Salon Therapy

Although my trip to Russia is over, the posts about this perplexing and multidimensional country are not. During the time in my home town, I had to visit a beauty salon to get a Russian haircut. And I am excited to tell you about the experience and my theory behind the popularity of beauty salons in Russia.

Fancy hair salons sprung up in the cities of Russia over the last several years. Prior to that, every city had very few places where people could get a decent hair-do, and they were very much Soviet style with outdated equipment and mostly unfriendly personnel.

Today, Russian fashionistas have a wide range of modern and comfortable beauty salons to choose from. All the salons are privately owned and thus strive to pamper their customers with an enjoyable experience. 

I personally, too, enjoy going to hair salons in Russia for several reasons. The salons are always bright and clean and have a very relaxing atmosphere. You can show up way before your appointment and flip through a bunch of hairstyle magazines and change your mind about your desired haircut as many times as you want. Then, your hair stylist invites you to take a seat and tell them what you want. You can surely take your time here to discuss your options and ask the specialist what fits your face, hair type, and style. This is probably my favorite part of the experience as you can sit back and relax in your chair and dream up a new hair for yourself.

Unlike most hair places in efficient America, Russian salons do not expect you to get out as quickly as possible or pay for a blow dry. The stylist would make rounds and rounds around you to make sure the hair looks perfect and would always dry and slightly style your hair for free (!). If you are an impatient person, this place is definitely not for you. Typically, a seance lasts at least an hour.

This last visit to the hair salon reminded me of another important difference between getting a haircut in Russia and the US. For Russian women, and even for men, a visit with their hair stylist is not just about fixing their hair. It’s more of a social engagement or therapeutic encounter. 

Usually people go to the same hair stylist and have a very personal relationship with them. The hair stylist becomes their best friend or counselor who is always there to listen to their life stories and help them unwind. 

All in all, hair salons in Russia are much more than just a nice place to get your hair done. They have become something very important and valuable to the people who rely on them to find refuge from their daily struggles and, even more so, to find themselves in the new look they see in the mirror.