It’s been 7 weeks- Time for my trip to Mizz Ethnicita
Forgive me Father. It has been seven weeks since my last hair treatment. 😉
This was the first trip that I debated whether or not I really “needed” an appointment. My color is in darker tones now (for the Fall season) so the new growth does not look so strikingly different. I liked my cut from the last time, and it had grown out nicely but not too much in 7 weeks (you know how that nappy hair grows oh so slowly). Finally, I think I have workable hair! Thanks Mizz Ethnicita!
I decided to go anyway because I am really bad at making time to totally spoil myself, and going to the hair salon is one of the best ways to do that. Plus, I’m going out of town next week and want to look like total hotness. 😎
So, here’s me before. I didn’t do anything to it that morning because I knew I was getting my hair done, and Mizz Ethnicita had just finished toying with my hair as we brainstormed what to do this round. Secretly, I really want to go a lot shorter with my hair, but I haven’t had enough nerve to just say it with conviction. I mean I’ve gone shorter, but I want to do something more drastic. Maybe the next round.
My hair was lighter than it was when I last got it done, but I never notice until we start talking about it and really looking through my hair. Good ole hair color and sunshine. Mizz Ethnicita noticed something that had been bothering me, too, but I hadn’t even mentioned it. The top crown area was not shaped/blended well with my lower layers (you can’t tell from the above photos). It had been annoying me because I felt mullet-ish (exaggeration but you get my point). She promised she could help clean that up. As far as color, the point was to dye my roots and darken a few areas so the overall color blended better. She showed me a section of hair that had a nice color mix to it and expressed her goal to do that more throughout my hair. Genious!
…and yes, I did want my eyebrows waxed. 🙂
Phia offers a complimentary scalp massage, mini facial, or hand and wrist massage with certain treatments (I’m not sure if it’s every visit and/or if it’s just something done at all Aveda salons or if it’s always complimentary). The last two times (my first 2 visits to the salon) I had opted for the scalp massage- something that can put me to sleep and make me purr if done right. The last time I was there, Mizz Ethnicita had suggested that I try the mini facial. Honestly, I didn’t know that was an option, but I went for it this time. The person who shampooed me did not mention it, but I was happy to know about it because I have only had a facial done once in my life (remember, I’m not really that beauty type). Also, even though I don’t wear makeup, one of the things I do care about is taking care of my face. I have to thank Lala Tamago for encouraging that interest and schooling me back when we first met and she was working for Mary Kay. Now, I use a variety of products from Aveeno’s foaming wash to Wexler’s Acnescript along with a moisturizer. Anyhoo, this was a chance for me to try out some new products. Thank God the “zit popping” part that was such a traumatic memory from first and only time I got a full fledge facial done (it was kind of like not being told that it hurts the first time you do it…you people in society are liars with your glamorizing of things that aren’t always so glamorous!). She asked if I had any skin concerns and I shared that my skin is very sensitive and breaks out very easily, so she opted for an Aveda product designed for sensitive skin (I’ll have to ask what the products were).
I won’t go into details about dying and cutting my hair because it was basically the same deal as before. The facial was heavenly! Mizz Ethnicita did it herself while the conditioner sat in my hair. My favorite part was the hot towel on my face, and the facial massage was a close second. Hmmm, maybe it was the other way around. In any case, I walked in extremely stressed after back to back meetings with contractors at my house and a poor night of sleep, and the mini facial brought me to that calm state.
Of course, no trip to Phia would be complete without my green tea. I love that they offer tea and coffee there. No honey this time, but that’s ok. I often “steal” a few extra honey packets from my Starbucks visits for just such an occasion. Those who know me know that I am either sipping tea or a martini. 😎 What?? They both have “t” in the word! I also continue to love the girly artsy vibe at the salon as there are only 2 male stylists (I think…definitely no more than 2…definitely maybe) in the whole salon, and the girls all have different looks and styles…not that monotone chic black outfit kind of place, but just as fancy to me.
So without further ado, here’s the after photos. I was afraid that the cut had lost the angly thing I was going after with the long piece on the sides (ya, I’m sure it has like a fancy style name so school me, i just know i want the angly thing with that part where my hair is longer towards the front), but after styling it later last night, I realize that shape is still there (not shown in these pics). I’m looking sharp I must say! Those of you who have been still holding on to hair and perms for the sake of hair and perms are really missing out. I love finally not wearing my hair in a ponytail and being a slave to the curling iron after so many years of my life.
The good part is that the disconnect between the length around the top crown of my hair and the lower parts is fixed. Case and point was this morning when I woke up in a hurry to drop my doggie to get his teeth cleaned and had no time to fully do my hair. I was able to finger and shape into a style that I had trouble doing before. That’s good news because I’m all about 3 second hair styles.
What am I using in my hair these days?
I am an Aveda girl for the most part. I still love my Kenra shampoo and conditioner. To this day, I feel Kenra’s moisturizing conditioner leaves my hair feeling softer when conditioning in the shower than any other conditioner I’ve tried. Aveda is good, too, but I think the Aveda Brilliant conditioner’s magic is using it as my leave in. So if I want to stretch my Aveda Brilliant conditioner, I mix with other conditioners like Kenra or just use Kenra in the shower and put the Aveda as my leave-in.
After the leave-in conditioner, I use Aveda’s confixor liquid gel. I don’t like the smell which I shared with Mizz Ethnicita, and she did try to introduce another option which I thought smelled worse. I think it’s something about liquid gels in general that just don’t smell good to me.
To top it off, I use my hair “crack” (as in the drug) as I continue to call it, better known as Aveda’s Brilliant humectant pomade (the all blue jar). I am addicted to the smell which is good considering it nicely masks the confixor. It also, leaves a nice shine and definition to my curl (who am I kidding? my NAPs! …lol) without feeling greasy. I’ve never found a product that worked that way before. I am putting in my personal plea for Aveda to come out with a larger jar than the 2.6 oz size. At least it makes me use my expensive hair crack more sparingly.
Total cost? $160 dollars (something close to that). Expensive, but I have to say Mizz Ethnicita is one of two stylists that I absolutely loved in my history of going to hair salons. So, to me, my pretty pennies are worth it.
Mizz Ethnicita tried a little lip gloss (I will have to get the name from her) that has a bit of a color tint to it. I was nervous after learning it has SPF 15 because most products, organic or otherwise, that have sunscreen break me out. Luckily, this didn’t which says a lot about Aveda products. I’m not the type to wear lip color (i don’t care for it and my hubby hates makeup…see we were truly a match made in heaven…you can’t make a pairing like that just happen), but I’d go for a clear lip gloss just for kicks. Right now, I still have a ton of those flavored Bath and Body Works flavored lip glosses from a previous life so no need to rush out and try something new. Funny story….my hubby heard me singing/saying my lip gloss is poppin’ whenever I put on lip gloss so now he always says something like “girl! your lips are poppin!” He refuses to correct it to lip gloss is poppin’ but that’s him… and that’s me- the one to always correcting English.
Before, I left I got to meet the owner. I must be moving up the food chain, thanks to many of you who have gone to the salon after reading my posts. Nice guy who’s doing some really cool things with his life which seems to be true of many entrepreneurs out there. I’ll probably share a bit more about him in future posts.
So that’s another tale in the chapter of Affrodite’s Adventures in Nappy Hair (I’m still laughing about seeing that phrase when I got linked on CNN…it took some nerve for the white folks to click on that link, but they did and I am grateful).
Peace out!
