Any fellow bottle blondes will relate when I say how bitter sweet it is to have lighter hair.
On one hand, having blonde hair is fantastic. It suits my pale complexion a lot more than my natural mousey shade and brings out the blue of my eyes. Having blonde hair makes me feel fresh and bright, and lots of my favourite beauty styles revolve around the fluffiness of blonde hair. Being blonde is also a characteristic in some senses; look at the likes of Dolly Parton, would we really love her as much if she wasn’t blonde?
On the other hand, root upkeep is a nightmare. I am fortunate that my hair grows quite quickly and so for the past few years I’ve been able to experiment with different cuts and styles. The downside of this lovely attribute is that around 6 – 8 weeks after having my hair done I have an inch of dark roots. Being blonde requires dedication and lots of maintenance if you want to really savour the brilliance and lustre of your colour and so finding a hairdresser that you can trust is key. If you’re in need of a new grooming guru, why not pay a visit to mine…
This is Jenny and she is a creative director at Syer Hair and Beauty in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. She’s been doing my hair for four years now and I always feel fabulous when she works her magic. Jenny has some key qualities that I would recommend anyone finding in their hairdresser. This is why I love her and in finding these qualities in your stylist I’m sure you will always be satisfied with your hair.
1. When I tell her what I want, we further discuss what I really mean.
Communication barriers are probably the most frustrating to overcome when you’re being groomed. Let’s face it, we’ve all come out of the salon at one point of another and moaned to our friends that “I told her I wanted a slight trim and she’s taken two inches off it”. When I go in to Jenny with an innovative new idea about what I want doing to my hair, unless I’ve got a really clear photograph we always sit down and discuss it. More often than not, I’ve known what I meant in my head but not actually managed to say it properly. Having a chat and not rushing into things is always key in visiting your hairdresser.
2. She is always honest with me.
I am lucky that Jenny is now acquainted with my fickle and impulsive ways (these characterstics are two that I put down to my star sign, Scorpio). For this reason, if I come to her and declare that I’m going to shave it all off and dye it red she politely declines my request and just continues to maintain my usual style. Jenny is always honest with me about what will suit me and what won’t, and, rather than allowing me to build up an idea of something that I want that isn’t right for me, she will help me to create style concepts that will suit me and will highlight my best features. Always be sure that your hairdresser is honest with you about colours and cuts that will suit you and also makes the after care regime very clear. For example, red hair tends to fade very quickly so there’s no point in hitting the crimson bottle if you can’t afford the appropriate products to maintain the colour for as long as is possible.
3. Jenny genuinely cares about what my hair will look like in the end.
Jenny knows that I am a student and that getting my hair done is something that I have to save for. For this reason, she tries to balance my vision with a style that is easy to maintain and that won’t need touching up every five minutes. Instead of bleaching my hair all over, she ensures that my highlights are very multi-tonal so that my roots don’t look so bad if I can’t afford to get them done again as quickly as I’d like to. In addition to this, she considers my lifestyle when styling my hair; for example, she makes sure that when she cuts my layers they aren’t short enough that they need too much attention because she knows I’m often in a rush and don’t have time to fuss over my hair. It may sound trivial, but making sure that your hairdresser is aware of your usual routine will result in a style and cut that is not only lovely but fits into your everyday schedule.
Follow these tips and you can be sure to find a friend in your stylist. If you’re interested in finding out more about Syer Hair and Beauty or in booking an appointment with Jenny, take a peek at their brand new website here!
A little after thought…
While I’m on the topic of blondes I’d love to quickly tell you about my favourite blonde, Andy Warhol’s lovely muse – Edie Sedgwick.
The story of Edie Sedgwick is a tragic one. It involves beauty, creativity and impeccable style but also includes drug abuse, broken relationships and an early grave. Her story is told spellbindingly in the 2006 film Factory Girl. Played by Sienna Miller, Edie’s life and in particular her relationship with Andy are explored. It is one of my favourite films and I would recommend you sitting down and watching it if you liked the 60s. With incredible music, gorgeous visuals and fashion to die for, you’ll long for a time machine to go and visit them in the Factory.
