Mullet nightmares

All of my friends and co-workers heard about my last trip to the Aveda Institute in Chapel Hill (March 2009) that led to a very teary ride home. I had been given what I can only describe as a “modern mullet.” I was mortified and resorted to wearing my hair in tiny claw clips for the following three to four weeks.

The silver lining that resulted from that student’s butchery was my subsequent relatively rapid hair-growth. You see, she’d given me my first “bang” since high school, but it only took about a month for me to be able to tuck it behind my ear and out of my way. I do not like hair in my face - more specifically - I don't like it ON my face.

I must admit that while the hair grew out, to this day I remain bitter. I should’ve known something was suspect when she kept my back to the mirror the whole time. Beware if you find yourself undergoing a "blind" cut.

Since I’d been to the Institute on two previous occasions and had been pleased with the results, I decided to go back. After all, it’d be almost impossible to see the same student on consecutive visits unless you return to the salon in less than a month. Oh, and a shampoo, mini-facial, cut and dry for $15 with no tips allowed is worth the risk to me! (Note: I think the regular price is between $19-$22, but that’s still cheap. The $15 price was a special).

So, I returned to Chapel Hill yesterday to brave another cut at the hands of an Aveda student. I think I made the girl quite nervous because after the previous disaster experience, I felt it necessary to share my disappointment and to be very specific about what I wanted her to do. I felt guilty, but I’m glad I spoke my mind because she took it all in and was very careful about getting feedback from me before snipping. And she was sure to keep me facing the mirror!

My hair is shorter than it’s been in a long time, but I’m happy with it. Since I blow out my super naturally curly hair every time I wash it, shorter is better anyway – so long as it’s not TOO short. NC summers make it tough to keep short hair straight when it’s in it’s nature to crimp up into the kinkiest of curls. (Hence the hatred of bangs!)

I will definitely return to the Aveda Institute in Chapel Hill for a regular hair cut. If I want to make a drastic change? No. Not unless I am able to request a very experienced student. But my hair isn’t all that tricky – there’s really no style to it at all – I just think I drew the short straw back in March.

So as not to frighten anyone away, the students really are carefully supervised. They are required to consult with their instructors before and after every service they perform.

With regard to my one negative experience I advise the following, no matter where you're going for a service unless you've got a regular stylist:

1. If you have a specific cut/style in mind, bring in photos/magazine clips if possible. In my opinion pics or clips of cuts that aren’t obviously professionally-styled would be best, unless you have a stylist to do your hair every day. I think requesting a hair cut to match someone’s red carpet look might end up as a letdown if you don’t know how to style it yourself.

2. Even if you feel silly, be VERY specific in describing what you want done.

3. Be sure to make your stylist aware of your hair’s “makeup.” Whether it’s fine, coarse, thick, naturally curly, processed, etc.

4. Do NOT make generalizations, like “give me layers.” There are many different types of layers – my last cut involved very WRONG ones for my hair type. I feel I must say that I didn’t make that generalization, I did specify what I wanted but I was ignored. Grrr.

Over the last 15 years or so, the length of my hair has ranged from almost to my waist to 1/2 inch off of my scalp. The latter was WAY too short, but long hair is too hard to straighten and when I have it I severely neglect trims and end up with loads of split ends. Long explanation short: if I had naturally straight hair I'd keep it long.

Like most people, I was genetically given the hair I don't want. So my curly-made-straight hair will likely be kept on the shorter side for a while and continue to be subject to the Russian roulette assignment of Aveda students.