You’ve stayed together through the best and worst of times, split ends, numerous hairstyles and different hair colours but now the spark is missing, you’ve outgrown your current hairdresser and it’s time to move on. So how do you goodbye to your first love who held your hand through every break-up and near-disaster? Here are five ways to let your hairdresser know that for the sake of your hair health, you need to start seeing other people and go to other hair salons.
Give them prior warning
In any good relationship, you need to give people a chance to redeem themselves before you completely sever the partnership. If you find that you have asked your hairdresser to take off an inch off your hair and they have taken a mile, then give them a polite warning that if they do it again that you will be forced to find another hairdresser who complies with your wishes. Three strikes though and they are out. Don’t let them emotionally blackmail you into another bad haircut or hairstyle.
Have the talk
Often in a break-up, it’s not the message but the delivery or lack of delivery that hurts more. Avoidance is never the answer. Your hairdresser may see you at the latest nightspot with new highlights and realise you have been cheating on them. They have given you hours of loyal service and they deserve your respect. Pick up the phone and let them know that you don’t want to be exclusive anymore and you have decided to go to another hairdresser. This may be due to geographic convenience, affordability or you just might want to see other people and try a different hairdresser.
Blame it on the economy
The bad economy has been blamed from everything from corporate greed to marriage breakdowns. So why not use it as an excuse to change hairdressers? This is a rational explanation of why you need to move on. Before the financial crisis, you could afford to spend $200 plus for your hairdresser to ruin your hair but you cannot factor this in your budget anymore and sadly, they are another casualty of the financial crisis. Just don’t be suckered into returning when the economy picks up.
It’s not you, it’s me.
When all else fails, take the full blame for the breakdown of the relationship and the miscommunication that has led to bad haircuts and unsightly colour jobs. Convince your hairdresser that it is due to your inadequacy as a client and not their incompetency as a hairdresser that has led to the irreconcilable differences and inevitable breakup. Once you have convinced them that it’s all your fault, walk away from the salon with your head held down in shame but when you get out of sight, run to the flashy hairdresser up the road.
Keep it short and sweet
Call your hairdresser and explain that the lack of chemistry between you and the constant miscommunication has led to you wanting to meet other hairdressers and try out their skills. Don’t give them the chance to talk you out of it or suffer through an awkward question and answer time about why it just didn’t work out. The time for talking and working it out is over. Make it a quick, clean break and walk out of there without looking back.
Don’t cut all ties with your hairdresser in case the new relationship doesn’t work out. Before you make the final cut, try a short transition period between the old and the new hairstylist. It may be a case of better the devil you know so make sure you don’t burn your bridges with your old hairdresser because you may want to return to the hairdressing salon.