during or after the pandemic? 

HALLIE EPHRON: I go to a terrific stylist, Steve who owns FLIP HAIR SALON (Waving at you, Steve!) ten minutes from my house. He’ll cut it short, long, or in between, whatever I want. And he has great travel recommendations. Fully vaxed of course. And somehow they survived the pandemic.

Changing hair stylists is right up there with having to change doctors. Or dentists. Or editors (aaaggggggh!) And as you get older, it’s more and more likely to happen. The brothers who own my local gas station (shout out to EGAN’S SUNOCO) where I go for everything from gas to tires to tuneups, just retired and I am in mourning.

LUCY BURDETTE: I have one stylist in Connecticut and another in Key West. I am clinging to both with all I have! I hate to even think about the trauma wrought on us by the pandemic and hair. I grew out my brown hair to many shades of gray, which luckily John loves, thugh I am still getting used to it. I also learned to cut John’s hair, though he’s happily returned to the professionals. (Apparently they don’t gasp when they’ve cut something crooked or gone too crazy with those clippers.)

I think the trick is to find younger people to do everything, so they will hopefully outlast us!  (Here's Roberta with Christine Falcone and Ang Pompano!)

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I have been going to the same hair person, the GENIUS Charlie, for…almost 30 years. In the beginning of the pandemic, his salon closed,  and I know I was doomed. My hair got SO long  and SO brown, but eventually I was surprisingly unfreakedout about it. I thought–whatever.

 And then, at some point it was ridiculous. Happily,  by that time, masks were de rigueur, and the amazing Charlie–wait for it–now comes to our house. He cuts Jonathan, too. When this all started we did it in the back yard. And on the front porch. Now, both masked, we cut outside and dry inside. IT IS WONDERFUL. If he ever retires, I‘m just going to give up. (My colorist, too, is a genius. Her salon is set up like a living room, one person at a time, so eventually I went there, door left wide open, and Marie wearing a mask and a plastic hood mask.  I mean–ROOTS!

RHYS BOWEN:  My hair has been cut by the same lovely Thai lady for many years now. She always gets it right. We came back from England, called for a hair appointment and she has gone back to Thailand for a while! Disaster. 

Also I haven’t found a stylist I like in Arizona after many attempts ( the last of which was the worst. Too short and uneven). And I found her on a search for best short hair stylist too!

During Covid I also cut my hair and John’s ( not too successfully) but I’m not about to try that now so I’ll have to brave a strange salon which I hate!  

JENN McKINLAY: Ben the hair wizard and his wife Barb have been cutting my hair since I married Hub. Ben has been cutting Hub’s hair since he was a teenager. Even the Hooligans go to Ben and Barb. Can’t imagine going to anyone else. I even wrote them into WAIT FOR IT because it’s set in Phoenix and they’ve been cutting hair here for 40 years. One of their clients read the book and reconnected with them after moving back to the Valley :) 

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I had a wonderful stylist literally three minutes away from my place who did a great job with my hair. But during the pandemic, she and her bf moved away, which, I gather was great for them - he got a much better job - but not so great for me. The last time I got my hair cut professionally was back in 2021 after the first round of vaccination, and then she was gone. 

No, I still haven’t found a replacement, because, as Hallie says, it’s a difficult and traumatic as finding a new PCP. Which I also had to do, because in 2021 mine became a “concierge doctor” fifty minutes away. My most recent haircut?  At the hands of Youngest, who learned to cut her bf’s hair and bravely agreed to take a turn with mine. 

DEBS: I'm not sure who wins the "longest stylist relationship" award, Hank or Jenn!! Readers, do you have a tried-and-true person, or have you had to brave finding a new stylist or barber?

P.S. One of the many interesting things I noticed in London was the proliferation of barber shops. They are proper barber shops, too, with shaving and beard care along with haircuts. Hot towels, too! I'd love to know if this is a thing now in the US, too.