Finding your one and only

 

 

This is something that most girls will understand. The search for your one and only, the person who makes you feel good inside and out, the person who can make magic with such small simple movements. Yes, I am speaking about your hairstylist.

When I finally made the decision to move to Germany, I was excited, elated, overjoyed…and then panic ensued. Packing, moving, applications, saying goodbye to friends can make the process overwhelming. But leaving a great hairstylist can be almost debilitating.

Now you may be one of those lucky ones with thick, beautiful hair that needs little management. The rest of the 99% have to cope with a myriad of hair disorders. My older brother and sister always say that I’m spoiled because I am the youngest. And although this is true, I have paid dearly for those advantages. You see, they have thick beautiful hair. I have a few paltry strands of fine blond hair that are completely straight except for the few that drift in unnatural directions from my forehead. 

And this is why I need a hairstylist extraordinaire- to work magic with minimal resources. I honestly am not that picky about the hairstyle per se. I have tried it all- long, short, spiky, bleached, red, highlighted.

I like to experiment, but I’m not very good at explaining exactly how that experiment should occur. My last hairstylist in DC was a magician, because he could read my mind. I’m one of those annoying people who come in and say they want something different and gives completely vague instructions. He could take that and come up with something cute, fun, sexy, and most importantly manageable. He just knew me.

That is why I was so heart-broken to break up over the distance. I would not be making it back to DC often enough and needed to move on to someone else. He warned me that I wouldn’t find anyone like him in Germany. I remained optimistic, but I didn’t realize until now how much I would miss him.

Finding a new hairstylist is like dating. You find a good one and you never want to leave. You search for a new hairstylist hoping that the first one you find will be the one instead of going on numerous blind dates with disastrous outcomes. Let me share with you my latest dating situation.

I live in a very small town, but we have a nationally known hairstylist who opened a salon here since he is from Ottweiler. I imagine, just like the US, that it is difficult and expensive to get an appointment with this award-winning hairstylist. So the salon suggested to pair me with someone who spoke some English. Good start!

The first time I went in there I showed her a picture of a new hair design. She cut my hair much like the picture, but something was all wrong. It made me look old and I was not happy with it.

She cut my hair in a way I have not seen in the US in a long time. Everything was straight across. Those with fine or short hair will realize the problem with this…everything will lie very flat. And that was the problem, I would have to tell her HOW to cut hair.  It wasn’t the little things like blowdry it, bangs vs. no-bangs, etc. It was the technique she used, which you can’t change.

I hadn’t officially moved to Germany, so I went back to my salon in DC and my hair was super short but so much better. It fit my face and I barely had said a word. I just had to go back one last time, but that made the process of getting over my last hairstylist so much harder.

I have gone back to the same German hairstylist 2 more times trying to give more direction. The last time she cut my bangs straight across leaving them to wander aimlessly to the side of my head with no direction or purpose. Either it works or it doesn’t- and this isn’t going to work. She is super nice and I really like her as a person- it isn’t her, it’s me. I have decided to move on. I’ve only seen her a few times, so I don’t need to give any explanation-the typical advoidance policy should work. I thought about scheduling an appointment with the owner of the salon. But like someone you have dated a few times, you really don’t want to run into that person again…AWKWARD!! Especially when you are accompanied by a new haircut.

Now I am in the process of finding another hairstylist in Germany. I am a little distressed, because my fellow International students have had little luck with the dating pool here. But when you are least expecting it, you stumble upon the person right for you. But til then it will be headbands again. Wish me luck!