When my life gets busy, the first thing I neglect is my hair. I’m convinced that the only reason it’s healthy is because I don’t wash it. That’s right, I’m fessing up. I’m all about dry shampoo and various up dos with different accessories, specifically bandanas or Pink Pewter stretch bands.

It hit me last week. When was the last time I wore my hair down? I honestly couldn’t recollect. Have you ever seen the messy bun meme with Trunchbull from Matilda? Above the image of a beautiful girl with a perfectly styled bun it reads “what other girls look like with a messy bun” while on the other side, above the image of Miss Trunchbull, it reads “what I look like with a messy bun.” Geez, I hope I’m not bun twins with Miss Trunchbull.

So where does a woman go when contemplating a new hairstyle? Yep, you guessed it – Pinterest. Much like a magazine, I have a love-hate relationship with the visual medium, especially when it comes to hairspiration. After all, I’m not a model with a glam team to fix me up every morning for my high profile Southern Standard reporting job. 

Side note – I’ve had my fair share of hair opps incidents. On the color side, I’ve had magenta and violet hair, and a “balayage” that blended poorly into my natural color. On the haircut side, I’ve had my long locks chopped off by a scissor happy hairdresser, who misunderstood my desired do. We’ve all been there. Thank goodness hair grows back, am I right?

Finally, after weeks of indecisiveness, I scheduled an appointment and brought my pinned image to Vanessa. I wondered if the style I picked was even achievable with my face shape and hair texture. More importantly though, would I be able to style it myself? She reassured me as I took a seat.

Let me just say this, if you are looking for a stylist, look no further than 312 E. Main Street. That’s where you’ll find Vanessa’s Place Salon. 

What drew me to Vanessa initially was a word-of-mouth referral by a trusted friend with flawless blonde hair. After further investigation, I was impressed by her social media platform displaying her work, product reviews, hair tutorials, and continued education. She really stays up-to-date on all the latest techniques and trends. 

Ultimately, it’s just nice to feel safe when you sit in her chair instead of feeling nervous and unsure. Instead of hearing a bunch of gossip, I listened to Vanessa’s dreams and goals for her business. As we gabbed, this alleviated any uncertainty I had felt about losing around five to six inches of my mane while going a shade darker in color.

To summarize my experience, I left her salon feeling pretty, confident and inspired by Vanessa’s determination to be the best in her industry while helping others along the way. 

Here’s hoping I can replicate the lovely curls she sent me home with once I finally wash it in a couple days.

Standard reporter Lacy Garrison can be reached at 473-2191.