Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Full Moon Monthly

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The full moon has come and gone this month, and as September draws to a close, I thought, why not end it on a high note with  a few smirks and giggles. Again, these events are based on real events, with real people that come into my shop…again, I wish I was making this up.

– The shop opens at 9:30 a.m.. It isn’t even 9:31 a.m. “Hey…do you ever worry someone is gonna drive through your front window?” – I guess I missed the memo that this is the new morning greeting.

– The phone rings. I answer with my go to greeting only to hear “Yeah, whatever. I am trying to find the number of the auto body place down the street. Can you look it up for me…I am kind of in a hurry”. Now, I know the shop’s number has the #4 in it, unfortunately it is not followed with 1-1 …wait for it…there you go.

– “My daughter has colored her hair and now it looks horrible. What hair color will fix it?”. I kindly let the mother know that without seeing her daughter’s hair I wouldn’t even know where to begin to help her. “Well her hair looks like pumpkin pie with a mix of orange and a little bit of caramel with chocolate pieces in it.”….oh yes…now I know what color her hair is.

– FYI – “out the door” top coat is the name of the quick dry top coat. It doesn’t mean you have to apply it while going out the door.

– A customer came in to tell me she was not pleased with the product she had purchased. I looked up her file in the computer and saw her last purchase was OPI Avolplex Cuticle Oil. “What was it about the oil that you weren’t happy with?” I asked, to which she answered “Well…look at my hair! It is so greasy! My stylist told me that my hair’s cuticles were fried and that I need some oil for the cuticles, so I bought the OPI oil and now LOOK!!!!”. I silently remind myself “Do not smirk. Do not show it on your face.” and proceed to let her know that the oil she purchased was for the cuticles on her hands, not her hair. After further discussion and explanation and a giggle or two, she ended up buying Kpak Revitaluxe and SOMA Solace – a cuticle sealer – for her hair.

– I have a dish of candies at the front counter. Everyday I am asked how much for a candy. When I tell people they are free, some stare at me and say “Come on! Really?”. Some say thank you. Some take 10 pieces of candy and some dig through the dish and then sigh “Why don’t you have any lemon candies? They are my favorite. These others are gross. What a waste.”. – about the latter – my thoughts exactly.

– I hear the chirp of the Salon door chime and as I look up from my purchase order, there she is. A complete stranger standing at the front desk with her shirt lifted up asking me “do have anything for these stretch marks?”. …enough said.

– A woman came into the shop and asked if her son could come behind the counter and see our computer because “he loves computer’s”. The child was no more than 3 years of age and had something that I could only hope was peanut butter all over his shirt. I let her know that children weren’t allowed behind the counter. She didn’t seem too impressed that she had to mind her own child while in a store. …imagine.

– A woman came in the shop and as I came around the counter to greet her I was told “Leave me alone. I am not a thief. I do not like people talking to me.”, then she walked over to the brushes, reached up, took one of the shelf and began to brush her hair. I went over to her and shook my head side to side. She looked at me and asked me what I was doing. I told her “I am telling you no to using the brushes. Now you have to purchase it because you used it. As the sign says – Please do not use the brushes. You Brush. You Buy.”. When she asked me why I didn’t tell her, I said “Well, you told me you don’t like people talking to you.”.  …not my finest moment, I know, but come on…she left that one wide open.

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women

All StyleSign’s point to Goldwell

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Today’s tale is about Goldwell – a beautiful hair care line that offers something for every hair type and every styling issue or demand. Goldwell offers a beautiful array of shampoo’s and conditioner’s for all hair types and hair woes. Today’s focus is on their styling products. Many of Goldwell’s styling products offer shine, color protection and thermal protection. Some  of Goldwell’s styling products are Humidity Resistant (fights frizz) as well, such as;

– Big Finish Volume Hairspray

– Diamond Gloss Micro Fine Shine Spray

– Hot Form Heat Styling Lotion

– Flat Marvel Straightening Balm

– Sleek Perfection Thermal Spray Serum

– Crystal Turn Curl Gel Wax

Over the past couple of  years, Goldwell has also revamped their styling line…before you start to hyperventilate that your favorite product is no longer, calm down and take a breath. Again. Now, as you know my aim is always to educate and enlighten. Below you will find a list of Goldwell products that have  been discontinued and replaced by another. You’re welcome.

– Brilliance Radiant Star. Goldwell suggests to use DIAMOND GLOSS. Same shine as Radiant Star (use sparingly on fine hair)

– Natural Hot Darling Styling Lotion. Goldwell suggests HOT FORM (*NEW) – provides easier shaping, improved heat protection and more hold than Hot Darling.

– Wild Profiler Mousse Wax. Goldwell suggests UNLIMITOR – easier to distribute and more hold than Profiler

– Wild Supervisor. Goldwell suggests SUPEREGO – easier to apply and slightly more hold than Supervisor

– Brilliance Luxury Affair. Goldwell suggests JUST SMOOTH Moisturizing Styling Milk (*NEW) – slightly smoother and softer than Luxury Affair

– Natural Nice Balance Calming Milk. Goldwell suggests JUST SMOOTH Moisturizing Styling Milk (*NEW) – Slightly smoother and softer than Nice Balance.

– Curl Move Control Curl Putty. Goldwell suggests CURL LOVE (*NEW) – More smooth than Move Control and offers a natural shine.

– Wild Composer Styling Gel. Goldwell suggests LAGOOM GEL – Improved heat protection and more hold than Composer

– Wild Hardliner Acrylic Gel. Goldwell suggests LAGOOM GEL – Softer and less hold than Hardliner

– Wild Modeler Shaping Spray. Goldwell suggests BIG FINISH –  Quicker drying speed and more hold than Modeler.

– Natural Lite Kiss Flexible Spray. Goldwell suggests MAGIC FINISH – More hold and gloss than Lite Kiss.

– Natural Flexi Whip Flexible Mousse. Goldwell suggests GLAMOUR WHIP – More hold and gloss than Flexi Whip.

– Brilliance Jewel Shimmer. Goldwell suggests SPUN SHINE -Softer and less hold than Jewel Shimmer.

Goldwell’s Styling line is color coded and displays the hold factor right on the packaging – the higher the number = more hold.

VOLUME line = Silver/Blue packaging

GLOSS line = Silver/Pink packaging

STRAIGHT line = Silver/Purple packaging

TEXTURE line = Silver/Orange packaging

NATURAL line = Silver/Yellow packaging

CURL line = Silver/Green packaging

Check out their website at http://www.goldwell-northamerica.com for great tips and info. on the newest additions to their line.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Let’s clarify the situation

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Everyday at the shop I am asked if I carry a “clarifying shampoo”. The answer is always yes. Almost every professional Salon line has a clarifying shampoo available in a retail size. Before I hand it over to my customer’s, I always ask them why they are looking for a clarifying shampoo. The reason I ask is this – many people have been given the incorrect information about clarifying shampoo’s, and you know me, I gotta educate, I gotta enlighten.

Clarifying shampoo’s are exactly that. They clarify the hair – they remove product build up, mineral deposit/build up (from well water for example), and chlorine buildup. Professional clarifying shampoo’s will not lift color, will not make you more blonde or remove your perm. It isn’t recommended to use a clarifying shampoo if you have just had your hair colored – it could affect the vibrancy of the color – try to wait at least a week or two. Some people have been told a clarifying shampoo will help with dandruff, not always the case. Some people may get a build up of product on their scalp, so yes, a clarifying shampoo would work and stop the flakes. If you suffer from psoriasis or chronic dandruff all a clarifying shampoo is going to do is dry you out more and cause more flakes. – check out my blog “Save your shoulder checks for changing lanes” archived April 2012 for awesome products custom made for those issues. Also, some people have been told clarifying shampoo’s will help with an oily scalp. Again, not always the case. Drying out the scalp may cause the scalp to produce more oil. Suffering from oily scalp? – RUSK Purity, Senscience Specialty Shampoo and JOICO Daily Care treatment shampoo are gems!

You may have heard that clarifying shampoo’s dry out the hair. Yes, in some circumstances they can, usually when they are over used, or not a professional salon brand. Being me, I have compiled a little go to list to clarify the situation…couldn’t help myself.

JOICO Kpak Chelating Shampoo – contains a triple action formula that removes mineral deposits, chlorine and styling product buildup while moisturizing the hair.

KMS HAIR STAY Clarifying Shampoo – leaves your hair feeling clean and healthy, not dry or feeling stripped. Gentle enough for daily use *Great for swimmers!

AG Renew – Mild yet massively effective. Cruelty free – they love bunnies

REDKEN Hair Cleanse – formulated with fruit acids to add shine while removing buildup.

SOMA Clarifying Shampoo – Awesome at removing the green chlorine stains on blondes. Vegan, Biodegradable, Alcohol free, Paraben free and Formaldehyde free.

So there you have it. Clarifying shampoo’s may be used once a week or once a month, depending on how many styling products you use, your hair type and how often you wash your hair. It is an awesome idea to clarify your hair before a color service – think of it as a blank canvas for an artist to work upon. Situation – clarified.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

REPRESENT!

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Today’s tale is about the Sales Rep. As in every industry, the Sales Rep many times, is the unsung hero of the industry they represent. At our shop, I deal with over 10 different companies and their Reps and as in every industry, you get the good and the great. I am quite fortunate that I deal mostly with the latter. The great ones are the reason for today’s tale. I am here today to be the voice of the great ones.

A little back story for those of you who may not realize exactly what the job of a Sales Rep. entails. You are driving, all day long, in rush hour traffic. Like our postal carrier friend’s, come rain, come sleet, come snow, you are out there, driving the roadways and walking the walkways. Most Sales Reps are on straight commission = they don’t sell, they don’t make money. Some companies offer a gas allowance and a cellphone allowance, some do not (yeah, let that sink in for a moment). Sales Reps are given quotas, usually based on their previous years sales. (Sometimes based on the sales of someone else). Sales Reps have to work all the hair shows, they must go to every training session and class, and since most are on commission, you guessed it, usually with no pay. The great ones ( I stress the great ones) do this because they love their job and want to do right by their clients.

As in every industry, you get the not so great Sales Reps, or the good ones, the “order takers” as my dear ol’ Dad calls them. (quite a fitting accolade actually – all they do is show up and ask what I want, I swear I have heard a few of ’em utter “ya want fries with that?”). You know the ones – don’t call, don’t keep their appointments, don’t tell you of the new products – you have to ask, don’t follow up with orders. The most unfortunate thing about these Reps is that the great ones pay the price. Not all, but unfortunately most companies paint all their Reps with the same brush and the great ones end up being punished along with the order takers. Yeah, I said it. All of a sudden new procedures or limitations are created and are placed on the Reps without a true explanation of why and they are supposed to enforce the new rules (without question) with their existing clients/Salons. By the way, it is not the Sales Rep’s fault that a company has “order takers”. The fault, my dear, lies with management. Yeah, I said it. With proper training, you can raise someone up to their true potential, or weed out the ones that really don’t have it in them – another tale for another time.

What the higher ups need to remember is this. Sales and sales relationships are not built on who has the flashiest smile or who has the best parlor trick (the 50’s are over) – these relationships are built on trust. Salon owners and stylists, like all customers, want the truth, the real deal, they need to know the bottom line. How is a Sales Rep supposed to tell a Salon owner where the bottom line is when head office keeps moving it because of “order taker Arnold”. How is a Sales Rep supposed to project trust in a company that they themselves can’t trust?  Business is business. All employee’s, from the cashier at your local grocery store to the Sales Rep who is busting their butt and their car’s mileage to represent the company that employ’s them, need to know that management has their back. All employee’s need to know they have support from management. No one likes to feel like the rug has been pulled out from under them. It’s time for management to get out from behind the desk and get back out on the road, and be sure to bring gas money.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing
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Today’s tale is short and sweet, like yours truly. After you read it, you will see why. Quite honestly, I find myself at a loss for words. I am all about new techniques and trends. Some are so cool I cannot wait to try them. Others, well, I will leave it for others to try and enlighten me afterwards. My aim is always to educate and enlighten so here goes.

So as I was surfing the web this morning I came across a new trend that has begun in England and is making it’s way across the pond. Downstairs Dye job. Yes, you read that right, Downstairs Dye job. (For more info. check out http://www.NYMAG.com  The Cut). It seems that women not only hate the pesky grays popping up on their heads, it is becoming an issue south of the border (and I don’t mean Mexico). I never realized this was an issue…gives “my roots are showing” a whole new meaning, and visual for that matter.

I know. Right now you have just crossed your legs and said “ouch” aloud. I know I did. The thought took  me back to the day I accidentally used Kleenex with menthol when the toilet paper roll was empty (kids). Let me tell ya…you NEVER forget that sensation. From the info. I have read, you can uncross your legs. It seems the bleach used is similar to the bleach used to lighten facial hair, and mixed with certain oils that don’t sting. Your southern belle can be dyed to match your northern ‘do. You can also choose a design for artistic flare; a heart, a star, an eagle, a beaver …couldn’t help myself.

So now not only can your shoes match your bag, the carpet upstairs can match or compliment your carpet downstairs. ….that’s all I got.

Gray coverage?

Beauty, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

Gonna Moroccanoil your world

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At least ten times a day I have the same question posed to me “Do you sell Moroccanoil?”. The answer is always yes. Moroccanoil is a beautiful product and it sells itself – a perfect blend for any Salon’s retail shelves. Moroccanoil has an array of products for every hair type and hair woe. I have found that many of my customer’s have been using the wrong product, so they aren’t getting the results they had hoped for, so being me, I have compiled a little list of the best sellers (at our shop) and a little ditty explaining their features and benefits.

Curl Defining Cream – brings definition to curly/wavy hair. It’s heat activated technology provides intense conditioning and activates curl memory. *Keeps hair bouncy and helps to control frizz.

Curl Control Mousse – AWESOME for curly and tightly spiraled hair. A lightweight hold that seals in moisture and keeps out the frizz. *Control without crunch – looks soft and natural.

Intense Curl Cream – an ideal leave in conditioner to keep natural curl/wave. *No sticky residue

Restorative Hair Mask (orange lid) – a 5 -7 minute conditioning treatment that infuses protein back into the weakened hair shaft. *Awesome for thermal/chemically damaged hair.

Intense Hydrating Mask (brown lid) – a conditioning treatment that deeply hydrates and conditions. Dramatically improves the texture of the hair and improves the elasticity and shine. * Ideal for thick hair

Weightless Hydrating Mask (white lid) – much like the Intense Hydrating Mask (above) * Ideal for fine hair

Moroccanoil Treatment – an alcohol free and residue free oil that blends beautifully with other products. Helps to speed up drying time and reduce the look of flyaways and frizz. Morocannoil Treatment absorbs instantly to fill the gaps created by heat styling and environmental damage. * can be used on towel dried hair and after styling to seal ends and add some shine and smoothness to the hair. * Also available – Moroccanoil light for very fine hair.

Frizz Control Spray – a weightless spray that is humidity resistant. This gem is great for all hair types and all seasons – eliminates frizz in the summer and eliminates static in the winter!

Luminous Hairspray – A medium hold hairspray that adds shine and blocks out the humidity with it’s humidity resistant formula. Also available in a Strong hold factor.

Moroccanoil offers an array of shampoos and conditioners for every hair type, from fine to thick, damaged to dry. All are Color safe and sulfate, phosphate and paraben free.  Check out their website http://www.moroccanoil.com for more info. and great styling tips. Once you have smelled this product, like most clients and customers,you will want to have it, it’s a done deal. You will be holding the bottle in your hand and find yourself saying, in the infamous words of Dorothy Boyd in Jerry Maguire “You had me at hello.”.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

Immersed in Bain de Terre

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Over the past months I have had many women come through the shop’s door looking like they have just lost their best friend. They wander up to the shelves and with a heavy sigh utter “I knew it. It’s gone.”. This is when I step in. “Can I help you find something?”. “I doubt it” is what I usually hear. “I liked the Bain de Terre Magnolia spray but it isn’t made anymore. I can’t find it anywhere.”. It is at this moment I am about to become their best friend. You see, Bain de Terre has updated their packaging, so the products are still available. I take my customer over to the new display of her Bain de Terre favorites and give her a can of the Magnolia Thermal Iron Protector in it’s new silver packaging. (The new packaging, by the way, is fabulous!) You would have thought it was Christmas by the smile on her face.

Bain de Terre is a beautiful hair care line. A hidden gem if you will. Their website – http://www.baindeterre.com is a terrific website, which offers how to’s, explains what products are best for each hair type and gives a complete ingredient listing for each product. Bain de Terre has updated their packaging and now their selection of Shampoo and Conditioner is paraben free and infused with argan oil & monoi oil – the result? Smooth, soft, silky lavish perfection. (* monoi oil – a known natural skin and hair softener)

Bain de Terre is a popular seller at our shop, so I have compiled a little list of the popular products at our shop; ( put it this way, I have seen grown women pout when a product is out of stock).

Magnolia Thermal Iron Protector – An awesome flat iron spray. It is an aerosol, fast drying with a light hold and a 24 hour humidity blocker. Offers heat protection up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit for those of us who crank up our flat irons.

Jasmine Blow Dry Smoothing Cream – An awesome styling agent to fight frizz. This light weight, heat activated cream reduces breakage by over 70%. (and it smells terrific). To be applied before you blow dry.

Recovery Complex Anti Frizz Serum – a weightless serum that repairs, eliminates frizz and creates instant shine. It is alcohol free, Paraben free and color safe. It can be used before blow drying or can be applied after styling is completed to smooth out ends or to add some shine.

Bain de Terre has a few new additions to their product family;

The Purite Line – consists of a shampoo, conditioner and serum. It is free of sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde, colorants, Gluten, mineral oil and phthalates.  Available in;

Moisture Repair – doubles the strength of the hair

Color Protect – locks in color = healthier color, color brilliance wash after wash.

Another addition to the Bain de Terre family;

Macadamia Oil Nourish Shampoo and Conditioner – paraben free and restores the health of fine to normal hair types.

Argan Oil Sleek and Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner – paraben free and creates a sleek, smooth glow for thicker/coarser hair.

A tip from That girl in the red coat – when looking for your favorite product and you cannot seem to find it anywhere – always check the product’s website. Most websites will offer details of new packaging, discontinued product listings, and store/salon locator’s of where to buy your favorite product. So before you believe the person who tells you something is discontinued, check the website, or check back with me, that girl in the red coat. I got your back.

Beauty, Business, communication, entertainment, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, writing

Full Moon Monthly

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Gather ’round ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Yes, it is that time again, another month has passed and a full moon is upon us. I used to think I was psychic, I could feel the shift of the tides, the shift in the karma of those around me. Now I know it was PMS. I know this because since my hysterectomy (getting the stupid cut out as I like to call it) I no longer get that psychic/one with the universe/could cry at the drop of a hat/punch someone in the face feeling once a month. I just see and hear some odd things and the calender confirms it…full moon.

A woman came in to the shop with three children in tow. Her daughter (age 4) saw our display of demo flat irons and curling irons and ran straight for them. “Be careful sweetie. Those can get very hot and you could burn yourself. Don’t touch them, let us help you”, to which the mother looked at me and told me “not to tell her children what to do.”. …it is 10 a.m..

The phone rings. A woman has called the shop looking for a product that helps psoriasis. I let her know of the many shampoo’s we sell that are formulated to help with such a scalp condition – Smart Solutions Problem Hair ‘n Scalp Shampoo is our best seller and has helped many of our clients and customers. She then asks me if I think it could help her. I let her know that without seeing her it is hard for me to say, but I am sure it would be fine. “I can’t get in today” she said and then began to describe in great detail the size of the flakes that she had on her head “about the size of a nickel.”. I thanked her for the description and let her know that from her description, it should be just the product for her. …it is 10:20 a.m. – I shit you not.

From time to time I do not carry a certain product, so I put in a special order for our customers. There is no extra charge, and I will hold it for them for 2 weeks. I called a customer this morning to let her know that her product had arrived. “Well! I can’t get in today!” she said. I reassured her that I would put the product behind the counter for her and that I can hold it for her for 2 weeks. “Bet you will charge me extra for holding it!” she says. I let her know there is no extra charge. “You’ll forget who it’s for and sell it to someone else!” she says. I reassure her I have put a sticky note on the can with her name on it. “What if another Carol comes in and you give it to her?” (names have been changed to protect the innocent…and my ass). I tell her that I have her phone number with her name on the sticky note so that won’t happen. “Bet it will rain the day I get there!” to which I respond “well, you got me there Carol”. …it’s 11:30 a.m.

A woman came in the shop and asked me if I knew why her hairdresser messed up her hair. After a few seconds, I just frowned and said “I’m sorry, I don’t know”. “Why won’t anyone tell me why she did this to my hair?”. So I asked her if she had spoken to her stylist to which she replied “Oh no. I can’t do that. I might hurt her feelings.”. …12:15 p.m..

Our Salon is closed on Mondays. It was quiet in the shop so I thought I would go back in the Salon and help the stylists out by going over the floors once more and making sure the back bar bottles were filled up and towels were folded and ready for the next morning. I hear the chirp of the shop door and come around the corner and greet the customer with my standard “Hi there! How are you today?”. “I want my hair cut.”. he says. I explain that the Salon is closed on Mondays and ask if he would like to make an appointment for another time. “Salon ain’t closed. You’re in it.”. I smile and answer “You’re right! I am in the Salon, just tidying up a bit preparing for tomorrow, the stylists are off today, so the Salon is closed.”. “No it ain’t…you’re in it. If it was closed you wouldn’t be in it.”. I take a breath, Smile and say “You’re right, the Salon is open, because I am in it. The stylists are not here, it is their day off.”. To which he says, “See, told you it ain’t closed”. Then he walked out.  …I have stopped looking at the time.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

I’m gonna change your life

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I am a huge fan of Jerry Seinfeld’s Comedians in cars getting coffee. Google it then watch every episode. You will not regret it. Season two has begun and while watching the episode with Sarah Silverman, something she said has resonated in me and I gotta share it with you. “I’m going to change your life forever”. Something that is said to someone who just doesn’t realize how they look or sound. ( if you want to know more about who she was talking about it, you are going to have to watch the episode, don’t want to spoil it.)

Everyday I see or hear women hating their hair and they don’t realize that they can change that.  I also tend to see or hear the most idiotic or asinine behavior and/or comments and you know what? Most of these people don’t realize how they look or how they sound. I say most because unfortunately there are some shallow end of the gene pool swimmers out there that know exactly what they are saying and doing – but there is no changing them and that is a tale for another time.

A woman came into the shop to thank me for introducing her to Joico Kpak Revitaluxe. Her hair had never felt so great. We started a little chat about hair and our past hair woes and then she told me how she didn’t like the cut she had gotten the past three times with her stylist. I asked her if she let the stylist know, because if you don’t tell the stylist you don’t like your cut, you are going to keep getting the same cut, because she thinks you like it. “Oh, I can’t do that. It would be rude and maybe she would get offended.”. – I hear this phrase at least 10 times a week. Ladies and gents, once and for all, if you don’t like your hair style or the outcome of your hair color – tell your stylist, in a polite manner. Don’t go and throw the flat iron and a temper tantrum shrieking “I can never go out in public again!” – behave yourself and be a grown up and let them know you aren’t happy with the service and see if there is anything that can be done. Back to the tale at hand. I asked my customer “If you order a steak well done and it is rare – would you eat it and say nothing, or would you ask for it to be done the way you ordered it?”. To which she answered “I would ask for it to be done the way I ordered it”. This is when it happened. I looked her straight in the eye, smiled and said, “I am about to change your life. From now on if you are not happy with your cut, tell your stylist. It isn’t fair to her because she thinks you are happy when you are not. It isn’t fair to you because every time you look in the mirror you are unhappy. This is a win win for you – either she will listen to you and you will get the cut you want, or she won’t listen and you will know it is time to find a new stylist.”. It was quiet for a moment, I was hoping I had not overstepped my bounds (I kinda do that sometimes). She looked at me, blinked and said “You are right. I never thought of it like that before.” I gave her our Salon price list and let her know that she is more than welcome to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation. We ended up talking for over 20 minutes, about our hair and about our lives. As she left she winked at me and thanked me “for changing her life”. We both laughed and I could hear her laughter as she walked out the door.

As I sat down to finish my paperwork I found myself smiling and saying quietly to myself “Thank you Sarah Silverman for changing my life”.

Beauty, Business, communication, entertainment, Hair Care, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Full Moon Monthly

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For those of you familiar with my blog, you are well aware of my “Tales of Truth” series. As I was going through my archives I realized most of my Tales of Truth moments went hand in hand with the arrival of the full moon. So gather ’round ladies and gents, boys and girls and welcome to the first of many installments of Full Moon Monthly, brought to you by none other than That girl in the red coat. (as stated before…these are based on ACTUAL events. I have witnesses)

I hear the chirp of the shop’s door. I smile and greet the customer “Good Morning!”. She  looks around and says “Are you talking to me?”. I let her know, yes, I am talking to her. She stares. So I ask “Can I help you find something?”. “Yes, I am looking for a Shampoo that I can buy where I live, I don’t always want to drive into town.”. So I ask her where does she live and she tells me “I don’t tell people my personal information.”. …wait for it….there you go.

A woman came into the shop looking for the mousse her stylist just used. I asked her if she remembered the name of the product. She told me “No! Why would I remember the name of a product that I thought was horrible and smelled bad.”. So I asked her if she wanted me to show her some other mousses she may like and she said “No, I want the one my stylist used, if I go to her smelling like another product I might hurt her feelings.”.

There I was, innocently counting the nail polishes for an inventory count when a woman comes into the shop. “Hello” I say, to which she responds “I used to use these polishes until my niece quit beauty school and got ’em cheap for me. She is useless and spoiled rotten.”. …okay then. So I ask her “Can I help you find something?” to which she says “Yeah, tell me what will help me with my hair, since my husband left me 20 years ago and it gave me the cancer of the Uterus and the lying Doctor’s told me that my ovaries would keep the menopause away my hair just ain’t the same.”. As I went to show her some products she looked at me and said “I don’t have time for this, I gotta go catch the bus.Thanks for the lovely chat and I will be back!”. – cue Twilight Zone theme

From time to time, we are out of stock of a product, sometimes because of back orders, sometimes because the product is an awesome product and sells well. I know empty spots on the shelves are a no no, but they happen. I was told by a customer, three times in a row that it was pathetic that her product wasn’t there. (well, in the size of bottle she preferred). I explained about the back orders ( the distributor moved warehouses hence back orders for a few weeks). I offered to call her as soon as the product came in. She asked if I knew when the product would arrive. I explained that I didn’t know, that the warehouse would send them as soon as they get them, to which she again said “pathetic”. I told her I was just as frustrated as her, that I didn’t have the product for my clients and customers, but that it wasn’t pathetic.(I know – let sleeping dogs lie…I don’t always follow my own advice). As I rang through her purchase, I let her know our debit connection was slow, to which she smirked and said “I was going to say something but I won’t”. So, me being me, I asked her what it was she wanted to say. “I was going to say “you are used to waiting for things but that would be pathetic…or maybe you would be pathetic about it.”. Well played…gotta give her that…it’s all she’s got.

A customer asks “What shampoo smells the best?”. I let her know she is welcome to open up the bottles and smell them, because what I like she may not. “Pfft…you are a lazy sales person aren’t ya?”. Okay…here we go. I smile, tell her to follow me and show her our best seller, open up the lid and she smells it and exclaims “Why did you show me that?!? It stinks. Show me something I will like the smell of.”. As politely as possible I explained I don’t have the same sense of smell as her and maybe it would be best if she took a moment to smell some of the shampoo’s. She looks at me and says “Okay, why didn’t you say that it the first place?”. …sigh.

“Have you found Jesus?” – something I am asked quite often. One of these believers in urgent need of saving my soul left me a coin with a “version” of the Ten Commandments on it. The coin worried me a little…it was silver. I think she had five more.   ….wait for it….there you go.

A woman comes in the store, sees me and says “HEY! Haven’t seen you in forever!”. I look at her and don’t recognize her. “I’m sorry, have we met?” I say. “Come on! You know me! Come on! Come on! Come On! You remember!”. I stand there, cannot place her face for the life of me. “Come on! You know me! I know you Susie!”. I let her know I am Sara. “Well you look like Susie! Come on! You know you do!”.

I am starting to think that people are coming into the shop in hope that I will write about them.  For the love of god, I hope so.