For the less spontaneous among us, taking a trip to the salon for a drastic new cut or colour is a seriously stressful affair. No matter how much you trust your hairdresser, or how long you’ve kept that hairspo image you screenshotted months ago, the lump in your throat as you open the doors and prepare yourself for a totally new you just creeps higher and higher.
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As a result, every trip to the hair salon turns into an agonising process, filled with a roller-coaster of highs and lows…
#1 Time for a change
You’re bored with the same old ‘do and feel like a change.
#2 Actually, let’s go for a whole new look
You know what would be different and exciting? SHORT HAIR/ RED HAIR/ A FRINGE.
#3 Pinterest binge time!
*Spends entire weekend in bed creating “HAIRSPO” board.*
#4 Impulsive urges start to take over
YES! LET’S DO THIS. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW.
#5 But sensibility conquers
It’s always best to leave it to the pros. At least they know what they’re doing.
#6 Enter self-doubt
What if you hate it? What if everyone hates it? What if you have to wear a hat for the rest of your life?!
#7 But excitement quickly takes hold
You tell yourself to get a grip and commit to that go-big-or-go-home hairstyle. New look, new you. You’re ready.
#8 You try to back out at the last minute
NO THANKS I CHANGED MY MIND I’M KEEPING IT ALL BYE.
#9 But it’s too late
Because you’ve already told everybody how great it’s going to look.
#10 Panic causes your mind to go blank
You’re in the chair and the hairdresser turns to you and asks what look you’re after. And even though you’ve been thinking and obsessing over it for months, and you were sure you knew what you wanted, all of a sudden you don’t.
#11 You rethink every single life choice you’ve ever made
You can’t sit in the chair all day debating what to do, and though you’ve been thinking about going blonde / getting a pixie crop / [insert your own dramatic change here] for yonks, now you’re not so sure it’s right.
#12 And as a result, make a decision at the eleventh hour
You either (A): Take the plunge and go big, or
(B) wimp out completely. You go with “just a trim” and leave feeling super bummed that your hair doesn’t look any different, but promise yourself that you’ll go big next time. You swear.
#13 There’s no turning back
That’s it. It’s happened. The first cut has been made/ colour been applied. Your pure, innocent hair is gone.
#14 You basically freak the F out
There are no words. It’s becoming all too real. Maybe this was a really bad idea. Is it too late to stop this massacre?!
#15 Cue the paranoia
The inner monologues begin…. OMG she knows I don’t love it, she can sense it. I haven’t said anything in 30 seconds and she knows something is up. I can’t keep this charade going for much longer.
#16 The masterpiece is revealed
You haven’t looked in the mirror for the past half an hour because you’re sure the second you look up you’ll burst into a flurry of tears. But the hairdresser is done and as you hold your breath and look up, you tell yourself you can always go somewhere else and get it fixed if it’s not right.
#17 YOU LOVE IT!
How could you be so silly and doubt that this would look anything but absolutely FABULOUS. You silly goose. You got worked up for nothing. HELLO NEW AND IMPROVED YOU!
#18 You hate it
It’s so bad. It won’t sit how you want it to, it feels weird when you wash it and your whole face looks completely different. How do you even begin to resolve this dire mistake? What have you done?!
#19 It’s starting to grow on you
Okay, maybe this isn’t so bad, maybe you overreacted earlier. Your work colleagues seem to like it (or are they just taking pity?) and your boyfriend says he loves how spontaneous you’ve been. You know, this new ‘do could really work.
#20 The ‘epiphany’ moment
You wake up one morning, look in the mirror and realise that your new look is actually sort of cool. Really cool. And even if it wasn’t, hair grows back and it’s what you asked for, so you embrace the new you and love it. Sort of.
Can you relate to any of these emotional stages?
New year. New look!