alex I know what you mean about 'fabulous salons' thinking they can do whatever they want ... and lecturing you ...

I went to 'blo' in Wellington once which was reputed to be one of the better / more award winning ones at the time. I was a student so I didn't get my hair done all the time. Anyway the snotty bish rabbited on about how crap my hair was and oh you shouldn't put colours in yourself etc etc. Well EXCUSE me, when you are a student you sometimes have other things to spend $$ on AND you want to go red-ish for a whle or whatever. Grrrrr. She did a %#@&#! job of the cut, too. One of those emaciated all in black trying to be super freakin cool types, lesson #2 never let a heroin chic tryhard touch your hair ...

I definitely went on reputation this time and I am so happy I did. It was pricey but not toooo bad (cut and colour for under two hundred is pretty good here - think NZD tho). but I am going to go back in the recommended 7 weeks because I want to keep it looking like this - first time I am happy with my hair for ages

Jess - good work on the straightener, salon quality is the only way to go. GHDs are great.