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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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An American woman was walking through Paris when a stranger pointed out that her hair was dry—so she let him cut her locks on the sidewalk.
Lauren Renae (@lauren3032), 22, from Los Angeles, California, is a student in Paris and noticed her hair becoming drier as she adjusted to living in Europe. While she was vintage-shopping, a man approached her, told her she was pretty, but then remarked that her hair looked dry.
"I laughed and was taken aback at this somewhat-backhanded compliment, and at first, I walked away," Renae told Newsweek. "But the thing was, I had just been thinking about how dry my hair was that morning. It happens whenever I come to Europe, and it really bothers me. On my way out, he was by the door, so I asked him how he fixes dry hair; was it a product he wanted to sell me? Without hesitation, he goes, 'Oh no, I fix it with scissors. Come here!'"
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Before Renae had time to fully process what was happening, the man—whom she later learned is known as "the hair cowboy"—began cutting her long auburn locks.
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Using a twisting technique, scissors, and a comb, the man worked on her hair right there on the sidewalk. The video of the impromptu haircut quickly went viral, garnering over 725,000 likes and more than 7.9 million views on TikTok.
Renae said that she was initially nervous about letting a stranger near her hair, but described the urban stylist as having a trustworthy aura.
"As he was cutting, he said he could tell I was nervous but to relax," Renae said, "that he was quite known for this. He had me Google him as the 'hair cowboy'. People walking past were staring, and I couldn't stop laughing. It felt like one of those moments I see online."
After finishing the new haircut, the man rushed Renae back inside the store to show her the results. "I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was my hair still there, but all of my split ends were gone. It felt so much softer!" she said.
When Renae asked how much he usually charges, he told her he typically asks for €20 [$21.80] from students. However, since she did not have cash, he accepted some Mentos mints, a pack of cigarettes, and a thank-you.
"It was such a fever dream and hilarious story to tell. It might sound reckless, but I felt safe and got lucky, I suppose,' Renae added.
She later shared an update on TikTok, reassuring her followers she was not bald, and that the results were in fact impressive.
Hair can change significantly when traveling due to differences in water composition, climate, and humidity. According to Body+Soul, hard water contains higher levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which can strip natural oils and leave hair feeling dry and brittle. Changes in humidity and pollution levels can also affect the hair's texture and overall health.
The viral video sparked divided reactions on TikTok, with some users recognizing the street stylist and others expressing shock at her decision.
"It's Kanu! He's famous for this, and he always slay [happy]," one user commented.
"May this kind of street interaction never find me," another person posted.
"How do you accept an absolutely random stranger near you with actual scissors?" a viewer asked.
Meanwhile, one person shared a surprising connection: "I HAD THE SAME PERSON DO MY HAIR!"
Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
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