One of the things I’d really been wanting to do for the past several months, as well a dreading, was getting a hair cut. Hair cuts are hit-and-miss most of the time and when people mess up, it usually isn’t a small thing. On most visits to get my hair cut, I walk out with a hair cut I’m not entirely pleased with and am frustrated that the stylist hasn’t been able to understand what it is I want. Something I’ve noticed with a lot of stylists I’ve gotten hair cuts from is that they like to cut my hair the way they think it should be cut and not the way I ask them to.
Another thing that has always made me nervous about hair cuts is cleanliness. There was a place in Virginia that I went in for a hair cut and then decided I would never ever go back there. The girl cutting my hair used a comb with black hair in it (i’m a blonde) and kept dipping the comb in a jar of water mixed with hair. There was hair stuck in the scissors and all over her work station. It was gross and really disgusting. Unfortunately, that isn’t the only place I’ve seen like that.
So, when my sister scheduled me with her cosmetologist and we headed out there Friday, I was nervous and dreading it. I was afraid I was going to end up with another hair cut that wasn’t quite what I wanted and that it was going to be an awkward experience. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about!
Kate Valladolid is a licensed cosmetologist who cuts hair in a small salon built onto the back of a house in Washington, Utah. The first think I noticed when I walked in was that the salon is bright, clean and has an open and inviting air. There was a client sitting in the hair dryer, so it was evident Kate had recently finished doing someone’s hair, but there wasn’t a trace of clipped hair on the floor or counters. The scissors and comb on the counter were clean, too. The entire room was tidy and well-kept. Seeing how clean and organized she keeps her work space made me feel a lot more comfortable.
As for the actual hair cut, I couldn’t be more pleased. I had cut my own hair last summer in an attempt to get the hair cut I wanted and while it looked okay, it was a little bit of a disaster. The bottom was a little ragged and the long bangs I’d cut were choppy. I was mostly happy with the way I’d cut my own hair, but it was entirely evident that it wasn’t professional. While in Malaysia for the past six months, I’ve not wanted to get my hair cut because hygiene there is not a huge thing, so I’ve been doing mini maintenance and trying to keep my hair from looking too unkempt.
When I first sat down in the chair, Kate asked me what I wanted done and asked me questions about length and layering. We talked about what I wanted and she confirmed it before she started cutting. She showed me how much she was going to cut off and asked if that was okay, which I really appreciated because most stylists listen to how much I want cut off and then just cut off whatever they want, which is usually a few more inches than I’d like. Kate cut off exactly what she showed me, layered my hair and fixed my crazy bangs. Part of me misses the weird bangs I had before, but I have to admit that my hair looks a lot better than it did before. When I walked into her salon, my hair was frizzy and felt drab. When I walked out, it was smooth and felt light. Even today, three days later, my hair is nowhere near as frizzy as it was before my appointment and it just feels better. I’m not quite sure how to explain how it feels, but my hair just feels healthier and is easier to manage.
Another concern I have when getting my hair cut is that I’m not a super chatty person and usually don’t like to do the small talk thing when getting my hair cut, but Kate made me feel very comfortable while I was there and we chatted the entire time she was cutting my hair. I never once felt awkward or like the conversation was forced. Kate is a very charismatic woman who has a talent for making people feel at ease and open up. I didn’t even realize how long we’d been talking until she was finishing up and handing me a mirror to see how I liked my hair cut and eyebrow wax.
Speaking of, most times I’ve gotten my eyebrows done it takes a bit of time and is rather painful. I don’t even think it took Kate 5 minutes to do my eyebrows and it didn’t hurt at all. Maybe it was because I wasn’t paying very much attention to the fact that she was doing it because we were talking and laughing the whole time. It really does make a difference to be distracted. lol. Even though it only took a few minutes to do, Kate cleaned up my eyebrows quite nicely and made them even. Usually, I have to ask the stylist to fix one because one ends up thicker or arched different than the other, but Kate had them even and the same size in one shot. I was very impressed.
I didn’t get my nails done while I was there, but my sister uses Kate for her hair care and also to get her nails done. My sister absolutely loves Kate and has never been disappointed by how Kate does her nails. I think my sister goes in every 3-4 weeks or so to get her nails filled and a new design put on. Every time my sister has her nails done, she sends me pictures of all the cute designs that Kate does and I have to admit that I’m rather jealous sometimes. Kate does a really good job and my sister’s nails always look festive and pretty. On the rare occasion that a nail pops off, Kate gets her in quickly to put the nail back on. My sister says she’s had her nails done other places and that the nails she’s had done by Kate don’t pop off as much as nails she’s had done elsewhere and that Kate has been able to get in her much quicker than other places on short notice.
Overall, I give Kate 5 stars on service, skill, quality, cleanliness and comfort. I found Kate to be very professional, likable, friendly and skilled. Another fact in her favor is that she is an instructor over at Evans’ Hairstyling College, so you can see from that that she is skilled and qualified. I highly recommend Kate Valladolid for any beauty needs and I do not doubt that you will be well-pleased by her.
Kate Valladolid
435-680-1432
