Beauty

[feline groovy]

BuzzFeed.com  7/11/15

17 Things Your Hairstylist Wants You To Know

“Be honest with us and yourself.”

  1. Have a handle on your ~change threshold~ before asking for a huge service.

If you know deep down that you’re going to hate taking off length, you may want to rethink that long bob.

    2. And you don’t need to have a massive makeover to feel like you’ve made a change.

Lorean Cairns, co-owner and creative director of Fox & Jane Salon, NY suggests changing your part (seriously!), blowing out your hair if it’s naturally curly, or getting a gloss or slight change in color for a healthy dose of shine.

    3. Have realistic expectations about your hair ~inspiration~ photos.

“WE LOVE PHOTOS. In hair, a picture really is worth a thousand words, if the client meets their end of the bargain,” says Cairns. Talk to your stylist about how much styling and maintenance the look requires, and have an honest conversation about how much upkeep you’re willing to do on your hair.

    4. Same goes for hair color.

When a stylist says that the color you want is unrealistic, believe them. If you want to go from jet black to platinum blonde hair, you’re going to need to plan for much more than two hours. Unless you want your hair to melt off, that is.

    5. And even though box dye has its perks, going for professional color after dyeing your hair at home can lead to some big issues.

“If you use box dye, you must come in knowing that no result can be guaranteed during your visit. Box or home hair color is formulated to work on any hair type, not customized, as a professional would do it. Basically, it is STRONG stuff,” says Cairns.

    6. So let your stylist know that you’ve used box dye BEFORE they start coloring your hair.

That way, they’ll know exactly how to approach the service.

    7. Figure out your budget before you book your appointment.

Talk to the receptionist about prices to decide on a service. If you go to the salon for a single process of color (i.e. dyeing your hair with one dye all over the entire head) it’s going to be less expensive than a full head of highlights (i.e. lightening hair section by section with foils).

    8. And once the salon gives you a quote, respect their price.

If you see that the price of the service you want is too steep, either modify the type of service to something less expensive, or find another salon that better fits your budget.

    9. Getting to your appointment late screws up a stylist’s schedule for the rest of the day. 

“Stay on time to get the full experience. We won’t let your tardiness ruin our next guest’s experience. This should be fun, not stressful!” says Cairns.

    10. Make enough time for your appointment to make sure you get what you want.

If you’ve booked a big service but only have an hour, chances are your stylist won’t actually be able to do everything you’ve asked for.

    11. Trust your stylist.

“If you’ve done your homework, there should be no reason to question your stylist’s abilities. Checking your stylist’s credentials should happen before they have scissors in your hair,” says Cairns.

For information about your stylist’s work, check out the salon’s review page on Yelpbefore you book the appointment.

    12. And let them do what they’re trained to do.

No two stylists are the same. You may not be used to the technique, but try to relax and trust the process.

    13. There’s a reason they suggest cutting more than “just the dead parts.” 

Cutting off a few inches may truly be what’s healthiest for your hair even if you only want a trim, but it’s best to have that conversation at the beginning of your appointment so that you and your stylist are on the same page.

    14. Damaged hair is unhealthy hair, which means you’re better off without it.

Remember that dry, damaged, or fragile hair doesn’t have that healthy bounce and has a hard time holding texture or color.

    15. When stylists ask you to keep your head a certain way, it’s for good reason.

“We need our guests to sit still. The practice of hair cutting has a lot to do with geometry!” says Cairns.

    16. And touching your hair during the appointment does more harm than good.

Stylists often part hair or place it a certain way for the sake of the cut, so leave it be until they give you the green light to start running your fingers through it.

    17. Help your stylist help you, amirite?