Wait until you get to Spain
Next time you go to book your pre holiday haircut wait until you get to Spain. From my own experience Spanish hairdressing salons are generally much cheaper and less busy depending on where you go. Of course, a city hairdresser will always be more high profile and bustling than those in smaller towns. I, personally use the local hairdresser in our small town. Although, it doesn’t look particularly glamorous from the outside, inside it is clean, has all the necessary basic equipment without being dated.
Back to basics
Bianca, as the hairdresser is called is far less “scissor happy” than any hairdresser I have ever known in the UK. She serves the local community and she informs me that they are not into fancy hair and beauty techniques and like to stick to what they know. Having said that, even if you have limited Spanish and bearing in mind that she doesn’t speak any English, she always seems to know just where you are coming from and can cater to any hair request.
Learn Spanish in the salon
The duration of a haircut can range from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on the number of phone calls that she receives on her mobile and friends, family members dropping in to chat. If you are keen to learn Spanish, being sat in a hairdresser’s chair for two hours will certainly improve your listening skills. If you are not up to reading in Spanish yet bring your own material unless you are in Marbella where I am sure they make provisions for their English speaking clientele. Having said that, once they start making provisions for the English speaking community, you can guarantee that this will be added to the bill. In other words, the more geared towards expats they are i.e. with English speaking staff, the more expensive.
Children are welcome!
Although she may lack the sanctuary like image that Marbella salons have, Bianca has made an effort to make her salon unusually child friendly without installing a ball park! All children are given a lollipop and can sit at the coffee table covered with colouring in books and crayons whilst their mothers get pampered.
Be Prepared
Prepare yourself with the following vocabulary before you embark upon the challenge of going to the hairdressers in Spain:
Peluquería – Hairdressers
Peluquera / o - Hairdresser
Lavar y peinar - A wash and blow dry
Iluminaciones, mechas - Highlights, streaks
Sólo las puntitas - Just the ends (a trim)
Con capas – Layered