Sometimes you gotta treat yo'self

If you've been following my blog for awhile, you know I started on a "project hair grow" this year.  I started growing out my hair in January and it's been quite a process, especially given that I've started from a very short, spiky pixie.  It's finally growing into a nice bob and I have a vision for my hair and what I want it to look like.  I'm growing the bangs now and then I'll kind of have this angled, stacked bob.  But, getting to this point has been a challenge - and that was made more difficult by the fact that I've still been going to basically a "cheap" hair spot for my maintenance cuts.

About four years ago, right before I started this blog in fact, I broke up with the salon.  I had gone to several different stylists over the years.  The one I was with four years ago was a great salon super close to my house.  She understood short hair really well, she was young and I liked her a lot, but her prices kept skyrocketing every time she passed another skill test.  I would have even paid her high prices, but the other problem was, she was NEVER on time for an appointment.  I was have a 5:30 appointment after work and she wouldn't even bring me back sometimes until 6:15 or 6:20.  She always had excuses.  So I decided to stop going to her.  I found another salon that had lower prices and found a great gal who also did well with short hair and she was on time - score!  I would always make my next appointment before I left as she had limited hours and I remember the last time I saw her we decided at my next appointment I'd do both a cut and a color.  Then I wrote the time down on two different calendars on two different days and lost my reminder card, so the week of the appointment I called the salon to clarify.  The person who answered the phone sounded slightly embarrassed and said "Oh so and so doesn't actually work here anymore.  She went somewhere more corporate."  Um what?  I made an appointment with someone else since I needed the haircut desperately, but I decided with how short my hair was and how frequently I needed trims that it was just time to go to a cheap walk in type place.  So I did and never looked back.  Until now.

Lately I just feel that the walk in type places are just not, excuse the pun, cutting it.  And for reasons that I won't get into right this moment, I just really wanted a good haircut.  I had met an awesome stylist through a friend at a party last summer and had been meaning to go see her for quite sometime. After talking to my friend this week I decided it was time to take the plunge.  I went in on Friday and OH EM GEE.  I have missed the salon experience so much!  The personalized treatment, the massage when they wash your hair.  It was just so needed, it felt amazing and my stylist just gets me.  She said my hair should likely look pretty much exactly how I want it in about four months.  She talked me through what to do to style it on my own - and so far I've been successful!  So I'm pretty much sold. I'm a salon girl again.

I'm trying to live a more budget friendly life, but this is something I feel is worth making room in the budget for.  There is something about a good haircut that gives you confidence and makes you feel good.  As Tom and Donna say in Parks and Recreation, "Sometimes you gotta treat yo'self."  This is my treat.  I'm already looking forward to my next appointment!

What do you do to treat yourself?