| How To Get Along With Your Stylist |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Date: 2/12/2000 |
Introduction Have you ever noticed that some people have a great relationship with their stylist. These people never seem to have a terrible visit to the stylist and always manage to emerge from the salon with a great styling experience. Is this luck of the stylist draw or is there some secret to getting along with your stylist. This topic fascinates me and I have been keeping notes for a couple of years on information that I have gathered from both stylist and people who seem to have a great relationship with their stylist. I have included a list of the 10 best ways that you can develop and maintain a great relationship with your stylist.
1. Honor your appointments & be prompt. You should always try to always keep your appointments with your stylist, except in emergency situations. You should always be prompt. Stylists are paid according to the number of hours in a day that they work. Your stylist is selling their expertise and years of training with hair. When you make an appointment for an hour of their time, and don't show up, the stylist loses that billable hour. That hour is wasted for the stylist who can not instantly find another client at the last minute to fill in for a "no show". If you are going to be delayed because of some personal problem or emergency always call, as a courtesy, and let the stylist know your timeline. The stylist then has the option to still fit you in, ask you to reschedule or adjust their work schedule. If you need to cancel, call as far in advance as possible.
2. Arrive prepared to go right into your appointment.
Believe it or not, some clients arrive on time for their appointment and then keep the stylist waiting while they use the restroom, make last minute calls on their cell phone, check their voice messages or detangle their hair. Arrange to listen to your voice mail and make phone calls in
plenty of time before or after your scheduled appointment. It is very important to respect your stylist's schedule. If one client holds up a stylist by being late or not ready for their appointment there will be a ripple effect on all the other appointments that day. Honor the valuable time of your stylist and all their other clients.
3. Book your appointments in advance as a courtesy to your stylist.
When a stylist and a salon have a great reputation, they will generally be very busy. Establish a policy of calling and booking your styling appointments as far in advance as possible. It is actually best to book your next appointment before you leave the salon. If you can't do that, call during the least busy salon times (early mornings, late evenings) to arrange an appointment. Be prepared, when you call, with your schedule, so you can make the appointment as quickly as possible. The front desk at a busy salon will often have lots of activity. When you call have a few dates and time in mind so that you can easily book your time slot around the availability of your stylist. Be willing to book your appointment time with the front desk person rather than your stylist. In busy salons a front desk person will be tasked with answering the phone and making appointments for all the stylists. Don't ask to speak to your busy stylist unless you have an emergency.
4. Try To Avoid Asking For Last Minute Or Emergency Appointments Stylists understand that "hair emergencies" will sometimes happen. You may have gotten an urge to color your hair a new shade over the weekend and wound up with a bright shade of
something horrible. You may also finally have a hot date with the person you have been trying to impress for months. Your stylist understands that once in awhile clients will need to call and try to get a last minute "emergency" appointment. Don't abuse this behavior. Believe it or not, many people will wait till the last minute on a regular basis to request hair appointments. This is not a "once in a blue Moon" but an ongoing event. Stylists try to work with their clients and help them with sudden hair problems. There is no excuse for last minute bookings for Proms, weddings or other events that are planned months in advance.
5. Don't Try To Tell Your Stylist How To Do Their Job It is always a great idea to be prepared when you visit your stylist. It is helpful to know the type of hairstyle that you want and to come equipped with photos or questions. While it is good to know the style that you want, it is bad to try and tell the stylist how to do their job. You wouldn't dream of telling a heart surgeon how to operate on a loved one, so don't treat your stylist any differently. Respect the fact that your stylist knows a lot more about hair than you do. Don't make your stylist crazy by trying to
interfere with their technical abilities. Remember that they have spent many years learning how to do what they do. Either trust your stylist, or find a someone that you can trust.
6. Help Your Stylist Help You. That sounds easy but
doesn't happen as often as it should. Hairstylist are paid consultants who are hired by you to help you find the best possible style for your hair type, lifestyle and other considerations. You need to help your hairstylist by sharing information about yourself and your hair. Do you hate to use a blow dryer or curling iron? Tell your stylist in advance so they can suggest and create a style that you can "wash and wear". If you want to keep your hair long or short in a particular style, be sure to tell them. Listen carefully if your stylist recommends a different style. Ask them why they are
recommending it. Be willing to let your stylist provide you with advice and help. If you ask for a specific style but are unwilling to use the products your stylist recommends or take the time to style your hair, don't blame your stylist if you don't like the results.
7. Learn To Maintain Your Hair
Every client has hair that is unique to them. Ask your stylist for recommendations for products that will work best for your hair type. If the products your stylist recommends are out of your price range, explain this fact and ask for alternative suggestions. Be willing to try the products that your stylist recommends. Usually there is a good reason that your stylist will encourage you to use a particular product or set of products. Professional hair care products (ARTec, Matrix, Aveda, etc.,) are not the same as grocery store products. There is
usually a good reason why your stylist will want you to use certain professional products. Often the reason is to work on a problem (dry hair, overprocessed hair, oily scalp). If you neglect your hair or use products that undo the good your stylist does, don't expect one visit to repair any damage.
8. Don't turn your hairstylist into a part-time
babysitter
Your hairstylist probably likes kids, (OK maybe not?) but they have decided on a career of hairdressing. Had they decided to become a day-care provider, they probably would be watching your children at their facility right now, however, they would not be cutting your kid's hair right now. Make sure you have an adult to watch your child in the salon or leave them at home. Let your hairdresser perform their chosen profession in peace and quiet.
9. Don't try to be the local "D.J."
Can you remember the reason that you chose the salon that you go to? Usually the salon you chose has a particular style about it, a certain kind of stylists, even a certain kind of music. Most salons pick their music to satisfy the majority of their clients. Not even all of the hairstylists like the same music. Please don't ask them to change the music and put your stylist in the uncomfortable situation of telling you that they are not willing to redesign their entire salon to satisfy your personal likes and dislikes.
10. If you need a "Shrink" find one!
Hairdressers need a great variety of skills to become
successful. One of these skills is the art of "Listening". They are willing to listen to you, and do their best to understand you, empathize with you, and be happy or sad with you about a number of situations. What they are not trained to do, is provide professional advice outside of their field of expertise-Hairdressing.
11. Be reasonable with your expectations
Hair is a biological product. Just like trees, fruit, vegetables, leather, etc. hair is a biological product. Ever bite into a really great apple, and then the next apple tastes like cardboard? Some hair is fine, some is coarse, some is curly, some is straight. Some hair is as strong as iron, and some is as weak as paper. If you don't start out with the same basic ingredients, you will not end up with the same product. Clients need to know that each client arrives at the salon with a particular type, condition, length, and texture of hair. This will be obvious in the end result. Be reasonable with your hairstylist and understand that they can only
achieve a certain level of perfection depending on what they have to work with to start with.
12. Hairstylists are not magicians
We would all like to be skinny, we would all like to be beautiful, we would all like to be young. Usually in our minds, we are! This is just part of having a healthy self-image. Putting all of this on your hairdresser is not just unfair, it is crazy! You hairstylist, no matter how good they are, cannot cut your hair so well that it will overshadow your "bad childhood". Your hairstylist can not perm your hair so that you look 50 pounds lighter, and they cannot color your hair so that you look 20 years younger. It's hair. They will use their skills and training to present you to the world, the best you can possibly look! Remember people are a lot like leather. Any nicks, scratches, imperfections, and marks on the finish should be considered part of the "rugged beauty" of being a person, and not as defects. These conditions make up the individualness of each person, and lends to their overall beauty. This is how we can tell each other apart!
Conclusion Whether your face is oval, square, round, or a variation within one of these three major types, keep in mind that long hair elongates your face and drags the eye down, while height on top draws the eye upward. Put the emphasis on where you want the eye to go and you can't lose. |