To the untrained eye (or most eyes, really), my hair looks the same. And it’s true, I only got something slightly more than a trim. I wanted to keep the length and say goodbye to the dead ends.

But I’ve had quite a few bad haircuts in my life, so I rarely look forward to them. My hair is something of a security blanket for me, a part of myself that I love and know almost always looks good and catches people’s eye. It’s something I get the most compliments on, and people always ask me how my hair is so thick and long. No secret magic potion; I was born this way, sorry!

But on the advice of an Insta-Friend of mine and all-around style genius, Tracy aka @she_just_knows, I hit up Simone at Refuge Salon for a trim and blowout. They’ve been friends for decades, and Tracy’s hair always looks amazing, thanks in large part to Simone’s skills.

For the first time in what feels like forever, I’m happy with a haircut. When it comes time to switch up my color, I’ll be back in Simone’s chair again. It feels really good to have found a hair stylist in LA.

I’ll be doing a full LA Beauty Spots post soon, by the way!