Tuesday, October 14, 2008

You spend how much to look like that?

Disclaimer: This post is mostly about my hair. Try back tomorrow for something less vain.

While Susan's doing her part to keep the local car dealership in business - (Congrats Susan!) - I spent a small fortune today in support of my local hair salon. The business owner, who also happens to be the nice lady that cuts and highlights my hair, insists that if all her customers were like me she'd have gone out of business a long time ago. Apparently, the *luxury* that I allow myself once every six months or so does nothing to keep her afloat.

She does a nice job with my hair and after two hours and about five pounds of foil I walk out of there looking very natural. Like the lady who does my nails, she prides herself on that; that I should look natural after spending all that money. I wonder what the point is if I look the same either way? Maybe I should get my money's worth and dye my hair blue or something so that people will actually notice?

There was a sort of grunt and a "Short!" from the DH so I guess that's worth the $$.

;-)

I don't know what sort of magic she has in her fingertips or if instead it's the expensive array of potions she smoothes over my curls, but I leave there with my hair looking something like Marlene Dietrich's... all smooth and wavy in just the right places and shaped nicely. It never looks that way again, btw. Shouldn't that be included in the price - shouldn't my naturally glamorous look last for like a week or so, at least, before I revert to looking like I just rolled out of bed?

;-)

I'm guessing that most of us are pretty low-maintenance type girls. The funny thing is that sometimes I feel like I spend a fair bit of money in creating that illusion. Does that make the first bit of sense? I have my hair highlighted in the off-season to keep the same brightness the sun gives me for free in the summer months; I have my nails done but insist that they're kept super short and painted in quiet colors; I wear makeup that looks like I'm not wearing any. Hello? Why not save myself the trouble?

Tomorrow is
Blog Action Day and this year's topic is Poverty. Any wonder why I'm contemplating the cost of my own vanity?

10 comments:

RG said...

Let's see if I remember this:

A girl spends 2 hours and much $$$ to look like she just spent 5 minutes to get ready and a guy spends 5 minutes and no $$ to look like he spent several $$ and 20 minutes!

I have noticed driving through the poorest parts of large cities how many nail parlors there are! VAnity trumps poverty?

Jayne said...

I know what you mean Laura. I always ask jokingly (well, sorta) when I should expect my stylist at my house each morning after she "does" my hair and it looks so nice. I polish my toes, but can't have polish on my nails, and have to keep them short too, so I'm pretty low maintenance. Takes me, oh, 30 minutes tops to put on the mineral make-up (which really does look like there's nothing there) and do my hair each morning.

NCmountainwoman said...

I'm definitely low maintenance and I don't pay much at all for it. A hair cut every six weeks and makeup to wear only for special occasions. Of course, I'm no longer working and that makes a huge difference.

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

LOL! I only recently found the appeal for the big$$ hair colorist and now I'm positively hooked.
You're right though, once I ge it home, it's NEVER the same cuteness again.
This might be too much to share, but I tried my first eyebrow waxing last week too. (at age 51).
It was nothing short of a miracle!
I'm going to have to start picking up hours at work to pay for all of it.

Anonymous said...

Low maintenance? Let's put it this way. Yesterday was Picture Day at school. I put makeup on for Picture Day. ALL my students noticed. It shocked some of them. Especially when I put lipstick on before the actual picture time.

Unknown said...

Guys have it easier, and cheaper (free) with clippers.

Anonymous said...

Do NOT complain, girls! When my naturally mousey, brown hair started to turn gray, I went to my local magi...beautician and had her color that gray. Three days later, I was in the emergency room at St. Marys in Rochester, MN with a SEVERE reaction to the hair dye. Thankfully, I did not loose my hair. So I really envy you girls who can cover the gray or put in highlights or basically do anything besides cut the stuff.

Mary said...

Wishing I was a guy sometimes...

When I spend $$$ at the hair salon, I want to see a new me, especially when I complain to myself for too many weeks about needing a haircut and color. But I'll never go blue.

Susan Gets Native said...

Nothing wrong with looking like Marlene Dietrich.

I've had blue hair. And dark purple...but I won't go there.

It's interesting that we see ourselves in one way, but others would laugh to hear it. Remember sitting out behind Delia's house and you all called me a "girly-girl" because I had a pedicure with little flowers on my toenails? I have never thought of myself as girly in any way. I wear jeans and floppy shirts and only go to the salon when my hair is unmanageable.
But I wear makeup every day (you are about to live with me for four days, so you will see my morning routine). I'm not saying this well....maybe you know what I mean.
It's all relative.

RuthieJ said...

Well Laura, I was hoping for a picture of your new 'do (I haz a disappointment....)

I gave up on salons years ago--now I cut and color my own hair and if I don't like how it turns out there's no one to blame but myself (and I only feel better because the disaster didn't cost me $50!)