Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like.  ~Author Unknown

So many important lessons come with age. One of the lessons I have learned is that good hair can make a world of difference. Break up, new job, big party, change of season, need a break, gained some weight, lost some weight… just because. A hair cut and style is the answer to it all and depending on the magnitude of the situation a change in colour might also be required!

My hair has been 1/4 of an inch long and has cascade down my back, it has been just about every colour it can be from blonde to red, from blue streaks, to purple lowlights, I have done it all.

I remember very clearly the first time I discovered the power of a hair cut. I was young and “feathered” hair was all the rage! My Mom sent me in for a hair cut and was horrified when she returned to find my new “feathered” do. I looked HOT. Far too hot according to my Mother for my tender age.

She ordered it to be all cut off, into a “pixie” cut.

To this day I can feel the tears that rolled down my cheeks as a reverted back to my own age and tomboyish looks. I may have been devastated, but that was the day I learned the power of hair.

It has probable taken me almost 30 years to reclaim my hair.

The “girly” stuff has never been my strong suit, it never came naturally to me and I had enough issues with learning disabilities amongst other things to focus on something else I just wasn’t good at. I also have a LOT of hair with what some people call natural “wave” personally I think I have a series of cow licks with a mind of their own, especially if I am in a hurry!

But I new, that it didn’t matter how big I was or how out of date my dress was, if I had an amazing head of hair it could over shadow just about anything. There is power and confidence in everything from a super short cut, to a sassy bob or an iconic hair “flip”!

Best hair 2 hair related lessons I have learned:

1. Find a GREAT stylist. It might be a $12.00 cut or a $50.00 cut but if the stylist doing the cutting understands you and your hair it is worth a million. I have been blessed with a few of those stylists over the years, most recently here in Kelowna it’s Roxi at Roxi’s Salon. As it stands now with Roxi she is free to do what she wants with my hair, from cut to colour I trust her enough that I could have my hair done with my eyes closed and go straight to an event with out even looking in a mirror and know at the very least I have AWESOME hair.

2. If a style works for you it doesn’t matter if it’s trending or not. I have ALWAYS wanted hair like Hallie Barry’s when she had that super short cut. It doesn’t matter that we are different in everything from race to stature, in my heart that hair is what I see on my head. Do I have that hair? No. Why? Because it looks like crap on me. I have pictures to prove it! The hair I do have totally works for me. You can always make minor adjustments to reflect current trends, but if you have a style that looks FABULOUS on you, don’t be afraid to keep it.

DISCLAIMER: This doesn’t mean change is bad. If your bangs are so high you can’t get through a door, or you still go through a bottle of hairspray a day.. you need help. If you still have the same hair style that you had 10 years ago chances are also good it might be time to let a trusted hair stylist do what they do best!

One of my challenges is that I do quite a few formal events and with my busy lifestyle I can’t get in to see Roxi all the time before I am heading out the door. I also work very early in the morning and my default pony tale is getting old. I looked around the office. The ladies at Astral have some good hair! From promotions to programing, Sales and Creative.. great hair is everywhere and they all seem to be able to style it. The ones with long hair similar to mine all seemed to be able to put it up in different ways and keep it out of their faces without a hair stylist appointment.

How?

Time for me to find out! Off to Roxi’s Salon I went with my cheerful volunteer cameraman Ian MacKinnon (New announcer at SUN FM!) Jocelyn was ready to give me some advice on really simple “up do’s” that even a hair challenged woman like myself could handle!

Here’s how it turned out!