"Look like you've just stepped out of the salon."

People always say that like it's a good thing.

For me, it is not. In fact, my "just stepped out of the salon" look is about the worst look I have in my roster. With a few exceptions, I've never been able to show my face in public immediately after getting a haircut. It's frizzy, the bangs are dorky, the curls are all dry-looking -- you get the point. Not cute.

This morning, I went back to the stylist who cut my hair once before. I like the actual haircut; it's just that she doesn't quite know what to do with curly, thick hair as it dries. She -- and many others of her ilk -- tend to squeeze out a miniscule drop of gel into their palms and work it into my hair. I'm always amazed as I watch them do that. It's like trying to tame King Kong with a BB gun. Not even a fair fight.

So once again, I left a salon looking 20 times worse than I did when I walked in. I know people don't believe me; you all think I'm exaggerating the badness. So the next time I make a hair appointment -- approximately six to eight weeks from now -- I promise to take before-and-after shots as proof.

Prepare to be shocked.