"JUST" a Hairdresser

Last summer as I was styling a young bride’s  hair, her bridesmaid asked if Adam was bringing his new girlfriend. The bride lovely with her young elastic skin, bright blue eyes glared and replied: “Gawddd, lets hope not!” “I hear she ‘s JUST a hairdresser”… I was stunned on so many levels. Stunned that no one realized that me, the girl standing above her with the hot appliance is, in fact, a hairdresser. Stunned that people would shame someone , and for their occupation, stunned that such negative talk would happen on such a beautiful day from such a beautiful person ( at least on the outside). I never did find out who Adam was but I did say a little prayer for his new girlfriend as I left that day… (of course, forgetting to tip me)..

In defense to Adam’s girlfriend, myself and all the other “just” hairdressers, I must say that we are NOT “just”… I have been standing behind the chair for 29 years, traveling over 10,000 miles a year not to do “just” hair and let me tell you… EVERY year when I calculate how much I brought in the prior year to do my taxes, I once again find myself scrolling through Craigslist with tears in my eyes (maybe I shouldn't be “just” a hairdresser). Hairdressers don’t make money. When you pay that bill, it doesn’t all go to us, it goes to the shop, Uncle Sam, products, the list goes on and on.

Hairdresser do their job out of love. We LOVE it. I speak for myself when I say that when I shut my eyes at night I am thinking about some client… either a haircut I had done or a story that they told me about their family. When I open my eyes in the morning, the first thing I am thinking about are the clients for that day… who I get to see and I’m excited to get started.

I don’t “just” cut hair, I get to hear all the things you might not tell your husband, your best friend, your therapist and I don’t take this lightly and I WILL take all these stories and secrets to my grave.

I change lives simply by changing hair! Cutting hair gives confidence, head held higher, walk taller… ego boosts happen on a daily basis in my chair.

I will always be there… it's not “just” a haircut, its an hour to escape, to not worry about anything at all.. get your hair washed, talk if you like or don’t, trusted space, knowing you will feel and look better all in one hour.

What other professions can do all that? And to me… that is priceless