Hidden secrets of your hairdresser

This past week I had some very fun, interesting, and frustrating experiences at the salon, which inspired me to write about my hidden secrets in the salon. As a client, if you understand a hairdresser’s secrets or needs of you, you will leave the salon happier and with the results you wanted, also your hairdresser will forever love you and you will easily become their favorite client.

1. Bring pictures- A picture says a thousand words, having pictures of what you want makes a stylist’s job so much easier. Most clients don’t know the hairdresser language and sometimes do not know how to explain what they want. Bring pictures of exactly what you want or close to what you want. This will make your consultation with your stylist much smoother and easier. Hairdressers are visual artists, pictures can explain what you want without trying to explain what you want.
2. Be on time or 5 minutes early- Hairdressers are on a very tight schedule, so please be on time to your appointment or better yet be 5 minutes early. When I was in school I was taught, “If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re late, that’s unacceptable.” Being even 5 minutes late for your appointment can screw up your stylist entire day. Be respectful of their time, they will do the same. If you are running late to your appointment, call and let your stylist know.
3. Don’t ‘no call, no show’ your appointment- It’s sad that I have to explain this one. When we say; no call, no show, this implies to a client who didn’t show up to their appointment and didn’t call to cancel. Be respectful, if you can’t make your appointment that is totally fine! We get it, life happens, but please let your stylist know. They will be grateful that you let them know you are unable to make their appointment, I’m sure the stylist has someone on their waiting list who would love your appointment.
4. Speak up- Make sure you are 100% with your hair before you leave the salon, if you are not happy, speak up. I’ve had clients say they love their hair at the end of their appointment, then later in the day I get a text saying they want something changed about it. It is much easier for me to make any alterations while you’re still in the salon, it’s much more difficult to try and find another time slot once you’ve left the salon. Moral of this story, if you don’t like something that your stylist did, speak up then and there.
5. Trust your stylist- Listen to your hairdresser and take recommendations from them, they know what’s best. For example, I had a new client come to me wanting help with her hair. Her ends where split, it felt dry, and she wanted to grow it long. She had long, curly hair that went down to her mid back. I told her I’d cut the split ends off and give her hair a treatment, she agreed. Once we finished the treatment and got her ready for the haircut she said she only cuts her hair with a razor. I asked her why. She said that is how she always had her haircut. I explained to her that cutting her hair with a razor will only cause more split ends and hair breakage because, curly hair is to sensitive to be cut with a razor, she resisted but eventually let me cut it with scissors. Her hair looks better and began to grow out longer. It was hard for her to trust me because previous hairdressers did what she asked, since she was able to trust me she finally got the results she wanted. Moral of the story, trust your stylist.
6. Ask questions- Please ask all the questions you need to about your hair or the service you’re receiving, it’s much better to ask questions than to sit quietly and feel uncomfortable. Asking questions about your hair will make you more knowledge and going forward you will know what you are getting done to your hair and what your hair needs.

These are my simple secrets that help me tremendously in the salon. As a client what are your secrets? What secrets do you have that would make a salon experience more enjoyable? Leave your secrets in the comments below.
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Until next week, stay sexy.
DJH