By Tine Roycroft

When you’re sitting in a salon chair with a towel wrapped around your head, do you ever wonder what the stylist might be saying when she runs to the back room for supplies? Is she chatting about her passion for cutting hair … or is she talking smack about you? In Eric Aubin’s hilarious upcoming book, The Dispensary, the glory and guts of the cutthroat salon business are spilled out on the pages for all to see. The truth might horrify you, but it’s certainly going to make you laugh out loud.

The Dispensary is a brash, bold autobiography/comedic commentary, with first-time author Aubin drawing on his experiences after many years in the field. He’s seen it all ~ clients losing their hair after a foil job gone wrong, a receptionist screwing up every single December appointment (the busiest time of the year), and one stylist throwing punches at another stylist who was sleeping with her husband. Aubin has a great tone and a natural writing cadence perfect for comedic writing. At some points, you wonder if this guy had a career in stand-up.

A favorite take-away is how a client bought an expensive bottle of Moroccan oil, then went home and put it into another container. She then put some cheap stuff into the Moroccan oil bottle and tried to return it at the salon for a full refund. How low can you go?

Apart from the humor, there are some great points in the book for aspiring stylists that, when taken to heart, could really make a difference in a person’s career. He touches upon the importance of networking, professionalism and humility and does not claim to be a guru born with intrinsic talent and business sense; he learned some of his lessons the hard way.

He speaks of a client who he thought was a first-timer. He spent a good 10 minutes criticizing the haircut that her last stylist had given her ~ there were holes, it was uneven, etc. Turns out Aubin had been this client’s last stylist. Thus, he learned to keep his mouth shut about other people’s work.

The book, just like the business, is not for the weak of heart. There’s a fair share of colorful language, and as you’re reading about crazy parents who demand a perfect cut for Junior or look to get as many discounts and freebies as possible, you can’t help but wonder if you might be that client he’s poking fun at. But if you weed through the complaints and criticisms (which are dastardly funny), you see a guy who truly loves what he does and who wants to help other salons and stylists be the best they can be for current and future clients.

Aubin has no intention of stopping at just one book. Despite working full-time and having a family, he commits to writing at least 1,000 words a day and already has another project in the works.

Order your copy of The Dispensary today through Amazon.com or BarnesandNobles.com. And if you still need more hilarity, check out thedispensary.biz.