adminHow much is enough and how much is too much to spend on it? How much difference does it really make to how people perceive you? Is it really worth the pain, discomfort and inconvenience that sometimes come with it?
Some are meant to attract, others to shock, some are just routine and others are meant to hide a multitude of alleged appearance sins like protruding foreheads, sparse natural hair growth or receding hairlines.
We are talking hair, or rather hairstyles. Male of female, black, white or green and every shade in between, very few of us are prepared to venture into public with the hair that we were born with au naturel (it’s a French phrase used in English meaning naked — no cover).
To many, stylist and client, the head has become an artist’s easel; only your imagination, expertise and access to accessories and tools will limit the final product. This explains why sometimes it becomes hard to decide if the resultant hairstyle is trendy or just downright weird, even if it is obviously very expensive.
A cruise around the hair salons in the city tells an interesting story. Looks are a priority and for many the head tops the list, not just physically but also on its demands on the pocket. Too expensive is not an expression that many people employ when considering hairstyles.
What they may say instead is, “I cannot afford it.”
For men and some women, the choices are generally simpler. One can go with an even cut or shave which sees all hair reduced to the same length. It could be a totally bald look in which one simply removes all the hair as soon as it starts to grow back.
Some opt to have symbols or words engraved into their hair. The person’s initials are a favourite for many. One hairstylist said that most people opted for this look because it is like having a tattoo which is in a very prominent place without having the permanency of dye ingrained into the skin.
But the styled hair is definitely in for trendy young men. Prophet Eubert Angel is a good example of a man who needs a hairstylist rather than an ordinary barber. Such men have their hair treated with chemicals, dyed and styled into waves.
The level of flamboyance is determined by the length of hair, dye colour and the style itself. Some, like Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli, go for Mohawks which are
rather eye-catching.
Another option for this group is to get their hair waxed into locks in the Rastafarian-inspired fashion. Dreads are no longer an indication of religion but just another fashion look.
And they are not all the same. Some are deliberately kept short and spiked or slicked back. Others are thick while some go for skinny ones. Others dye their locks in different hues and others keep them in their natural shade.
But it is the women who want elaborate hairstyles made up of real human hair or synthetic accessories who seem to need to be prepared to pay the most money,
spend the most time and endure the most discomfort in getting the look that they think is the one.
A shop in one of the suburban shopping malls which specialises in ladies hair extensions is a case in point.
The manageress says that women walk in, buy what they like or moon over it if they do not have the cash:
“Most of the time when a woman comes in and sees what she likes and does not buy it, you can be sure that it is because she does not have enough money. But chances are she will return and buy it later.
“For some of our high price goods we have a lay-bye option in which clients can pay a deposit and then settle their account and collect their goods within 30 days.”
The products in the shop range from the mass-market weaves which go for less than US$10 a packet to wigs costing more than US$500 each.
Getting the weaves implanted into the hair can cost anything between US$10 and US$50 depending on the salon that one patronises.
And usually this hairstyle is good for two weeks only. Then it is time for a change.
But connoisseurs of hair matters say that for pieces like wigs it is better to buy the best in the beginning because it will last for years and be a best friend on many bad hair days.
A hairdresser in one of the city salons says that some of the weird styles that hit the street are usually the result of a client disregarding the advice of the experts, meaning the hairdressers or stylists.
She said that sometimes a client walks in determined to have the same hairstyle that they saw on TV, in a magazine or on another person.
“In some instances the client and the model look completely different and you try to explain that the hairstyle was designed for a certain shape of head and that some colours or tints do not go with every skin colour. But if the client insists, you just do as they say because they are the paymaster.”
She says generally, darker skinned people must be very careful about colourful hair pieces though they can look very dramatic with bold shades. Her advice is for
one to try looking at the weave next to the face in natural sunlight first if they are not too sure.
The same hairdresser also admitted that other hairstyles come out funny because the hairdresser is still trying to grasp a new style and does not have much expertise with that particular product.
“Some weaves are tricky to attach and shape. So if you do not know how exactly it is done and you experiment with a client, the result can be a big joke. So normally we practise on each other or our assistants so that we can remove it and try again if at first it does not come out well.”
So next time you look in the mirror, ask yourself if you are trendy, weird or just a hairdressing mistake.
Online Reporter