Ok NYE on my mini casino vacation, while sitting at the pai gow table, I get a call from my consultant. Being as my appointment is on January 6 and 7, I figured it was just my confirmation call. It started out that way when I heard my consultants sweet voice asking if I still wanted my SL's done and I eagerly stated yes as I am super excited to get started. Then she dropped a bombshell. She stated that her schedule was much too busy to hold out 2 days just for one client next week and she would be booked until the second week in Feb.
Oh, my little nappy heart sank, I looked so distraught, people at the poker table that I had stepped away from to take the call asked me if I was ok. I waved them off and choked back tears. I had made this appointment on December 1st, it was supposed to be my milestone b-day present to myself. A 10 year journey to my next milestone b-day. My appointment is 10 weeks after my b day. Then as I was making the appointment date, all I could think was, what if she calls 3 days before my appointment and reschedules again? I am getting installed 3 days before Valentine's Day, which means I'm going to have that plucked chicken look, but I guess that is the least of my worries.
My consultant is the only certified consultant in the Sacramento Area. So, I went the trainee route, only 3 were listed, left a message for one, one stated she would call me back this am (its now noon, I love CPT, but not when it comes to my hair,) and the others number was disconnected.
So, back to the certified consultant list I go...The closest certified consultant to me is in Oakland California. With as much hair as I have, I KNOW its gonna take at LEAST 24-30 hrs to twist me up, which means a hotel room, gas money, breakfast, lunch AND dinner in another city overnight.
After a night of uneasiness, I contacted my consultant to see if she could refer me to anyone else. She stated well, it depended on what type of atmosphere I wanted as all the people she knew, worked out of their home. Being as I really prefer a shop environment after getting my hair braided with Kings of Comedy or Young and the Restless blaring on the TV while trying to keep children out of my pocketbook, from using me as a climbing post and endless breaks to get the baby something to eat, answer the phone, door, run to the store, pick up my husband from work etc, etc, those were a turn off. *DISCLAIMER not saying any of the SL consultants or trainees in the Sacramento area run this kind of ship in any way, just has been my experience more oft than not while getting my hair braided.*
She then sweetly asked "You don't want to wait, I am really excited to do your hair as I haven't locked a full heard of long natural hair before, only transitioning hair." to which I replied "I am really eager to get started and I really don't want to have another month go by and end up with my appointment pushed back again. I don't want to be waiting on my SL's until June!!"
She then explained, which would have actually set my mind at ease if she had stated this in the beginning, "With the holidays being during the week this year, I wasn't able to see a lot of my clients on a regular basis and got overbooked and neglected SL's mean more work in the long run."
Makes more sense, I was still butt hurt, diva's don't like being put on the back burner, but at least I have some time to cover up this resistant grey hair at my temples that I laughed at my last dye job.
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3 comments:
Sorry to hear about your disappointment. I remember chaping at the bit just waiting a month to get mine put in last year!
Honestly, I think she did you a favor. Her question and comment scares me: "You don't want to wait, I am really excited to do your hair as I haven't locked a full heard of long natural hair before, only transitioning hair."
Call around and be willing to travel.
Also, don't prejudge consultants who work out of their homes. I have been to three, all of whom work out of their homes. They have been very professional and created dedicated spaces in their homes that are very comfortable.
When you're the only client, the atmosphere can be very relaxed AND consultants who don't have the overhead of a shop may be less likely to overbook in order to pay that rent!
Doc, thanks so much for your comment. I am not questioning her skills in any way, I have seen at least 20 of her clients out and about and they're locks are hitting. Her comment was in response to a convo we had when I was having my testers put in. Many of the heads she had done with more than 10 inches of hair were transitioning so they (herself and the client) had to wait a bit longer to see the longer, fuller SL look. She said she was excited to see how new SL would look on a full head of natural hair with some serious length.
The reason i was very drawn to this consultant was because of the atmosphere in the shop that she rents a room.. Her work area has one stylist chair one shampoo bowl nicely decorated has heat (the rest of the shop was freezing.) she also only books one client at a time. Her SL care regimine I liked quite a bit also. She likes to see new clients every 2-3 weeks, she does the washing, checks for slips retightens if needed as well as styles. I love the fact that her retightenings include washing as I read that there can be some slippage when washing after.
Her price is also very reasonable. Many of the consultants
have contacted outside of my area have quoted me prices ranging from $900-$1300 dollars for the length and density
of my hair. Tack on gas and lodging, that's more than my
mortgage. I am not opposed in the slightest to working
with a consultant that works from their home. The ones that I have contacted have been less than professional IMO. if u can't turn down the television to take a call, then I don't want you in my head.
I did have one trainee return my call who was very professional (my time challenged consultant also did her install) she stated she would not feel comfortable doing an install on an actuall client until she got some more practice w friends and fam. She did say she would be avail for retightenings.
Sorry at the length of this response, but Sacramento only has 1 certified SL consultant and I don't want her to get a bad rep as she has been doing the natural hair movement justice in nor cal for many years. I felt the need to defend her LOL
Hey! Thanks for the hair comments. I need to put up some more recent pictures because my hair is really growing!
Keep me posted on your SL journey :)
Avra (Nappatiti)
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