Don’t know about you, but a trip to the hairdresser always has me feeling on top of the world. My hair is shiny, sleek, on point, and I feel I can take on the world. My inner voice is saying “Yaaaaas Queen, you got this! You go Slay!”.
And on top of that, I swear it’s therapeutic too! My hairdresser is like an unofficial psychiatrist. I trust her with my hair and my secrets! She knows about my whole life basically: my ups, my downs, my boy troubles, family drama, and even some of my health problems. She listens, offers advice, and has honestly helped me through some tough times (in a 2016 study the Guardian found that Hairdressers are the fifth most trusted professionals in the UK).
There are a few factors that explain why we often turn to our hairdressers for help not involving our hair:
There is something oddly intimate about someone touching you’re your hair and head, that makes you feel open and trusting, potentially due to the fact that the sense of touch is the first language we learn as infants, it takes us back to a simpler time.
Knowing that between her brushes, combs, scissors and colour, our hairdresser could cause a breakdown but never does. This increases our confidence and trust in them. In turn, they are a big part of making us look and feel great, which helps increase our self confidence.
If discussing personal matters, they don’t usually know the other people involved. We feel safe that no one will find out if it is a secret, but also they can take an objective view and give objective advice. And if we have been going to the same hairdressing salon for a while, our stylist is probably aware of the context of our life and can not only give objective opinions, but informed ones too.
For all of these reasons, and so many more, it doesn’t surprise me one bit that hairdressing is one of the most trusted professions. They are artists, therapists, entertainers and magicians all rolled into one.
Chloe Mellen aka Dirty French Girl
