Well, I just came from the salon and did ok on the "Stand up for our hair" challenge. However, I am still so mad that I am going to join the "no salon" challenge. It started out ok when I got there except for the usual- got there on time (1p) didn't leave until evening (4:45p). So, yes, I had to wait about half an hour to start. Right away my hair stylist eyes the bag of goodies that I have with me (conditioners, combs, etc.) and feels threatened. Then, I have to argue with him over what relaxer to use- I want Design Essentials mild and he wants to use what everyone else is using -Affirm regular. There is nothing wrong with Affirm, but my hair does better with mild formulas. So, he goes off in a huff and I win that battle. Next, he starts going over my hair as he bases it- thank God I based it myself before I went- and says "Oh, I HAVE to trim your hair or those dead ends will just split up the shaft." I say no. He continues. I say no thanks. He gets all huffy and starts for the relaxer. I tell him to start from the middle, don't relax my nape, and do the front edges last (last time he did them first and I almost had a heart attack). This heifer then proceeds to bend down and tell me that I should not tell him how to do his job and that he can't do my hair with me constantly telling him what to do. I proceed to tell him that it's my hair and that I've lived with it for the past 26 years and know what is good for it and what is not. Furthermore, I've spent a long, damn time growing it out to this length and intend to keep it. That shut him up. Everything went great until, you guessed it, the heat issue. He wanted to blow dry, flat iron, marcel and I said no, just roll me up and put me under and don't use setting lotion. He said that if he didn't use it it would take longer to dry and I said I don't care. So what did he do, he used the pump wrap lotion when I was none the wiser. When I got out from under, my hair was crunchy like straw. He was trying to finish someone else when I came out and I didn't want to talk to him over her head. I had someone else take out my rollers and I left. Why should I pay for this ish and attitude every two months? I'm taking control and doing my own relaxers from no on. I'm taking a picture the next time I walk by because I'm going to need it to remember what a salon looks like.