Totally depends on the stylist and the salon, but in general, yes. I like to chat! When I’m getting my hair done by my friend Alis, we’re chatting and catching up the entire time, but if it’s someone I don’t really know, I’ll usually make a little small talk at the beginning, then sit quietly the rest of the time, because let’s face it — mama needs her meow time, LOL!
Also, it depends on the type of service. If it’s something chill like a manicure or pedicure, I’m less likely to babble, but if it’s something anxiety-inducing, then WATCH OUT! — motor mouth coming through!
Back in the day when I’d get my lady parts waxed, I’d feel so completely anxious and awkward with my nether regions hanging out that I’d end up talking the person’s ear off, and they’d be subjected to a non-stop litany of whatever nonsense was running through my brain. ?
How about you? Are you chatty when you’re getting your hair/nails (or whatever else) done, or do you keep quiet?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Depends on the stylist. If they initiate conversation, I’m more than likely to oblige. But it does depend on how nervous I am about the service or if the person is new. I’m always a bit more nervous about a hair cut. Mainly bc I can count on 3 fingers the times in my 40 yr life where I’ve been happy with the results! I have thick coarse-ish wavy hair with cowlicks. I’m so used to a stylist telling me *your hair won’t look like that* whenever I bring a pic to a salon. And most cuts lay funny due to the cowlicks I have which wouldn’t be a problem if I weren’t all thumbs when it came to styling tools. Ughh hair…bane of my existence!!
Yes! Part of the reason I keep going back to my hair stylist and my bikini waxer is because I have gotten to know them and the conversations flows easily now! Plus they are great at what they do!
I keep quiet. The time to just sit and read without someone wanting my attention is so precious, I really don’t even want to make small talk!
Total introvert here so more likely to not chat than not. However, I’ve gotten to know my hair stylist fairly well so we do talk about our kids and families during my session.
I don’t get my hair or nails done, but I do see a wonderful dermatologist three times a year and we always chat about our families. She’s an expert at getting people to relax.
Several years ago when Marcus Monson used to do my makeup, I loved chatting with him about all his adventures. That man could tell some really funny stories! I also liked chatting with him about the how and why of what he was doing with my makeup.
Did you take away any beauty tips from Marcus that you would share with beauty addicts who have not had the pleasure of having him doing their makeup??? 🙂
Hi Jennifer,
When Marcus worked for Guerlain, he used to visit our Nordstrom at least once, and often twice, a year. I always booked an appointment and joked about him giving me my semi-annual tuneups. He did my makeup for over seven years and I learned so much about updating my look and adapting things to suit. The man is truly an artist. Chanel scored big time when they lured him away from Guerlain.
So many people (especially on Instagram) who call themselves makeup artist are little more than skilled face painters. They know what works for them, but a true artist knows what will work best for everyone be they young, old (I’m in my mid-seventies), fair, bronzed, casual, formal, dramatic, minimalist, etc. That is the kind of artist Marcus is. I once watched him apply the summer collection that was being promoted to three different woman and he was able to capture the unique look of each woman. The products were the same, but his approach was definitely not cookie cutter.
So, what did I learn from Marcus? Oh, my! I could write a book! Some things were just basics like using a lighter shade and a hint of something luminous on the moveable eyelid to bring out my somewhat deep set eyes, but then he also taught me things like applying and then diffusing the crease shade just slightly above rather than in my naturally deep crease so that my eyes looked larger without looking cadaverous, concentrating deeper colors on the outer part of my eye and not bringing them into the inner corner, using gradients of color and blending well to create natural looking contours, placing my highlighter and blush to lift my features, and introducing me to colors I never would have thought I could wear but which looked beautiful with my graying hair—the list goes on and on. And the best part, he is a genuinely nice person who was always happy to explain what he was doing and why.
I want to meet this man. He sounds like a gem!
Thanks Eileen! Great tips. And what Karen said, he really does sound like a gem.
His instagram page seems very low key and humble compared with a lot of other makeup artists out there today.
I’ve been going to the same hair stylist since I was in high school, so we chat every appointment! I’ll usually make small talk with whatever girl does my manicure. Although if they’re doing a French manicure or nail art I usually get quiet because my hands are very animated when I talk and I don’t want to accidentally mess up my nails!
I sort of let the stylist take the lead. If she’s feeling chatty, I don’t mind obliging. If not, I’m happy to be quiet, too. 🙂
Haha, for my hair, it depends if they have a good magazine that I want to read. However, I don’t think I’ve met a hair stylist that I didn’t like chatting with. I never really ‘want’ to chat (let me read that magazine puleease), but I often do. The pitfalls of being an introverted extrovert ?
Nail salons are another beast though. I never enjoy chatting at those, it’s always awkward and uninteresting.
And then there’s the lash extensions. The only way to pass the time for that is to chat! But, it’s not so bad LOL. The lash gal is usually pretty nice and good to talk to.
My niece does my hair so we chat a lot .
My manicurist wears a mask ? so It’s hard to understand what she’s saying . However , if she wants to make a point she removes her mask lol ?
In general no. I’m not a great conversationalist. But I met my current hair stylist while riding, so we chat horses, etc.
My stylist always asks me about any new monologues I’ve written and whether I’m performing them in a new show and once actually had to recolour my hair on the very day of a show! That was unusual because I had to ask her to blow-dry it quite flat and natural because I had to go home and style it ready for the first character I was doing and fancy blowdrying would have got in the way.
I had no idea you were a performer, Sarah! How long have you been doing stage?
I’ve known a few of the people I see for beauty services for some time, so when I do see them, we usually catch up on what we’ve been up to. None of that gossip though! Just casual conversation.
Depends! One stylist I went to had two mastiff dogs and had previously had a rabbit so of course we chatted. Safe bet that if my stylist has a pet, I want to talk about it.
The woman who did the cast on my foot had an epileptic cat so we bonded since my doggo has epilepsy as well! Her kitty gets its medicine in tuna so the cat will totally remind her when it’s med time ?
Aww, now that’s one proactive kitty! 🙂
I used to feel so rude not talking if I didn’t feel like it. I always had the nicest stylists we would talk anyway… My stylist now has become a dear friend so conversations just flow naturally. And I do get me time with a magazine and coffee while my color processes.
I have a few different nail salons I rotate through. I gossip like an old washerwoman with a young American girl who has her own shop. However, the other 3 salons are owned by Vietnamese people and so I pretty much just say hi, thanks and goodbye.
I used to talk all the time with my last hair dresser. A new one I’m seeing is a bit different so we don’t talk as much.