To Be Blonde

There are many things I complain about in Shanghai, but my hair stylist is not one of them. He is the most amazing person that has ever happened to my long glorious locks. Dennis of West Hair Puxi has been the savior of my blonde highlights.

Before I moved to Shanghai, I was petrified of having to let my natural hair color grow out. The horror! I am not even sure what my natural color is, but I believe it may resemble dirty dishwater (something I haven't seen since moving to Shanghai either, thank you Ayi) I researched online for hours to discover that low and behold, there are many place catering to the bleach-happy foreign crowd. I have frequented Toni and Guy in the States and found that the boys have salons here too. I scoured expat blogs and typed in "best blonde hair Shanghai" into Google, and was thrilled to encounter multiple listings of shops ready to deliver the long sought-after foils.

Unfortunately, blonde tresses come at an exorbitant price. After a full highlight and cut in the States, I forked over around $180. Add in a 20% tip and you're out another $36. Cha-ching! $216! So the first time I go to get my hair done in Shanghai, I visit a very sexy half-Swedish, half-Spanish guy and for just the highlights, it cost me over $200. Ouch! So I tried to convince myself that dishwater was the "new blonde."

Luckily for me, while dining over a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner last year, I was given the phone number of the Greatest Man That Ever Lived...Dennis! xoxoxo I dialed him up, told him I was in dire need of help. I had roots, I had trees, I had leaves coming out of the top of my head. He easily fit me in that weekend and I was off to a love affair with my hair.

Yesterday, I went to West Hair with my friend Krystle for a full highlight and style. We sipped margaritas indulging in the sunlight at Mexico Lindo on Hongmei before we made the twenty-minute taxi ride to West Hair. Long trip you think? Definitely not for the quality of work and price.

Styling - 3 People

We burst through the door clutching ice teas from Starbucks, ten minutes late, to the chorus of huān yíng, which to this day still sounds like Good Morning to me. The direct us upstairs to an open sunny room with three comfortable chairs and a sink/chair combo for washing. Dennis flutters in and coos over us as he ushers six stylists over to begin our highlights. Three for me and three for Krystle. Dennis discusses something with our entourage in Mandarin and then they scurry to get started.

Full highlights used to be a four-hour process for me in the States and now it is reduced to about three hours including the standard Chinese 20-30 minute head massage while they wash the color out of your hair. The whole experience is marvelous, especially the finale of only having to pay 600 RMB which is around $95. Cheaper than anything I have ever paid for my hair. My hair was blonde, it was curled, and I literally bounced out of the salon.

Dennis owns several salons. One in Beijing and two in Shanghai: one in Puxi and a recently opened one in Pudong. He has incredible customer service skills and only hires the most competent and talented staff. I know he will continue to thrive, taking on more and more clients. Great blonde hair stands out, he doesn't even need to advertise.

So, what will I do next year in Kenya? Once again I voraciously search the internet for salons that do blonde hair. Will I find another Dennis? Will my blonde hair reign supreme? What is a girl to do?