I’m asking because of a very sad turn of events… 🙁 My hair soulmate Alis, who’s been doing my hair for years, just moved to Las Vegas (SAD ? PANDA!), and it crossed my mind (I even looked up airfares) to schedule a trip out there just so that she can cut and color my hair.
The rational part of my brain realizes how crazy pants this sounds, because 1) the money, and 2) I live 30 minutes from San Francisco, so I should be able to find someone within driving distance who can trim and color my mop and do it well, but it’s SO SCARY to go to someone new, especially when you have wavy hair that’s been hacked and butchered by strangers before.
A trip to Las Vegas almost seems rational… Almost?
No, I don’t think I’ll do it. I should just suck it up and find someone new, but if my California Lottery dreams ever come true, I’m heading to Vegas that afternoon!
Has this ever occurred to you? — either flying or driving a loooong distance to get your hair done?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
If it makes you feel better, the person I like going to lives in Canada–and I live in the States. LOL! Whenever I visit family, I try to book a hair appointment, but, alas, she is so popular that I can never get in because I usually plan my trips last minute!
I haven’t, but I know a person who has. My church’s former priest’s wife really loved having her hair cut by my favorite hair stylist. Since we live in different sides of our town, I often found her driving long distance (about 6 or 7 miles) to my neighborhood.
Definitely! I actually do go the distance for my stylist. I am so scared of anyone touching my hair and I became so comfortable with my stylist Mimi at this quaint little Dominican salon for years. She is heaven sent! She always does what I ask for as far as cuts and always seems to get my vision. But since I have to travel a few states over to see her my visits are no longer monthly, maybe every 3 to 4 months. I know eventually I will have to find someone near me. But I say go for it Karen, at least once every few months, there is nothing like familiarity when it comes to a stylist that gets your hair.
Yes! I understand your struggle. As someone with wavy hair, my hair has also been butchered before.
I have a stylist I trust with my hair now and it took a LONG time to find her. She taught me to fall in love with my hair. She’s thinking of moving to LA permanently so when the day comes I will be so sad. But I’m cherishing every appointment I have with her til then.
Maybe you could ask her to let you know a little bit more about your hair and what she learned so you can communicate it to the new person you might see?
either way, hugs!
love to you! xo
It would probably be worth it to ask your stylist if she can refer you to someone else local who she thinks would do a good job on your hair. If not then you can always use travel as Plan B. 🙂 IMO finding time to get your hair done when you have kids is tough enough as is, so why make it more complicated by adding travel into the mix.
I’m considering it. My favorite stylists are this husband and wife team in S. Korea. They were the first stylists that truly got my hair. Now, I moved to Taipei and the stylist I went to here turned my hair orange when it was supposed to be fuchsia! I demanded he fix it, and he did, but it faded within 3 washes and it’s orange again. I plan on visiting Korea again in May, so I might stick it out with the oompa loompa hair till then.
I don’t fly *specifically* to get my hair cut, but whenever I’m in the Seattle area I try and make time to visit a friend who works magic with hair! I haven’t found anyone in the NYC area who I’m totally in love with yet… though I do have 2 salons that I like quite a bit.
Maybe your stylist could recommend someone, since she’s moving? That might be a safe bet, since she knows you & presumably has the DL on other peeps in the biz. That’s what I would do!
On the other hand, you could just start making quarterly trips to Vegas, which doesn’t sound too bad at all 🙂
Shannon, are you anywhere near Brooklyn? Try Little Axe Salon. 🙂
Thanks for the rec! Looks like it’s nearby one of my two go-tos: High Horse Salon. I’ll have to check it out soon!
Fab!!
when i moved to vegas, i wouldn’t get my hair cut until i would visit home, where my girl is located. i went home pretty frequently, so i didn’t look too shaggy for too long.
we moved back to california, about a 1.5 hour drive from home, but i had to find another hair guru. 🙁 i was full of anxiety because i have “cheated” on my girl before, and that made me unhappy and unsatisfied. i went to yelp, and i was really nervous to go to this new salon, and new hair stylist, but i did it.
and i am SO HAPPY!!! i’m going to be super anxious and sad when we have to move again. finding someone who understands your hair and preferences is like shopping for jeans or shoes.
i wish you luck in finding a new person. a trip to vegas doesn’t sound too bad though! make it a weekend adventure! but…i understand that it’s not the most convenient or practical route.
When we moved to Philly, 2 hours away from my favorite stylist, I would get my hair done when we came back to visit family. We would visit every holiday, so it wasn’t so bad. However, once my husband entered his third year of pharmacy school, we didn’t have the time to visit. We also didn’t have any money, so I just dyed it myself. After he graduated, we moved to Indiana, so I had to pick someone new.
I did for a while, but it really meant giving up my Saturday which got to be too much. I wondered around trying to find my next stylist and it took a few visits to various salons – no one ‘ruined’ me or my hair, but I was looking for that ‘girlfriend’ connection. Finally found a wonderful salon and quite happy 🙂
Monica.
Hi there,
Just wanted to weigh in from the other side…
I’ve been doing hair for over thirty-five years, and clients travel from all over the US to sit in my chair. We are family.
Vegas is not really too far away! Consider maybe a semi annual standing appointment with your lovely stylist; it’ll be like catching up and visiting with a dear friend.
Lately, I feel like the drive to SF is too long distance just to get my hair cut. I followed my stylist to four different salons in SF. She got married and moved to Europe. If I ever take a vacation to where she’s living and working, I’ll schedule an appointment with her.
I feel for you. I tried two different stylists at the salon in SF that she was at before she moved. One was OK. The other was 25 minutes late (I was sitting in eye sight) because she just kept chatting with the previous client. Then she did things I specifically asked her not to do. Still growing out weird short pieces that keep falling into my eyes. Grrr.
Finally went back to a guy I used when my daughter was young. He’s pretty good. He just doesn’t like to do some of the things I ask for. Sigh. Not sure if I will keep looking or just go back to him.
Have done it. When I moved states and left my hairdresser and part of my family behind I would always work out a way to have an appointment whenever I came back to visit. This mainly led to me getting my hair done once every 4 -6 months. Eventually I tried a new salon (which I hated) then got a recommendation from a coworker with similarly textured hair. But I don’t know what I’d do if he ever moved!
I live just outside of Toronto Canada and about 10 years ago, I was vacationing in Myrtle Beach. I happened to walk into a salon that opened that day. Because my parents have property down there, I have been going down about 5 – 6 times a year and I always schedule an appointment with my favorite stylist who has been doing my hair for the last 10 years. I even got married down there and my mom and daughter got their hair done by her.
Hi Karen, your thought of wanting to do it, he he, is not that crazy. It is not easy finding that one person who gets it right. When you find that person, if you can, you want to stick with him/her. The hairdresser I have been going to for about 12 years, moved to the burbs about 4 years ago. I live in Chicago, do not have a car, so I take the public train to the burb, all in all, about an hour or so trip, each way. Many people think I am crazy for doing so, but it does not matter to me. I have had my hair cut by others, close to home, but nobody gets it right, and my cut is not a very complicated one. I am sorry that yours has moved out of state, but I completely understand why you are unhappy that she left and now find yourself searching for a new one. I hope you find someone who will understand what cut you like.
Gosh yes. For three years I’ve been flying to Boston from the midwest to have Nikki at Parlor Salon cut my hair. For 2 years before that, I drove 2.5 hours from NH. Granted, I schedule salon visits around business trips and family visits, and I don’t think I’d do it if I had no other reasons to travel. Plus I only get my hair done 2x a year – but she is the only one who can cut/color it so it looks good the entire time in between!! I’ve tried 5-6 different salons close to me, which just confirmed that this is a rational and realistic choice! I will probably keep trying to find someone local for the (not insignificant) convenience factor. But I have no regrets!
My relationship with my stylist in Philadelphia has been the longest ever in my life, tbh! When I lived in Canada, I traveled to Philly for hair cuts and, now in Honolulu, if I was to pass through Philly I would not hesitate to schedule a cut with my guy. So far, no one has REALLY given what I’ve asked for, so, not a kooky idea whatsoever.
I’ve gone about an hour and a half, to a former stylist who moved,and I used to get my hair done each time we went to my grandma’s by a second cousin or something who I felt like understood my hair. b
Aah! That’s my worst nightmare. I’ve been going to the same hairdresser for about 8 years and she just GETS me and what I want. She’s actually in my hometown so I schedule haircuts around when I’ll be in town. So I guess I’ve actually done this, although it’s a train not a car or plane!
I don’t have a hairdresser. I used to and I followed him even after an hour or two drive. His color skills were on point as was his cutting but then when he changed salons they didn’t use the same coloring products there and it wasn’t as good. Cuts were still great though.
I have wavy hair and have been getting shitty hair cuts for like, 7 years now. No one was as good with my hair as Andy was. I gave up on pro color too and been box dying for years.
I’m considering going blonde, back to the OG me, but it’s such a commitment and sooo damaging. Plus I can never decide on bangs.
I don’t think this is nuts. <3 Hair is our armor and our crown, so of course you'd be scared to trust a new stylist.
Maybe you could contact Alis and ask if she can recommend someone new or help you select another stylist whose portfolio she approves of.
Nope. I have neither the money nor time to do that. When I moved to another town, I drove 20-30 mins. to keep seeing the manicurist I went to. That’s kind of my limit.
Considering it took me years&countless time growing out hacked cuts (I have the same hair type as you!) before I found my stylist, no that’s not crazy, I get it! I joke my stylist will just have to move me with her ☺ You will find someone good eventually, ask when you see someone with hair you like, who they go to!
When I lived in Cleveland, Ohio for 7 months, I connected with one of the best hairdressers of my entire life (she is in my top 2). I wound up moving back to Georgia due to serious family illness and subsequent caregiver responsibilities. I’ve been back almost 4 years, and while I just found someone 6 months ago who finally has my color pretty good, no one can cut my hair like Olivia did. I fly up to Cleveland whenever I can (some years I could go every few months for a cut; a couple of years I only got up there once a year). I have tried probably 10 different hairdressers here since moving back, and NO ONE can cut my fine hair correctly. I have sadly had some horrific haircuts in the last four years. So yes, I say if you can do it, GO for it! Bad color can be corrected, but boy, a bad cut lasts a LONG, long time.
Buffy, I live in Cleveland! Where is Olivia? I am flying to Boston to get haircuts right now… I would love to go to someone local and want to believe it can happen!
Hi Amy! She is at at http://treschiccle.com/ in downtown Cleveland! However, ask for Suzanne Davis when you call to book–she goes by that name professionally now. She is a wonderful hairdresser and person!
Thank you so much! I will definitely call! 🙂
I’ve given up on this! 🙁 My hair stylist lives in India and we moved to Japan, lived there for 4 years. Then, I found a new hair stylist one I could trust and THEN we moved to Australia. Now the struggle starts again and it’s real! :/
I actually travel about an hour to San Francisco to see my hair stylist! Visit Joseph Cozza salon on Market St right next to the Four Seasons hotel and ask for Czarina/Rina! I love her! 🙂
I considered doing it when I moved, but then my stylist got pregnant and stopped working, so I had to find someone else anyway. And I was lucky to find someone really amazing.
I would probably ask your friends for referrals and go from there. I think traveling THAT far is too much. There are plenty of amazing hair dressers. You just need to take the time to find the right one for you.
I’ve done that, years ago my favourite stylist moved to a salon in Windsor. I couldn’t drive at the time so I had to go by train and there was no direct train service from my home town. I ended up getting 2 trains to get there and then 2 trains to get home. I did that a couple of times until I found someone new locally.
I regularly drive 45 minutes to an hour to get my hair done. Once you find the right person (and many wrong people lol) traveling is worth it for a good style and familiarity. With that being said, if you don’t want to travel I would suggest trying a new stylist NOW. If the new stylist isn’t a good fit, you still have Alis in town to fix your hair.
Funny you should bring up this topic !
Many moons ago when Gimbels was in Center City Philadelphia, a guy from England would fly in to cut hair !
His name was Ramon ! Now you might think him flying in would cost you an arm and a leg ; but no his prices were very reasonable for that time and you know you were getting the best !
For me it was probably one of my first haircuts ?? since wearing my hair in a bun in Nursing School .
The era was early 70’s and the style was a layered cut which I wore until the Bob came out in the 80’s !
Michele