Getting a hair cut or hair treatment is just too common to even have us paying attention to, but what most people don't know is how tough and exhausting the job is. Young people nowadays prefer to go to hair salon that are renovated, looks new and the nice atmosphere. But older salon like this, actually is a place that connects the aunties together and that's where the community relationship is shown.
Auntie Jen, a normal 'auntie' that can be seen around us, working silently hard to earn money with her own hands, being the unsung hero in the family, working everyday in a year with only one day of rest on the first day of Chinese New Year.
Elderly having their hair dyed to hide the evidence that shows the time that has passed on them.
Having a relaxing massage and taking a rest from the tiring and fast pace life.
Conversation in Hokkien(a dialect in Singapore), makes the whole space in the salon just feel amiable and makes me wonder, probably this is where happiness is, in their life, as simple as that.
Auntie Jen shared with me that, in order to make a customer relaxes fully and close their eyes with trust, it takes some 'kungfu', which takes some time to practise with the hands.
Doing the bill things in an cozy afternoon with no walk-in or reservation for the moment.
Wiping the mirror not just for the cleanliness, but to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in this pandemic situation also.
An old photo of Auntie Jen owning her first salon when she was young. She shared that she started hair cutting at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia first, afterwards, then she moved to Singapore and rent the salon she is working at now to continue to do what she likes.
A question thrown to Auntie Jen by me when I was chatting with her. I asked:"Why did you not give up on this job, and be able to rest only one day in the year for the past 20 years?"
"Passion, the satisfaction after seeing the masterpiece(customers) I have done, and of course the relationship with my customer.What wakes me up from bed for the past 20 years was not the alarm, but the responsibility to my family and my life."
Jen Hair Studio
75D Redhill road #01-108,
Singapore, 154075
