The Graduates

A lot of people seem to be afraid of young hairdressers right out of school... I have a different view... I look at them as excited talent with a lot of new ideas and all the latest, trendy, & fresh training under their belt!  Who knows more about make-up  & hair than the teens / 20 yr olds who devote a lot of their spare time to it!  I know I invested a lot more time in that kind of stuff when I was younger.

Being said, I have found a salon in Eindhoven that supplies just this!  The Graduates!  Their entire system is based on upcoming hair dressers that are often rotated between 3 locations (Amsterdam, Utrecht, & Eindhoven).  These women are constantly learning (even though they already have their degrees), which means they always know what's popular in the market!  And the salon itself is hip, just like the people working there!  And an added bonus are the trend boards displayed around the salon.

 

When you walk in you get a personal consult in the "living room".  Then the hair dresser runs your combined ideas by her "coach".  After that she gets started, all the while giving in depth explanations of the products and maneuvers.  And just before she finishes the "coach" pops by to double check her work and add any beneficial commentary / ideas.

I've never been afraid to give a studying hairdresser a chance, remember my post from 2012 about my free hair cut (luckily it went well).  The women at The Graduates are very professional and if I didn't know better I wouldn't have realized they were fresh out of school.

So far I've been there 3 times, the first 2 times Jamie cut my hair, and this past time Marnie.  They both have different techniques and input but I must admit Marnie did a rockin' job and I hope she'll be there when my hair gets too long & out of control again.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with going to a trusted hairdresser with their own salon and a packed client list... but have you ever wondered when they last had time to attend a training or why the books lying around their shop are starting to turn yellow?  If you're in the Eindhoven area please give The Graduates a chance, you'll be impressed.  And we both get discounts if you give me a heads up (I have a promo card)!

Of course I threw in some pics for you... and obviously I'm happy with the result of the hair mask and cut!  Wish I could just recreate it at home, but she did give me some tips to help!

Bye! Dag! Adios! Namaste!

:) Danica

New Hat #2

Around 6 months ago I wrote about a hat I purchased to get me through the winter, but I also mentioned my hopes for a summer cap.  Well, thanks to my b-day the wish was granted... not only did I get one military cadet cap but my mom bought me two!  I was pretty set on the pink hat, but I of course sent multiple suggestions so I wasn't actually sure what would end up in my b-day package from The States.  I was of course immediately over the moon with the pink hat, and it's come as quite a surprise but I'm wearing the beige conductor hat equally as much.  Being that it's not a neon color it actually goes with more summer outfits, should have known, thanks for thinking ahead Mom!  Either way, I am enjoying both caps.  They're great for... the hot summer days when I just don't feel like putting on the make-up I know will melt off in minutes... when I need to run an errand but just haven't had time to wash my hair yet... sprucing up an outfit for a festival or a day outside... or even for trips to the pool when my hair is pulled into a messy ponytail!  Obviously I'm getting a lot of use out of them.  And wearing hats has seemed to rub off on the family, instead of toting sunglasses around I've noticed the tot and hubby also packing hats for sunny day trips. 
Being that I'm from The States, you could even narrow it down to The South, I of course had to get the hats in shape before wearing them.  This meant bending the bill, can't stand a flat bill!  It was pretty simple, I put a tennis ball under the bill, wrapped a rubber band around it, and let it sit over night.  Voilà, the next day the bills were rounded (I'm even considering a round two). 
I don't see many Dutch women in hats unless they're exercising, where I come from in FL hats were pretty common, what about in your area?

Going Gray

Going gray, it's something some wo(men) dread.  How many of you hide your gray hair?  Last year at 30yrs old I discovered my 1st gray hair, a super long strand hidden amongst my dark brown hair.  I laughed... I was surprised... and I had no problem with it.  There was no need to dye it or pluck it, I wore it proudly.  Then this year I discovered another one (there are possibly more but not as obvious).  Again I joked, it took 3 yrs of raising my daughter to get 1 gray hair, I have a puppy for 4 months and they multiplied!  As of now, I still have no problem with it, I actually like it, it makes me different.  But how will I feel when all of the hair around my temples turns noticeably gray and I'm considered one of the women in their 30's that went gray prematurely... I guess I'll cross that bridge when it gets here.  Going gray is for the most hereditary, so of course I turned to my parents and asked when they started graying.  My Dad couldn't remember but he said it was definitely later in life and my Mom, I don't think she actually knows due to years of dying her hair.  Needless to say, it didn't help much.  I started asking around my friends, what did they think of it... the women said dye it are you crazy and the men could care less.  And the most important opinion of all is my husband's, and as of yet he doesn't care, but again it's one of those bridges we'll cross when we get there.  For the most part I forget about the two strands, but they like to remind me by sticking out every direction other than the natural flow of my hair.  Out of curiosity when did you start going gray?