No I didn’t misspell the title of this blog post. I will tell you what it means a little later. Meanwhile, here is a little secret about me and going to the hairdresser.

I feel utterly and positively vulnerable, whenever I get my hair done.

It could be at the Rome Film Festival, as I took advantage of some special services dedicated to VIPs and got my hair and makeup done, or at my local place, getting a haircut from the lovely Edoardo — and yes, that’s how you spell his name.

I’ll admit, sitting in that chair, with a large unforgiving mirror in front of me, meditating on the many imperfections of my face is not an easy place to be. I know some women love their trips to the hair salon or a spa. I think my mind is too filled with things I need to do, places where I need to be to ever fully relax. And chit chat makes me nervous. In Italian in particular, I often struggle to find the right words to talk about the weather, the latest celebrities and what has been going on in my work.

So, I dread my monthly trips for trims, usually. I went to a high class hair place in NYC in the Meatpacking district and loved the way my hair turned out. But I had so much inner stress as I walked home, I stopped for a chamomile tea at Starbucks. It’s how I am… I know it’s wild.

But then I found Edoardo, whose hair place is a mecca of beauty and style in Fiumicino — just a cab drive away from Rome airport. There, I feel at ease. His touch is phenomenal, I always end up looking like a star when I walk out and he never talks about how thin my hair is. Yes, that’s usually how every single hairdresser I’ve ever been to usually replied when I showed a photo of what I wanted. Edoardo, never. If I show him a photo, he will say things like “you’ll need to grow your bangs a little first” or “yes, it’s similar to what we did last time,” but has never used the word “thin” and “hair” in the same sentence. He doesn’t know how much I appreciate that!

Lately, we’ve been chatting a lot about his line of products, Maad and the one thing I noticed is how shiny and scented my hair is after a haircut with him. So I bought the Tea Tree Shampoo, his lightest, and he gave me a sample of Mr. Lover, a smoothing cream to use in the place of a heavy conditioner. I stopped using conditioner, or balsam as they call it in Italy, a long time ago. It makes my hair staticky and weighs it down further.

I also love that Maad products have humorous titles, and tongue-in-cheek campaigns to follow that up.

Edoardo’s take on the whole organic trend is that, in haircare, it’s pretty much baloney. You can’t create organic products en masse and to say “naturally sourced products” is a lot more truthful. His products are inexpensive, 16 euros for a big bottle of shampoo, and kind. I’ve noticed that if I skip using his shampoo and lather up with the one I’m trying to finish before the new year, my hair doesn’t smell as lovely the next day. And the cream is perfect, a little goes a long way and should only be used on the lower half of the hair.

He also has a line of hair color that is shiny and fabulous. The last time I went, a woman was getting her shoulder length hair tinted in a dark black/purple that looked divine once dry! Some of the hues are tempting me to be adventurous with my own hair color next time.

So, while I used to hate going to the hairdresser, almost as much as most people hate going to the dentist, I’ve found a place near the airport, in Italy of all places, that feels like a treat.

And I finally understand why women love getting their hair done.

Bottone in Via del Canale 32/B-C in Fiumicino is family run, cool, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Rome and my own piece of hair and beauty heaven. Check them out here.

For Maad products check out their website here.

And a little Dinah Washington for weekend inspiration.