Beauty Salon Hussy

I'm a self-hating curly-haired person. From the time I was a pre-teen (except for a short bohemian spat in college), I've been neurotic about finding ways to straighten my tight poodle curls. After experimenting with numerous processes containing harsh chemicals occasionally resulting in (at times, painful) mishaps, I found a product called Anticurl made by Rusk that was a godsend. It is a fairly mild relaxer, it's pretty safe and just slightly lightens my hair color which I like. For some reason, not many NYC salons use the product. For much of the last 10 years, I've been getting the Anticurl treatment done at a nondescript hair salon by a hairstylist there I'll call Janet (because that's her name). Janet has always done an adequate job even if at times annoying me by forcing me to acknowledge how great my hair looks when she's done and pushing unwanted products on me).

Last year, Janet convinced me to try a product called Coppola Keratin Complex. It turns out, that Coppola works miracles - it leaves your hair smooth and shiny and healthy. It is supposed to be nontoxic (although the fact that it makes my eyes tear up makes me a bit skeptical). Most importantly, it makes hair incredibly easy to blow dry. A job that used to take me nearly an hour now takes 15 minutes. This is a product that has literally changed my life!

Problem is Coppola doesn't really straighten my hair, it just works really well on the hair that's already relaxed. When I first had the treatment done, which was expensive, I was annoyed with the results because Janet had touted it as a replacement for Anticurl, but after paying a lot of money I still had curly roots. I called the salon to complain (perhaps I should have spoken directly to Janet) and they told me to come in. I saw Janet who told me that the product wasn't a hair straigtener. (Thanks for letting me know a couple of hundred dollars later). I asked her to apply Anticurl on the roots and she had a hell of an attitude while doing it, all the time complaining in some Eastern European language to her cohorts. I was frankly quite hurt that she reacted this way after I'd been patronizing her for the better part of a decade. To add insult to injury, I still had to pay for the additional treatment when it was done! Fine, I graciously tipped her anyway, gave her a kiss and said my goodbyes all the time thinking that it was the last time I'd see her.

So, around the end of the year my hair is needing to be touched up. I do my research and find a salon that does Anticurl called Dueto Salon. I should've been forewarned when every other client was an octogenarian, and the owner made me wait for my appointment while he gossiped with one of them. We do the Anticurl and I notice a lot more breakage then usual after it's done - you know, those embarassing little short strands that stick up from your head like you've been electrocuted (I felt a little better after noticing it wasn't as bad as the case of shorties Caroline Kennedy had). Being too obtuse to have learned my lesson, I asked the owner if they did the Coppola treatment, which I thought might help since it improves damaged hair. I stressed that I meant the Keratin product that did not contain formaldehyde. He said they did, and I come back a week later for the treatment. After he's done he leaves the bottle out and I notice that the label says Brazilian Keratin - a different product. I pick up the bottle and read the ingredients and sure enough it has formaldehyde (i.e., poison) in it. I'm livid. Also, for months afterward, my hair was limp and lifeless. Perhaps because my hair is naturally fine, but the process does not work well for my hair.

Eventually, I discover that my favorite salon for hair cutting, Arrojo Cutler (different salons serve different purposes), carries the actual Coppola treatment and I am thrilled. I have it done and my hair gets back that silky texture. Problem is Arrojo doesn't carry Anticurl and my roots (and every other secret I'm trying to hide) are starting to show. Do I go crawling back to Janet? NO! I decide I'll go in on her day off and ask for someone else to do my hair. Turns out they schedule me with Serge! Serge is Janet's professed nemesis. While doing the job, Serge is the consummate professional (and a flaming queen - not that there's anything wrong with that). He adds some protective cream to all of the hair strand except the inch of new growth that he's going to treat so as not to use the product on previously relaxed hair. All the time, Janet's Eastern European mafia posse is eyeing me and I feel as if I'm having an illicit affair. The discomfort. Serge meanwhile has no qualms about shamelessly offering me a discount for his services the next time I come in even though he knows that I'm "Janet's client". Anyway, when my hair is done, I'm quite pleased with the results. I feel so guilty and underhanded, but Serge was great. Can I keep seeing him behind Janet's back? Can I even go back to Janet now and snub Serge? Perhaps I should have tried to work things out with her, but at some point I must get on with my life. Yes, I know that I at least could look for someone who doesn't work in the same salon and not rub it in her face, but I've tried, I've really tried . . . and finding someone you trust to do your hair is very difficult. What exactly do I owe Janet anyway?

Brand New Skin?

Generally, I am not a huge proponent of spending a hundred bucks on a beauty product that comes in a tiny jar. However, I have previously written about my ordeal in trying to find a great facial in NYC, and when I saw an endorsement in Domino Magazine for Tracie Martyn's enzyme exfoliant, I was, for some indefinable reason, intrigued. This tiny jar costs $90, but my face has been looking horrid. And a facial can easily cost upwards of $100. So if this works, I thought, it could actually save me money. I received it in the mail yesterday and tried it for the first time this morning. The results? BRAND NEW SKIN! My skin looks radiant today and feels great. I can easily forgo the "spa experience." I've bought at least 10 facials in a jar - worth every penny. Finally, a purchase for which I can congratulate myself!

In Search of a Great Facial

Many years ago, I used to go to a little salon for a facial that left me with brand new skin every time. The results were so dramatic, my mom would ask incredulously what I'd done. The facialist soon left the salon for whereabouts unknown. I don't remember the name of the salon, but I remember that her name was Irina and she was from Brooklyn. Even if Google had been around back then, I don't think I would have had much luck finding her with that info. Anyhoo, since then, I've been in search of similar results with varying degrees of success but none have come close. I've been to Ling's on E 14th Street in NYC (relaxing and thorough but no "new skin") and Oasis on Park Avenue (varying results but consistently stressful long checkout due to ditzy staff not worthy of McDonald's) and a number of other places. The routine is always the same, the facialist looks at your face and proceeds to tell you what's wrong with it (as if I didn't know, it's why I'm getting the facial), interrogates you as to what products you use (Lady, just give me the service I paid for) and ultimately tries to sell you a bunch of pricey products when you're done (Irina, where can you be?!). Yesterday, after having pulled a near all-nighter in order to turn in an assignment that was ultimately crappy, I decided to take the afternoon off and treat myself to a facial at Metamorphosis Day Spa on East 56th Street. Their waiting room is tiny and doesn't have the ambiance of the "relaxation room" at Oasis, but that's OK - I'm there for the facial and there's always a group of yapping bridesmaids-to-be disrupting the relaxation at Oasis anyway. My facial begins, I'm sleepy and want to rest while my facialist does her job. She proceeds to ask me what products I use, and I begrudgingly disclose the information. After her inspection, she proceeds to recommend their pumpkin peel which will renew my skin and make the extractions easier (ok, whatever you say). It will be another $40 (oh, it's all becoming clear to me now, but fine. Can I rest now?). She goes about her routine - slathering, massaging, cleaning - she doesn't spend much time on the extractions except on my nose, where I've asked her to go easy due to excessively sensitive skin there. She puts a mask on and leaves for a while, thank God. She eventually comes back in with a bang that startles me out of my snooze. Before the facial's over, she's asked me how I'm doing about 5 times. She let's me know that she will leave me my "prescription" at the front desk and tells me how I should use the products she's recommending. I'm not listening. When it's over, I look at my skin, it looks nice and clean. My prescription and recommended products wait for me at the checkout counter, there are 4 very expensive looking containers. I don't buy any and pay my bill. My boyfriend doesn't notice a big difference (no big deal, what does he know, anyway?) and today my skin feels a little dry again. Oh well, no lasting effects, but I guess the experience was worth the $160 I shelled out (Wasn't it?).

It's Not About the Packaging: Infusium 23 Works!

Every now and then, a product comes along that actually does what the manufacturer says it does. Infusium 23 leave-in hair treatment not only instantly detangles hair and improves manageability, it also strengthens damaged hair, prevents breakage and leaves hair smooth and shiny. I've been using it after shampooing since I was in college and have converted a number of people along the way. I don't see much advertising for this product, but the fact that it's been around for more than 20 years leads me to believe that it must have a following. A 33 oz bottle costs just $9.99 at Walgreens. They have changed their look recently, so the container may look a bit different from the one pictured here. I just love to spread the word about a great product, and at the risk of sounding like a raving lunatic, this one may truly improve your life!

Coconut Lime Verbena Body Cream from Bath and Body Works

Yummmmm! P. and I stayed at a bed and breakfast in Tarrytown, N.Y. recently, which was quite lovely. The best part, however, may have been the discovery of this lotion among the amenities provided by the hotel. It hydrates your skin and leaves it feeling nice and soft, but what I cannot get over is the delicious smell (I don't really like coconut, but this smells more citrus-y than anything else). Every now and then, during the day, I'll catch a whiff of the mild scent, and it makes me happy . . . .

Rogaine Sucks!

The hair on the top of my head has always been pretty thin, but during the last couple of years or so, I find that I see more scalp when my hair is wet. My hairdresser has noticed it too. I'm 37 years old, which can be traumatic enough; add to that thinning hair. So, I went to see a dermatologist and, sure enough, she said Rogaine is the only product on the market which has been shown to improve hair loss in SOME people. She also said you have to be pretty committed once you start using it, and it takes between 4 to 8 months before you may start seeing results. OK, so I bought six months' worth and proceeded to use it in the morning and at night everyday as instructed. It's now been about 3 months, and I have yet to see any difference. No problem, I can be patient. What I was not prepared for, however, is the unbearable itching that this product causes. I am going crazy, and am scratching my head constantly! What's worse is that you have to keep using it even if you do see results, so there is no relief in sight. Frankly, right now, I think I'd rather be bald. I've decided to stick it out for the six months and use up the product I bought. If I see any hair growth, then I'll make an informed decision about whether the results are worth the agony. In the meantime, I must contend that Rogaine SUCKS!

Disturbing New York Times Article:

In "Skin Deep - Beauty Regimens Reach for the Gold Standard", Natasha Singer profiles women in major cities, for whom spending upwards of 10 hours and $1000 a week on beauty treatments is not unsual. The procedures range from basic manicures, pedicures and hair blowouts to now mundane botox injections to more cutting-edge and, I think, questionable electrical current thigh treatments and oxygen inhalation treatments. Now, I am generally of the mind that what you do with your money so long as you are not hurting someone is your own business and it's not my place to judge. Yet, I found this article disturbing. I think what troubles me more than the amount of time, effort and money involved in these maintenance routines is that women can be so fearful of aging that they allow so much of their life's energy to be spent trying to avoid it. To me, they seem sad and misguided. One of the profiled women says she gets up at 6:00am to make time for manicures, hair straightening and Botox injections. While I admire her discipline, I can't help thinking: Wouldn't an extra hour of sleep a day go so much further towards her goal of maintaining a youthful appearance?

Link to the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/28/fashion/28skin.html?ex=1340856000&en=b2da97b6634e9b02&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink