Worst hair salon ever

The grand award goes to Kiseki Hair House. They claimed to have two branches, one at Tanjong Pagar and the other at Boon Keng. At my last visit, the shampoo girl said they have two more outlets under a different naming.

Update: BEWARE! They have renamed themselves as Rebornz Hair @ Work or similarly Rebornz Hair@Work! They also have new deals e.g. this.

Shop signage

The deal I regretted buying

I really regretted buying the deal from deal.com.sg (shown above) in June 2013, so much so that I haven't bought any of the services again from such sites. A past experience with a manicure deal also scarred me. In fact, I will rather pay more for a reputable place next time. It was S$8 for the hair cut. In fact, they advertised to have stylists from Hong Kong, but from my experience, they do speak Cantonese but they are all Malaysians! So let me describe my ordeal to you:

First cut in July 2013 @ Tanjong Pagar
I was served by a slightly plump lady named Catty. She was really good with the scissors and her mouth was exactly sharp like one. My hair was shampooed by another young girl whom seemed like a trainee. The whole cut took me 1.5 hours with the trainee and Catty taking turns to blow my hair. This already smelled of a disaster, two stylists trying to style my hair differently. But Catty took over and then she pressured me into buying a package. It was S$75 for another 5 sessions of hair cut after failing to sell me 10 or 20 sessions. She said there wouldn't be a deadline to use up those sessions but how would I know if they would close within the next month (it was worrying after the first session). And her face was black like coal after managing to convince me to get the 5 sessions. What bad customer service! I didn't know how but it just sounded so much like a guilt-trap and she was good at it. I never again saw her at any of my subsequent visits, so I really reckon she's either one of the bosses or she has left.
(Anyway, at S$15, I assure you can easily find a better haircut at other neighbourhood salon or an opening promotion in a BETTER salon in a mall.)

Second cut in August 2013 @ Boon Keng
So the dear Catty called and said Tanjong Pagar outlet had been really "busy" and recommended me to try my next session at Boon Keng outlet, boasting its bigger space and more number of stylists. In fact, I think the Boon Keng outlet was so new and the stylists were even "newer" that nobody really patronised the place. I booked for 3 sessions, bringing a friend and sister along. It also helped me to get rid of that package sooner before they "disappear" one day. Bad decision. In fact, I felt bad now for bringing others there. There wasn't any upselling but the staff barely knew what was going on. When I quoted the package I bought, they had no idea and had to phone the other outlet a couple of times to get things straight. Then I also didn't have to verify my identity! The stylists were all well-dressed in black blazers and pants, but their skills were mediocre. My sister was the first to get a cut. After a while, she was done and when I looked at her, I commented,"Did you have the cut? Why does it still look the same?!" It was then, the stylist began to rework on it and then we had a slightly more satisfactory result. Then she did mine, I told her exactly what I wanted, which was only a trim so it was easy. This lady stylist who did both mine and my sister's hair is not as "professional" as Catty, but she was friendly and eager to learn or please. She's slim, with long kinda dyed dark blonde hair (I can't remember her name but she was at Tanjong Pagar branch on my last visit). But for my friend, a bloke did her hair, as she had a shampoo before she came, she did without one. But the bloke barely touched her hair, she wanted to trim the dead ends and fringe but he must be a newbie, he didn't even feel brave enough to cut much for her. It was a complete disaster at Boon Keng and I swore never to come back to this outlet again.

Third cut in October 2013 @ Tanjong Pagar
So I came back again for yet another trim just a day before I attended a wedding. I tried to restore some faith in the Tanjong Pagar branch. None of the stylists I knew was around and so a pretty baby-faced guy named Eddy attended to me. I think this is one of the best things that happened throughout this ordeal! Eddy! IF YOU HAVE BEEN COAXED TO SIGN UP A PACKAGE HERE, ASK FOR EDDY AS YOUR STYLIST. I can assure you even though he's young, his personable character and genuineness is a rarity in this salon. He seemed new from the way he was shampooing my hair, he didn't use the tips of his fingers and he knocked me a couple of times with the hairdryer! Like I said, a trim was a trim, so it wasn't too difficult. He commented about my hair loss but didn't push me for any treatment (knowing that I'm unemployed). But besides that, he did a better job, I received a compliment on my hair right after the hair cut when I met my friend. He also tried to make conversations, well, I thought he was just trying to impress since that was the first time I met him. But when I came back again, he did remember me and what we last chatted! Eddy, thanks for the 'friendship'!

Fourth and last cut in December 2013 @ Tanjong Pagar
I came back again, after I got a call from them. They seem to like to call every month to make you visit so they can make you buy more sessions again. I saw the stylist from Boon Keng, but Catty was never there. I was asked to move seats twice, not impressed. Then a shampoo lady whom was totally clueless about her job was tasked to wash my hair for me. She is the WORST shampoo lady ever. She did not ask about the temperature of the water and washed my hair with cold water until I commented that it was too cold. Then the water became so hot that I had to ask her to adjust. Then it was back to cold water. I bet this is her FIRST HAIRDRESSING JOB and PROBABLY FIRST DAY OF WORK even though she tried to convince me she was sent from another branch. Kiseki Hair House, your new shampoo aunt sucked big time! So initially a FAT bloke was assigned to do my hair but last minute he decided to take an old auntie as his customer... what f*cking service! Fortunately at that moment, Eddy was done with his customer and he saw me. His face immediately lit up and asked if I remembered him, of course I did, and so I was happy to have him do my hair instead. Fortunately, he didn't knock my head much this time round. I asked him for a new cut, shoulder length this time and shorter fringe. I noticed Eddy can be easily distracted, he looked around during the cut a lot when he heard people coming in or moving around. But other than that, I can feel he's learning and doing a pretty decent job than the other stylists, best of all, he doesn't push you to buy add-ons. He's also sympathetic and encouraging at the same time (as he remembers my unemployment). I told him I would go back to him when I find work. Sorry Eddy, if you move to a new salon, I will keep my promise. Because I will never go back to Kiseki Hair House ever, it's the worst hair salon (I pity those old aunties whom are not savvy enough to read reviews). Eddy, I sincerely hope you will find a better place to groom you!

Redeemed

Just a few days before November ended, I went for the first facial in my life. It was a birthday treat at Spa Rael at an unbelievable promotional rate, thanks to NTUC Income. They appointed a PRC staff to attend to me and apparently she's the only chinese they claimed to employ, the rest being Malaysians. I have no particular preference, in fact, I thought she was good and very attentive to me so I was quite satisfied. I was also trying hard to perfect my Mandarin by making conversations with her. After the treatment, there was a post analysis chat where they tried to sell you a package; even though the staff told me she wouldn't be pushy but it sounded otherwise. Anyway, it is easy to refuse when you're jobless but you have to be firm on it! Don't make a mistake like I did with a hair salon - shall describe the horror stories in another post!

It was also end of November, I gave my dear feet a pampering foot mask. Sister gifted me this mask from Nature Republic. It worked wonders. I soaked them in the liquid in the pack for about an hour or so. You wouldn't see any effect immediately. But give it a week, you will notice the soles start peeling. It's like skin renewing... or a snake changing its skin! I got impatient and started to peel them myself! LOL. After a week, I reclaimed a pair of smooth clean feet minus the dead skin. It would be great to do this every quarter of the year.

I couldn't remember when I resumed swimming. It must be the time Joy came back to Singapore, almost 2.5 years back. No matter how hard I tried, swimming didn't help me lose weight. But it gave me a more toned physique. I also started to swim again after Joy left a year back... alone at the public pool. Slowly, I picked up the stamina. Then I found a buddy for a while, but now gone back to being alone at the public pool again. I also ventured to the lap pool whenever I felt courageous enough. At times, I would also go up to the sun deck after a swim to have a lay and read for a bit. I can't deduce whether it's swimming or both with the diet, now I have lost a couple of kilos (back to my ideal weight 5 years ago!) and also more tanned from those swimming. More importantly, I am very happy to be able to wear some of my favourite clothes again!

Just two weeks back, I went for a hair cut (my 4th one since July). I had been conned to sign a package, and thus this year I broke my own record of going to the hair salon for 4 times in 6 months. Anyway, to cut the story short for now, my hair is now shoulder length, it has been a while since it was this length. But I am ready to have it different. I also dyed them "Milk Caramelisee" color. I have started using these Beautylabo whipped hair color, this is the 3rd color I have tried and also the color best "absorbed" into my hair so far. I can really see the brown, especially under the lighting, it gets even lighter. I love the convenience of coloring your hair just like shampooing them! I wish they invent something for highlighting the hair which is just as easy!

So with a new hairstyle, hair color, new weight, new feet and also a revitalised face, I have redeemed myself. Not to mention, also credits to my friends, my mum and the little sister for all the love and encouragement... I found my renewed strength. This time, I am back stronger than before!

An experiment

So after a long time, I decided to master the courage to go to a party to mingle again. In the past, it was usually small house parties, usually friends of friend. And that was much easier. Also when you are from a same community like couchsurfing or dragonboating, it was not too difficult to just start a conversation with another member or teammate. But to arrive at a huge party alone, not knowing anyone... I have never done this. The recent years, I'd rather be spending my time being in my comfort zone... of course except times I ventured on solo trips. To a lot of my friends, they think so highly of me. They are thinking that I must be so sociable, brave and independent. And little did they know, I'm not borned like this! I have always been challenging myself, pushing myself out of my comfort zone because I know without them my life is just like any others. I don't aspire to be famous or rich but I want my life to be fulfilling and that I can only achieve by myself and not wait on God or the others.

So last night, I did this behavioural experiment. This party was said to have at least 600 attendees. I arrived alone, less nervous than I thought. I chatted up some unfriendly ladies but that didn't spoil my night. I knew there are bound to be people like them who only wanted to talk to the opposite sex. So I continued and made conversation with another lady. In turn, it led to many more conversations... men and women.. from one group to another... one person to the other, I spoke to at least 30 at the end of the night. That's 5% of the crowd (but I doubt there were 600!). I think this is a pretty successful experiment even though by now I can't recall half of their names. But I have met some really cool people, bumped into cousin of a friend and spoke to people of various nationalities. Awesome. I begin to feel this is only a beginning.