Remembering the STINKY perms of yesterday...

[Keesha]

I remember the Toni perms and those hair dyers. Our neighbours had them and my mom had a later model. Never have I ever had a perm but my mom once permed my brothers hair. I could not believe my eyes. Even his hair colour had gone a few shades lighter.

I had large electric rollers that didn’t damage hair too much and later bought a curling iron but I haven’t used one in about 20 years at least. I’ve never straightened my hair but like the look especially with dark hair.

 

[win231]

When I chauffeured my parents in their last years, I remember picking up my mom from the beauty parlor.
When I walked in the place, the first thing I said was, "What died in here?"

 

[Aunt Marg]

Yes I certainly remember the Toni home perms from back then..... smelly and time consuming, the price you have to pay to try and look as good as possible LOL. I also had some of those old hair dryers pictured above and although somewhat awkward and noisy to use, I didn't really mind. I still have perms occasionally as my hair simply doesn't behave the way I want it to. Whenever I have moved though I have to be patient as it usually takes time (and occasionally a bad perm) to find the right hairdresser that I can work with.

And... what I find is, you can build on a close and longstanding relationship with a hairdresser, yet, many, eventually, take to cutting your hair the way THEY think it should be cut, even after you tell them what you want.

I remember mom my getting a couple of doozies, and boy, would she ever be livid. The entire household would hear about it.

 

[Aunt Marg]

I remember the Toni perms and those hair dyers. Our neighbours had them and my mom had a later model. Never have I ever had a perm but my mom once permed my brothers hair. I could not believe my eyes. Even his hair colour had gone a few shades lighter.

I had large electric rollers that didn’t damage hair too much and later bought a curling iron but I haven’t used one in about 20 years at least. I’ve never straightened my hair but like the look especially with dark hair.

I haven't seen a curling iron in ages. Speaking of curling irons, I came across a few funny YouTube videos on curling iron accidents, and there was tears running down my cheeks I was laughing so hard!

 

[Aunt Marg]

When I chauffeured my parents in their last years, I remember picking up my mom from the beauty parlor.
When I walked in the place, the first thing I said was, "What died in here?"

And that's the truth!

 

[Keesha]

And... what I find is, you can build on a close and longstanding relationship with a hairdresser, yet, many, eventually, take to cutting your hair the way THEY think it should be cut, even after you tell them what you want.

I remember mom my getting a couple of doozies, and boy, would she ever be livid. The entire household would hear about it.

Oh YES. It’s great when you find a hairdresser who actually gives you what you asked for but many look as you as THEIR practice model. I stopped going after I went in to get an inch cut off my hair. That’s all I wanted. I’d pre- washed and conditioned my hair before getting there. All she had to do was cut off an inch of hair but since this was her own business from her own home she figured she’d get more if she could charge me for a shampoo, cut and dry so I had my hair washed again with silicones then had 6 inches of layers put in. She finished it off with blow drying my bangs which stuck flat to my forehead. It was the worst haircut I’d ever had and I should have instantly walked out when she wanted to re-wash my hair. It was all about money to this person and was the last hairdresser I ever went to. If she would have given me what I wanted in the first place she would have gotten more than what she charged me. That was back in 2013 and I haven’t been to one since. I cut my own hair.

 

[Aunt Marg]

Oh YES. It’s great when you find a hairdresser who actually gives you what you asked for but many look as you as THEIR practice model. I stopped going after I went in to get an inch cut off my hair. That’s all I wanted. I’d pre- washed and conditioned my hair before getting there. All she had to do was cut off an inch of hair but since this was her own business from her own home she figured she’d get more if she could charge me for a shampoo, cut and dry so I had my hair washed again with silicones then had 6 inches of layers put in. She finished it off with blow drying my bangs which stuck flat to my forehead. It was the worst haircut I’d ever had and I should have instantly walked out when she wanted to re-wash my hair. It was all about money to this person and was the last hairdresser I ever went to. If she would have given me what I wanted in the first place she would have gotten more than what she charged me. That was back in 2013 and I haven’t been to one since. I cut my own hair.

Exactly, you've captured it perfectly, Keesha.

I feel so lucky, as we have a hairdresser in the family, and so far so good, I've gotten exactly what I've wanted every time, and that's the way it should be.

Boy, cutting ones own hair, I'm not that artistic, so can only imagine my fright behind a pair of scissors.

 

[Keesha]

Exactly, you've captured it perfectly, Keesha.

I feel so lucky, as we have a hairdresser in the family, and so far so good, I've gotten exactly what I've wanted every time, and that's the way it should be.

Boy, cutting ones own hair, I'm not that artistic, so can only imagine my fright behind a pair of scissors.

That’s perfect. They will listen to you and take extra time knowing you are a family member. Good stuff. My hair is now down to my tailbone so trimming it myself is super simple. I couldn’t easily cut my hair into a style. That’s what I did in high school and my hair looked terrible .

 

[Aunt Marg]

That’s perfect. They will listen to you and take extra time knowing you are a family member. Good stuff. My hair is now down to my tailbone so trimming iron myself is super simple. I couldn’t easily cut my hair into a style. That’s what I did in high school and my hair looked terrible .

I know a lady that recently gave herself a haircut, and aside from her looking like a boy now, her hair is a mess. She'll have to grow it out and have it done proper when the time comes.

What I love about the family hairdresser, is I can be firm with her and she respects my stance. That's difficult to achieve outside of people that you really, truly don't know.

Wow, down to your tailbone!

 

[Aunt Marg]

Keesha. I remember occasionally (and lightly) trimming up my own children's hair, a little off the front, a little off the sides, that sort of thing, but never an all-out proper haircut.

Used to feel sorry for some neighbourhood brothers growing up, their dad used to sit them down in a chair out back (outside on the lawn), place a bowl over their heads, adjust the bowl accordingly, and whatever protruded from the bowl was cleanly clipped off and away. Those boys haircuts looked absolutely stupid... straight out of Saturday morning cartoons.

 

[Keesha]

I know a lady that recently gave herself a haircut, and aside from her looking like a boy now, her hair is a mess. She'll have to grow it out and have it done proper when the time comes.

It’s not a good idea.

Keesha. I remember occasionally (and lightly) trimming up my own children's hair, a little off the front, a little off the sides, that sort of thing, but never an all-out proper haircut.

Used to feel sorry for some neighbourhood brothers growing up, their dad used to sit them down in a chair out back (outside on the lawn), place a bowl over their heads, adjust the bowl accordingly, and whatever protruded from the bowl was cleanly clipped off and away. Those boys haircuts looked absolutely stupid... straight out of Saturday morning cartoons.

My dad did that to us when we were young.
I hated it. It looked stupid alright.

 

[Aunt Marg]

It’s not a good idea.
View attachment 100856

My dad did that to us when we were young.
I hated it. It looked stupid alright.

OMG, and she's such a pretty girl in the picture.

I feel for you, Keesha. No child deserves such IMO.

My siblings and I were fortunate that way, in that my parents always went out of their way to ensure we had what we needed, and they took into consideration the stresses that school-life brings, so we all wore proper barber and hairdresser cuts, new clothes every fall when we started school, and mom and dad were strict in the sense that they didn't allow us to follow silly trends, regardless of what all the other kids were doing.

 

[Keesha]

OMG, and she's such a pretty girl in the picture.

I feel for you, Keesha. No child deserves such IMO.

My siblings and I were fortunate that way, in that my parents always went out of their way to ensure we had what we needed, and they took into consideration the stresses that school-life brings, so we all wore proper barber and hairdresser cuts, new clothes every fall when we started school, and mom and dad were strict in the sense that they didn't allow us to follow silly trends, regardless of what all the other kids were doing.

It’s no biggie. My parents were good providers otherwise.

 

[Aunt Marg]

It’s no biggie. My parents were good providers otherwise.

I'm glad you are able to carry with you a sense of acceptance, as I know many who still harvest anger and bitterness over the way they were raised.