This Just In: Sexy Hair Possible in Tacoma!

I finally did it. I had to lay off my Seattle hairdresser (thanks for all the good hair-dos, Sierra) and find a new stylist in Tacoma. A new business owner has to be as frugal as possible in all things, but she also has to look sharp. So this means finding ways to save, like driving less, and seeing if I can get less expensive haircuts. I had heard about Embellish, a salon in downtown Tacoma, and decided to give it a shot. I went on a "hair model day" which means, "we let the new girl practice on your head" day. It also means, hairdo is half-price!

My stylist, Eleanor, had a reddish pixie-cut 'do and big hazel eyes. I respected how she had come to styling hair a little later in life (she's in her late 30s), and just finished up at Gene Juarez. We had fun talking, but when I sat there with sopping wet hair, I was freaked out. What would this woman do to me? Was I going to look like some freakshow stereotype of Tacoma white trash? I imagined that I would look like a meth addict with slightly better teeth than average. "Do you think it's going to look o.k.?" I asked nervously. "I hope so!" said Eleanor, sounding a little worried. She blowdried me and a beautiful head of hair revealed itself. Then she asked the owner, Trish, to do that "thing she did" with my bangs and the fringey, piecy bits along the sides. Snip-snip, snip-snip, and voila! Perfect! I love it.

I feel more like I'm at home now. This is my place, now that I have a salon in town. In fact, Eleanor gave me a wig brush (of all things) and showed me how to backcomb the crown, for those days when I need some big, extra-sexy hair. Good stuff. Tacoma offers a more luxe lifestyle on my budget, without foregoing sexy hair. This means I can stay.