My GM'd hair at Catherine's Salon

[birdiefu]

I finally got around to getting a GM treatment and trim today! Just want to let you all know how it went and of course post some before/after pics. I had done a consultation with Catherine a few weeks back before setting up my treatment/trim apt. She went over the GM philosophy and products (her mom was one of his first clients and she was trained by him), general haircare, and looked at some of the combs/hairtoys I used.

She started today by washing my hair, then applying the treatment stuff. I went under a heat cap for an hour, then she rinsed that out, did something else (I didn't ask exactly which products she used for each step...oops!), then applied the cream rinse and rinsed. Then she combed my hair out and rolled it into big rollers. I went under the dryer for about another hour. During this time another woman came in with somewhere between BSL-waist (it was braided at first and I didn't want to stare..) pretty red hair and she got started with a treatment.

Once my hair was finally dry, she took out the rollers and combed it again. We went to the 3-way mirror to check out where I wanted the trim at. When she asked how much I wanted taken off, I said 1" (though mentally knew I could go longer to 2 or so...still have that fear of 6" being taken off...). She then pointed to an area where my ends were thinnest and the next bit of layers ended above them and suggested that that would be a good place to trim to for now. I agreed as the condition of my ends is more important to me at this moment than gaining much more length. So I went back to the chair (but stood behind it), and she trimmed dry in a U-shape to where I wanted.

Catherine took my before and after pics for me, I hope she didn't think I was too kooky! Anyhow, she is a delightful lady and though I'm not usually the chatty type, we chatted here and there about hair and so on. I was happy that she noted that most of my hair other than the last 6" or so that will have to eventually go from old damage is in very good condition and not too many splits, either. She noticed that my baby growth from my 1st post-partum shed (hmmm, 3 years ago) is starting to blend in well with my length, though of course will take a while to catch up.

My hair is nice and sleek and shiny and excited now. Even though the total taken off was 2" (eek, but I needed it), it doesn't look much shorter at all, and I like how the ends aren't as see through. I'll probably be going back in a few months for a smaller trim.

Here are the before and after pics:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/birdiefu/hair2/BeforeGM1.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v670/birdiefu/hair2/AfterGM1.jpg

[TammySue]

I'm so envious, I would love to go to a GM salon! Your hair looks beautiful and doesn't even look like 2" was taken off! Is this the salon in Ohio?

[Tabitha]

Beautiful ... I swear it actually looks LONGER in the second pic!

[goodenough]

Really nice!

[Nevermore]

It looks practically the same length in the trimmed pic, just nicer! I'm envious!

[brok3nwings]

it looks much better on the second picture..and there isnt much diference on the lenght so i think we can say that it went perfeclty! Healthyer and long at the same eheh

[birdiefu]

Thanks, I'm very happy with it! It does look exactly the same length in the pic (ends right to my pants pocket), but I swear 2" came off! I measured earlier and the last little 5 hairs in my wisp at the end went to 38.5", and now I have a little bush of ends that go to 36.5". In the pics, I had some wave in the first picture and the wispiest of the ends were waving up too, and in the second pic it's much straighter from the rollerset.

Oh, and she gave me some free samples of the Blue shampoo, Cream shampoo, and Cream rinse. More things to try out! The whole treatment and trim was only $60, also. $55 for treatment and dusting (oh, she S&D'd my hair, too), and I guess $5 for the dry trim. It took 3 hours for the whole process.

TammySue- I think the one in Ohio is Enchatress. The one I went to (Catherine's Salon) is in Virginia near DC.

[Magsi]

What does GM mean?

[Loviatar]

It does seem to look longer in pic.2, Birdiefu! Just lovely, and it looks healthier and more moisturised, too.

I am glad you had such a good experience! Great results :)

[lilalong]

it looks fuller and healthier in the second pic. Awesome.

[Leisha]

Beautiful ... I swear it actually looks LONGER in the second pic!
That's exactly what I thought too!! :)
Your hair looks great :agree:

[Carolyn]

Your hair looks wonderful! It only looks a teeny bit shorter if any. Sounds like you had a great day and the price was sure good. Tammy Sue, the salon in Ohio is Enchantress. If you go back to the old archived meet threads you can find a couple of threads where I met with KK, Snowy, and CountryMouse. Did you get one of the Madora wide tooth combs? I think that's one of my favorite GM salon finds.

[birdiefu]

Thank you ladies, it means a lot :)


What does GM mean?

George Micheal. He has a system of long hair care and has done a lot of research over time. Some think a few of his ideas may not be quite right (like if you cut in bangs, your longest bits may shed and the bang parts grow faster), but in general his ideas behind long hair and gentle care are good. There are a few salons that use his techniques in caring for long hair. Catherine (http://www.catherinessalon.com/) has a small website if those of you in the DC area (or will be visiting) want to look into it.

[Elenna]

Birdiefu - glad that you posted your experience. I was wondering about the GM deep conditioning treatment since I have an appointment for the treatment too.

[Gaelic Girl]

Your hair looks incredible! It doesn't even appear shorter...and so much thicker! Wow! How wonderful.

I noticed from your siggy that you're growing out from a henna disaster too. I'm not the only one, then. Good luck with it. I'm trimming too (just took 2.5" off) and have about 2" to go.

I must say that your hair is very beautiful!

[AmandaPanda]

I want to go there! :sigh: One day....

Your hair looks great! Thanks for sharing :)

[Lixie]

Wow, gorgeous hair! Doesn't even look like you lost any length either. :)

[mommy101405]

Wow. it looks so soft. I just want to touch it :p

[spidermom]

You hair looks absolutely gorgeous, and I don't see much loss in length either. I don't think my eye goes to the end of the last longest strand.

[yogachic]

Your hair looks great after the trim and it doesn't look like she took much off.

[MusingFrog]

Thanks for doing a review of the place in VA. If I were ever to do this that is where I would be heading. So far I've only read the reviews of the places in OH and NY.

Your hair looks good too. It is amazing how taking off just a few inches really improves the overall quality.

[coppercurls]

Sounds like a great time you had there. Your hair looks great and like others have said, it doesn't look like you lost any length. I wish there was GM salon close to me. :)

[Patrycja]

I dream on finding a GM salon...very nice after pic.Even though the before wasn't bad at all either :p

[groque]

wow. love it. I had to take a double look because it just looked thicker and didn't look any shorter. I am jealous.

[trollkjerring]

Birdiefu, your hair looks awesome and it doesn't look shorter in the after pic. And I am so envious that you live now where you can already wear shorts:D

trollkjerring

[birdiefu]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this thread, DH just left for 4 months and the baby had a fever all night long. But thanks again to all the other who replied, love you all!

Multiquote isn't working for me so I'll just reply to a few...

Carolyn- I didn't get a comb, though I did try it out for a minute. I think my HH horn comb likes my hair better and goes through it smoother.

Trollkjerring- Thanks :). The weather is still funky though, it's been chilly and rainy since that day. But I'm afraid it will be much hotter around here in the full summer than back in Germany.

I'm not sure if the treatment is really all that for me, maybe my hair already had as much help as it could get from my home treatments. It does feel a bit fuller and stronger, but not as soft and slippery as usual. Not that it's rough and yucky, just okay-nice (but looks good!). I noticed that when I fingercomb from the scalp my fingers need to release and work a little harder to get the hairs to spread apart from each other, when usually (at least on the scalp to shoulder area) it just jumps apart from my fingers. Not tangly per-se, just a little more clingy. I think the treatment was mostly protein (guessing a bit...) and the quick addition of moisture then rinsing wasn't quite enough for my hair, as I usually have to do moisture under a cap after protein for my hair to be super-nice. The treatment is supposed to 'set' for three days (before you wash again), so I will do a SMT tomorrow and see if it's extra nice after that or not.

Still getting used to the new, blunter ends. I do notice a difference in length now that my hair has started waving up more. I'm a bit sad at the loss of length I'm noticing (went from a very solid TB to just shy of TB), but the hemline improvement is more than worth it.

[Peggy E.]

What does GM mean?

Thank you for asking this, Magsi. I had visions of them putting automobiles on her head, or something (GM = General Motors!).....

[Tabitha]

Thank you for asking this, Magsi. I had visions of them putting automobiles on her head, or something (GM = General Motors!).....

Or genetically modifying it! :eek:

[walkinglady]

Beautiful!

[teela1978]

Birdiefu, your hair looks awesome and it doesn't look shorter in the after pic. And I am so envious that you live now where you can already wear shorts:D

trollkjerring

The wearing of shorts was my main envy too :) Birdiefu, your hair looks great! So smooth and shiny after the treatment.

[Leisa]

It looks beautiful!