I had my first perm 2 years ago at a local salon - missed the volume, not so much the lousy service and unflattering results. Moral of that short story: do thorough research! I stumbled upon Utopia salon on a google search for a perm specialist. I found great reviews for Billy and he definitely lived up to his reputation. He offered honest and professional advice/suggestions without shooting my ideas down. FYI: if your hair isn't already layered and you're interested in a perm, it is highly likely that your hair will have to be cut before permed...this = more $$$ on top of quite a bit to begin with. I must admit to being a little surprised by the transformation of my flat, dimensionless hair into massive voluminous curls. As Billy assured me, after 2 days, much relaxing had occurred and I'm now left with very flattering softer yet still noticeable waves. As much as I enjoyed Billy's genuine, mellow demeanor and humor on top of his meticulousness, I left him without a cent of gratuity. I had no idea gratuity could not be added onto the credit card or personal check payment until I saw a discreet sign towards the end of my visit. I walked out quite satisfied yet TOTALLY mortified. All in all, Billy is great and he deserves much more than an ashamed thank you...so bring your cash!
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