While I was having my hair done...<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Every time I pull my hair back in a ponytail, it
\ndoesn't mean that I enjoy showing off my receding hairline. It
\nonly means it is time to go to my stylist to have my hair washed,
\nmoisturized and blow-dried properly.<\/p>\n
As an ultraperfectionist, I always calculate very carefully
\nthe time I have available to spend at my hair and beauty center.
\nI usually try to squeeze it in before lunch or a meeting in such
\na way that people will not be aware that I have spent half a day
\nat a beauty center. Once someone called on my hand phone while I
\nwas having my hair blow-dried. I had to explain to him that I was
\nstanding on an airport runway.<\/p>\n
It just feels good when someone says to you: "Wow, you really
\nlook great for somebody who has been working so hard the whole
\nday!"<\/p>\n
There is one hair and beauty center I always go to in Kemang.
\nBelieve me, this place is the best so far. I have done my
\nhomework; I have been to lot of salons. By the way, have you ever
\nbeen to the one called "Risky Salon"? I mean who would
\nvoluntarily walk into a hair salon with a name like "Risky"?<\/p>\n
Anyway, this hair and beauty center I always use has very
\nfriendly staff, a cozy seating arrangement and most important for
\nme is that they have separate smoking and non-smoking areas.<\/p>\n
I feel very welcome every time I walk in. Everybody greets me
\nby name. It feels like walking into "Cheers" bar. I'm always
\nseated in my favorite chair, served with my favorite drink and
\nmagazine, and the stylists are quick to assist me. All of that
\nhappens minutes after my arrival. Besides being naturally nice, I
\nguess they also appreciate my generous tips.<\/p>\n
While listening to Go West by the Village People (its probably
\nbeen chosen as their anthem), I sit back, enjoy a scalp massage,
\nhave my cuticles pushed back and my eyebrows plucked; how could a
\nwoman expect more than this? Gees, don't you think it sounds more
\nlike being tortured than being pampered?<\/p>\n
There are generally between five and ten other women or men
\nclientele sitting in the room. Yes, they have male clients. The
\nmale clients normally come at the least busy time, like Monday
\nmorning.<\/p>\n
One day I bumped into my super macho ex-CIA friend John, who
\nis famous and very proud of his natural, non-gray, wavy, brunette
\nhair. I actually caught him having his hair colored and his nails
\nmanicured! "I had no idea that we have the same hair dresser," he
\nsaid, with a "pity me and please do not tell anyone about this"
\nlook on his face.<\/p>\n
Just imagine how many hush-hush stories I hear just by sitting
\nin my hair and beauty center for half a day. My stylists always
\nshare the "steamiest story of the day" they have heard from their
\ntalkative clients.<\/p>\n
Some of the clientele have familiar faces: including movie
\nstars, top government officials, models, spoiled rich teenagers
\nand bored looking expatriate wives. I have observed that they
\nhave various reasons for going there. I mean besides having their
\nbody parts altered.<\/p>\n
Some of them go there because they think it's a place to go to
\nbe seen. Some of them go there because they want to show off to
\ntheir friends that they can afford to have their hair done at the
\nplace frequented by the top models. But some of them also go
\nthere just because it's convenient and near their homes.<\/p>\n
I have a different reason, for me my beauty center is like my
\nsecond home. A place where I can relax and unwind.<\/p>\n
The highlight of the visit is to listen to what other guests
\nare saying. Many clients seems to have a prepared list of
\nsubjects to discuss before they walk into the beauty center. They
\nsit down, get comfortable and as soon as their stylist arrives,
\nthey begin their litany. Topics range from politics, dirty
\nweekends or just what great people they are. These people usually
\nspeak loudly, eager to make their opinions known to everybody
\nelse in the room.<\/p>\n
They are just so much better than everybody else.<\/p>\n
One afternoon, a few hours before the blown-out-of-proportion
\nturn of the century party, I went to my beauty center to have my
\nhair, face and body decorated according to the theme. I think my
\nstylist poured half a kilogram of glittering dust all over me. I
\nswear, I must have looked like a lost tinker bell.<\/p>\n
While my stylist was struggling to put sticky fake eyelashes
\non my eyelids instead of my nose, I recognized the loudmouthed
\nlady sitting beside me. Who could ignore her? She was literally
\nshouting, to make sure that everybody in the room heard what she
\nhad to say.<\/p>\n
"I went to Singapore last week especially to buy this latest
\n'New Millennium' make-up kit, you know? I spent a couple hundred
\ndollars for these stick-on eyebrows alone, plus hundreds more for
\nthe blush and body glitter, and yada... yada... yada...," she
\nshouted, her hands busy directing the stylist how to stick her
\nbright, glittery, blue stick-on fake eyebrows properly.<\/p>\n
The stylist squeezed one big dollop of glue at the back of
\neach of the stick-on's, placed them on her eyebrows then pressed
\nreally hard. Mind you, she already had bright glittering red-eye
\nshadow on. By the way, has anybody seen a movie called the
\nExorcist?<\/p>\n
While my stylist and I tried hard to suppress our laughter,
\nSimon the head stylist walked in and screamed in alarm, "Oh my
\nGod, darling, what have you done? These stick-ons are not for
\nyour eyebrows. They are stick-on eye shadow! Quick, we have to
\ntake it off your eyebrows before the glue sets!"<\/p>\n
I can't tell you what happened next.<\/p>\n
You know, sometimes I wonder why women have to spend so much
\nmoney and time trying to make themselves physically more
\nbeautiful. I know, the inner beauty speech sounds a bit corny.
\nBut don't you think that no matter how much money you spend in a
\nbeauty center, if it's not supported by a good manner and
\nbeautiful heart, it's meaningless? I mean a perfect manicure and
\na perfect blow dry won't last for more than three days!<\/p>\n
-- Aida Greenbury<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/while-i-was-having-my-hair-done-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }