The Unnerving Experience of Haircuts Abroad

Tuesday 26 March 2013

There are some things you expect to be hard when you move abroad - getting your residence visa, making friends, navigating the grocery store, figuring out public transit - and then there are things that don't cross your mind - like getting your haircut.  In fact, finding a new stylist in my inter-Canadian moves was difficult enough without the language and cultural differences.

A long time ago, I blogged about the quest to get Joe's haircut not long after we arrived in Gabon.  I never blogged about getting my haircut in Gabon because it never happened.  For the entire 2 years we lived there, I didn't get my haircut once in-country.  I debated it at one point - several friends were frequenting a French woman's salon and I thought I'd try it out until I saw a very jagged cut along the back of a friend's hair - I decided to wait.

I've always been particular about my hair stylists.  This isn't because my hair is difficult to cut or because I've had any terrible experiences but just because that's the way I am.  I don't seek out bargain cuts and I'm not afraid to pay (quite a bit) for a good experience that involves organic tea and a head massage.  Usually, as we prepared for a trip out of Gabon, I'd research a place to make an appointment.  Generally, I'd look for an Aveda salon usually due to two reasons: first, I've used Aveda products for the last 10 or so years and often need to stock up and two, Aveda salons require their staff to complete Aveda training on top of any other training they've had so there's often a high standard in their salons.  I'd phone or email asking for a senior stylist and hope for the best.  Usually, it was fine.  This process meant I'd get my haircut every 6 months at a minimum.  I think I once went 10 months - it was horrendous and I was so embarrassed when I finally did sit down in the chair.

Even though we have resided in Norway for 9 months, I had yet to have my haircut here.  (I had it done in Aberdeen before arriving and then in Canada over Christmas holidays.)  Joe has had his hair done twice but he's decidedly less picky than I am.  Salons are a dime a dozen in Norway.  It's not uncommon to see several in the span of a couple of blocks but it can be quite difficult to gage the quality.  When it came time for me to find a stylist, I relied heavily on the local expat forum for recommendations.  A particular name kept popping up who seemed to be popular with many expat women - apparently she often trains in London, speaks excellent English, cuts & colours and it can take months to get in.  I took that as a good sign and waited the 6 weeks before I could get an appointment.

The experience was really quite great and very similar to home.  She understood exactly what I wanted, talked me through everything she was doing and had great chair-side manner.  I left a happy woman - albeit much, much poorer.

A few things to note:
+Appointments can often be made online which I LOVE!  You pick your stylist, your cut, your colour and scroll through calendar which shows all available dates.
+You will often get a text message 24 hours in advance to remind you of your appointment.  (I also love this.)
+Not all stylists cut & colour and I've heard many women talk of botched colour treatments.  If you don't have recommendations and are unsure, it's probably best to go in and ask.
+Tipping is not always expected in Norway.  Everyone is paid very well here and do not require tips to supplement their salary.  I didn't tip at the end of my haircut - there was no tip function on the machine, I didn't have correct change & the cut & colour was so expensive that I figured it wasn't necessary.  I felt guilty the entire night afterwards.  I'm not sure if that was warranted but knowing me, I'll probably tip extra the next time around.
+Don't expect a style after your cut.  Mine ended with a blow out and the application of some product but it was fairly basic.
+It's going to be expensive - you're in Norway, nothing is cheap.  The cheapest I've seen is 250 kroner ($45) for a men's cut and 600 kroner ($100) for a ladies trim.  If you can't fathom paying that and above, wait until you are elsewhere.  Also, if you have a particular budget, ask ahead what the price is so you aren't surprised at the end!

25 comments:

  1. I'm also very precious about getting my hair cut. Before last week, where I paid an exorbitant amount of money for someone to not even be busy for ten minutes - and they called it a cut - I had not cut my hair since August.

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  2. Wow I cant believe how expensive the cuts are! I am the same way; I've had horrible haircuts abroad and would rather wait! Everyone thinks I'm crazy for not getting more haircuts where I live since they are really cheap here, but I don't want to risk it!

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    1. Sometimes it's just easier to stick with what we are comfortable with and if that means waiting months for a haircut, so be it!

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  3. oof, that is expensive! but I'm with you - a haircut should be a pampering experience. I found a place in London that I liked but didn't love, but I couldn't stand the idea of trying out others and liking them less. Your hair is too important to play around with!

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  4. Hilarious timing. I was talking this morning about how one of the biggest expat mistakes I've ever made was getting my haircut in Belgium. On a recommendation, I went to what I thought was a slightly nicer salon not too far from the office one day. Turned out the prices on their website were two years outdated, the Queen gets her haircut there, it cost an absolute fortune and they were so pretentious I couldn't wait to get out of there. I'm still looking for "my salon" in Brussels. Sounds like you've found a winner in Norway. I love the idea of a 24 hr text alert.

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  5. Great idea for a post!

    I remember my hair cutting saga while I lived in Uganda -- I went to a Canadian guy for awhile and paid way to much for mediocre cuts (which I couldn't afford since I was a poor volunteer at the time). In the end, I just ended up cutting it myself or letting a friend cut it. Needless to say, it was not the most glamorous time of my life. ;)

    Since living in Germany, I've loved my stylists in both Hamburg and Berlin. In both cities (especially Berlin), you can get your hair cut at great salons by experienced stylists for a really great price (or maybe anything sounds reasonable after paying an arm and leg while living in NYC?). My current stylist is one of the best in Berlin, owns a very popular salon, and my cut still own costs around 35€! Another reason never to leave Berlin. :)

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    2. I didn't mind my grown-out hair with split ends so much in Gabon because we all looked a little worse for wear there. It was when we landed on a trip to South Africa or Europe that it would become blatantly obvious that I was in desperate need of a trim.

      Berlin just sounds better & better to me - super cool city, history to keep you learning for years, and good, reasonable haircuts ;)

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  6. Very interesting post-and wow, the Norwegian hair cut procedure seems so thorough (although I guess par the course with the famous Scandinavian efficiency?). Making appointments online and denoting what you want done-brilliant.

    I actually blogged myself about the time I got a Spanish haircut during my semester abroad days. Where hair is concerned, it's always a slightly scary experience especially when in a new (and foreign) locale!

    http://www.theredheadedtraveler.com/2012/09/a-spanish-haircut.html

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  7. It's funny because when I think about moving abroad, my hair is the first thing I think about--how am I going to find someone to cut and color as well as my current stylist? It's taken me years to find someone I actually trust (because I did have a horrid experience once where a girl cut my hair and said "oops" right afterward--meaning she cut what should've been my shortest layer as the longest length).

    I can't believe how expensive haircuts are there though! How much can you expect to pay for a cut and color? I'd be curious to know how it compares to other European countries, too. (Also, I love Aveda salons--mine does the booking online and sends the text 24 hours before, both of which have been lifesavers!)

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    1. I think an average cut & colour for a woman runs between 1000-2000 kroner ($175-350) depending on the level of your stylist, the length of your hair & the complexity of the colour. Mine was just a bit over the upper end - flat colour, no highlights. I won't be going every 8 weeks ;)

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  8. Even having lived in LA on and off for 11 years now, I JUST found a stylist a little over a year ago that I love and fully recommend. I used to hop around like crazy because I could never find someone I really felt was good. I would have no idea where to even start in a foreign country!

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  9. You were brave and I am happy to hear it went well! I had a horrible horrible experience cutting my hair in Spain, so since then I always make sure to cut it when I am in Norway for holidays! Finding a new, good hairdresser is hard (&scary!) I pay 300 kr for my haircut in Norway though, 600 is very expensive!
    By the way, tipping a hairdresser is not necessary, it's just one of those things that doesn't really exist in Norway. So no need to feel guilty over that, and I am sure you paid more than enough as it was.

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  10. Tipping is definitely not necessary, so don't beat yourself up about it! To be honest, I NEVER tip when I'm in Norway..

    I had my hair cut in Kosovo - not a great experience. Not because the guy wasn't good, he just didn't listen to what I wanted, and I ended up with Kosovar hair. (Ie. BIG!)

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  11. Ha that is so true! I am one of those lazy girls that only gets my hair cut once I've sick of it. Not good really since I have lots of it and it's wavy so it should have regular maintenance. Over the past year in Aus, I got really good because I started getting my hair coloured and was going every 6-8 weeks for a cut and colour. My hairdresser was astounded I managed that regularity! I made sure to get my hair coloured and cut before I left Brisbane but that was December and I haven't done anything since. Hmmm maybe time to look into it! Thankfully, I'm in an English speaking country!

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  12. Oh that's great that you found someone good! No way I could go more than 2 months without getting my hair cut no matter where I lived haha.

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  13. haircuts are a nightmare overseas! i'm glad you found someone you like! (even if i did cost a ton!) i finally found someone i liked after two years, the up side is that 'expensive' hair cuts here at $20!

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  14. OMG I HATE getting my haircut in Germany. I don't know how to properly communicate what I want and I am terrified the whole time, not matter how great it feels when they're washing my hair - the anticipation is just too much. I end up waiting until I get home... sooo every 6 months - thus the explanation for my REALLY long hair right now.

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  15. I have to say, I am so incredibly nervous about getting hair cuts abroad. NOT looking forward to it

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  16. Oh, I feel your pain! I hate it so much... I really only cut my hair once every year or two now and a lot of it has to do with not wanting to get it butchered here. Luckily the sun bleaches highlights for me so I don't have to color it :)

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  17. Ugh - I HATE getting my hair cut. Because no one can ever cut my bangs/fringe properly. They ALWAYS cut them crooked. Had one haircut in Norway and it was no different.

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  18. Haircuts! I'm such a haircut snob back home that I've been too terrified to get mine done while living here in Korea! We're going on our second year, and my husband has been so gracious with giving me a trim every now and then.

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    1. You are brave to let your husband cut your hair - I'm pretty sure my hair would be butchered if my husband tried to cut it!

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  19. Reading your post and the comments - I'm so glad it isn't just me who is nervous about these things! I've yet to venture into a salon in Brussels!

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    1. It's something every expat must face at one point or another. Hope your experience goes ok when you finally do get to it!

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