It’s that time of the week, you’ve cleared out your schedule and feel totally pumped for some “me” time. Pampering yourself is quite possibly one of the most exhilarating experiences but to be perfectly honest, there’s always a part of us that dreads going to the salon. Same goes for when you need to pick and sift through way too many options or none at all whenever there’s a special occasion. Many of us have gone to a mehendi with a bird’s nest on top of our heads. Okay, let’s not go there.
Here’s a few struggles we thought we should definitely talk about:
1. Some salons have absolutely no online presence so there’s no way to fully analyze them before walking in
Source: MangoBaaz
Raise your hand if you’ve stuck around at a God-awful salon just because you were too embarrassed to leave.
Yep. Me too.
For most of the Pakistani salons, search and discovery is next to impossible as there is no one-stop shop where you can search, review, compare services or book appointments online or work your schedule around open slots at the salons.
2. Once you’re in, practically no one is there to tell you about the services being offered
Source: Allthingspakistanicelebs Tumblr
More often than not, you end up just going with the basics, although there may be dozens of great options to choose from just so you don’t seem like a noob. The poor receptionists are busy multitasking with the phone scrunched between their shoulders and writing in their notepads while assisting you as well so you don’t get the right kind of guidance. If you try doing that over the phone, you feel the need to hang up as soon as possible just so you don’t end up getting on her wrong side.
3. Dying to know the prices so you can stay within budget, but too embarrassed to ask so you don’t look cheap.
Source: Scoopwhoop
You’re desperately trying to make sure you don’t overspend on the whitening facial because you have your eye on that new clutch but asking for the prices upfront looks so…cheap. So, you end up playing it cool and decide to have air for lunch all of next week.
4. Getting stuck with the over conversational manicurist
With a new playlist on your phone, all you want to do is pop your headphones in and enjoy Adele as she hits all the right notes but unfortunately, God has other plans. You get stuck with the one overly conversational manicurist that wants to know your life story, your mother’s middle name and a rundown of all of your cat’s nine lives.
5. The “Baji, aapnay last time threading kahan se karayi thi?” question
Source: Scoopwhoop
As if the process of threading and plucking isn’t already frustrating, almost every salon-lady asks you this damn question, usually after messing up and leaving you with eccentric eyebrows that you have to draw on for the next month in order to NOT look like a CLOWN.
6. One word: Waxing
Source: Scoopwhoop
First off, appointments like waxing are embarrassing for some people to book over the phone, especially if you are at work. If someone overhears, there’s usually just an awkward silence. Moving past that, when you get there, you get to hear beautiful poetic haikus like,
Apkay baal bohot chotay hein.
Fruit wax karra lein, sehi se safayi hogi…
Last kub waxing kerwai thi?
Basically, anything or everything to distract you from their botched up job.
7. Politics
Source: Tumblr
Trust Pakistanis to rope in politics into everything. You expect professionalism and above all, a getaway from the regulars of life and instead you’re stuck on the chair with a whiney hairstylist trying to get out of the shelf shift. Half of you is internally screaming but you can’t jeopardize your hair on the line of duty, can you?
8. Getting your hair done and looking like Medusa
Source: Funpakistan
Let’s not even go there. They either chop all your hair or give you highlights that even confuses you about your gender identity.
9. End up going to the same salon again and again even if it’s shit
So many of us end up going to the same salon over and over again because:
a) Too lazy
b) “Haram ka paisa hay?”
c) Someone once recommended it
d) No idea about the other options we have
10. Asking for services, getting them done, loving the experience UNTIL THE BILL ARRIVES
Source: Scoopwhoop
Of course they charged you for extra services, all the while you were assuming it came with what you requested. When you refute the bill, staff says that you never stopped them while they were doing the service.
11. Can only book appointments over the phone during salon open hours
Source: Giphy
If you remember that you need an appointment at 3 am, there is no helping you.
12. Crying babies
No hate to new moms or old ones or moms ALL OVER THE WORLD. We love babies, kittens and pandas. But, please think about the poor girl sitting next to you who is there to relax and is getting her first massage in six months.
Let baba babysit the kids today.
