High Rent Hair On A Beauty Budget

Introduction

When it comes to locating a great hairstylist you can take the easy route and hop a plane to New York, Los Angeles or Miami where the cream of the crop maintain high rent hair salons.

Or you can let your fingers do the walking and select the highest rated professional in town. Unfortunately hair professionals with the very best ratings are often the most expensive.

If you have money to burn, locating the very best hairdresser will be no problem, but if you're on a tight hair budget, you may choke at some of the prices posted for the high rent salons.

Does that mean you should give up and throw your fate to the winds at the local cheap chop shop? Not at all, there are many options to find a great hair guru when you're on a beauty budget.

Time and again it's been proven that the most expensive hairdressers aren't necessary the best. Even some of the top celebrity names have suffered through bad hair days at the hands of the most expensive stylists on the planet.

What should you do? Start with a clear and concise plan. Are you searching for a great hair cutter, a fabulous colorist or an updo guru? Maybe you want all of the above.

Before you take any action make a list of all the things you are looking for in a stylist.

Create A Hair Wish List

Once you're clear about your own personal hair goals, assemble your own personal hair journal and hairstyle lookbook with desired haircuts, styles and hues.

In your hair journal include the following items of information:

1. Your hair type, texture, length and current condition. 2. Ongoing hair related problems. 3. Amount of time available to devote to your strands? 4. Dream hair color, cut and styles.

For your look book include a range of haircuts and hairstyles you might like. Be sure to include large image or photos so the stylist can get a good look at the cut. When possible show the same hairstyle from the front, back and the sides.

Ask Detailed Questions

Make a concise list of questions you want answered before you agree to let any hair professional cut, color or style your hair. These questions might include:

1. What do you recommend for my hair type, texture and length? 2. Can I keep my hair at it's current length and get a new look? 3. What is the best way to transition my hair from short to long? 4. How do you suggest I handle my long term hair problem? 5. What will work best for my skin tone, eye color, facial shape? 6. Can I learn to maintain and style my hair at home? 7. How often will I need to return for trims, color touch-ups or other maintenance? 8. What time commitments will I need to make to caring for my hair at home?

Once you've asked the stylist your questions stop talking and listen. If the stylist asks you more questions then you are on the right track to developing good communication. If they try to talk over you or disagree with your vision or hair goals decline to work with them.

Surf The Social Networks

In the age of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn you should have no problem starting a dialogue with a wide range of people who can make great suggestions on great stylists who specialize in cut, color, styling or even certain types of textures such as naturally wavy, curly or ethnic hair.

If you see someone's profile photo on your social network channel with the type of cut, style or color you want then message them and ask who did their hair.

Check out the people you see on a daily basis at your Starbucks, grocery store or favorite restaurant.

If you spot a haircut, style or color you love, politely as the person who their hair person is. They may be flattered and voluntarily offer you the name and number of their stylist.

When your hair goals are tied to getting a new job consider networking with people in your desired profession. Check out how the majority wear their tresses. If you feel comfortable ask for hairstylist recommendations from the people you network with.

Some beauty magazines like Allure regularly provide a list of the major cities throughout the United States and best hair and beauty professionals.

Top-notch, high priced salons are often featured on TV and in the media. Even NBC's Today has a celebrity hairstylist on board to share the latest hair trends and tips.

Can you assume that if a hair professional is included in the list they are the best of the best? Not necessarily. Often hairstylists who regularly appear in fashion, beauty or hair magazines hire high priced PR professionals who work hard to get them in all the right magazines.

A stylist with great press has great cutting, styling or coloring talents. Sad, but true. Even hairstylists listed in the credits of a major fashion or beauty shoot may only be good at fluffing and puffing and not at hard core cutting, coloring or styling.

The Stylists To The Stars Have The Biggest Price Tags

Who hasn't heard of Jennifer Aniston's long time hairstylist Chris McMillan or Kate Plus Eight's celeb stylist Ted Gibson?

If A List celebrities and stars go to a particular stylist or salon it's a pretty safe bet the cuts, color and stylist are the very best. Celebs are under constant scrutiny for their tresses. Of course the price will also be at the very top of the scale.

Keep in mind that the high price tag for some of the top celebrity stylist include the fact they have a whole team of people supporting them.

It's a well-known fact that if you are lucky enough to book an appointment with celebrity hairstyle Sally Hershberger she will only cut your hair. One of her assistants will wash it, blow dry it and style it. Which means Sally might touch your hair for less than 10 minutes but you're bill will be in the very high hundreds.

Location, Location, Location

Another key for looking for a high rent hairstylist is their address. A stylist working at a salon in a traditionally pricey zip code will usually be a lot more expensive then hair pros in lower priced locations.

Salon owners or managers are also usually more expensive than salon team members. On the flip side to that equation, salon owners don't need to be tipped since they own the business which may equalize your bill if you use a team member but tip 15-20%.

Inquire whether the salon offers a training program. This lets you more easily decide how good a salon team member might be. Many salons have training programs which can last for a year or longer.

Search For A Highly Skilled Long Time Apprentice

If a salon has a formal training program and their stylists have been onboard for at least two years you can be pretty sure they are well-trained, highly skilled and talented. Higher end salons are famous for their rigorous apprenticeship programs.

Many of the top celebrity hairstylists in the business today started as an apprentice to a big name in the hair business.

Although some apprentice programs require their stylists to start by sweeping hair off the floor, the stylists who survive often rise to the top. The key is to catch them before their price tags are out of your budget range.

High End Affiliate Salons

Some salons are affiliated with professional hair memberships or specific hair care manufacturers requiring a certain amount of education to be an affiliate member.

Search for a salon that advertises a professional affiliation where specific educational requirements exist.

Some hair care manufacturers only require their affiliate salons focus on product knowledge and sale training but not on specific hair related skill sets. Hair establishments which meet strict training guidelines are listed as official affiliates which is different from salons which only carry the product and do not meet educational requirements.

To locate these salons, search the web. Another option is to call manufacturers whose products you like and ask for an official salon in your area that participates in hair cutting and coloring education.

You can also ask any stylist you are considering about any continuing education they are undertaking. This can speak volumes about their skill sets.

Brand new stylists aren't always a bad bet. If they've had a great training program, they'll be able to give you what you want at almost half the price of well-established stylists. And while they're training, they need clients on whom to practice. This brings us to another great way to find affordable hair wizards.

Call salons in your area (especially if you've heard they have a good reputation) and ask if they have a training night.

Many salons offer super-reduced rates during training night and the work is always supervised by a highly regarded trainer. How do you find the salons which offer training nights in your city or town? Some promote their training nights on their websites while others will advertise on Craig's List or in similar venues.

If you have a salon you really like ask if they offer training nights, new stylist rates or special discount times. Cosmetology schools provide advanced education for their students. Call and ask if they offer special training events which require hair models.

The only drawback to some training nights is that you may have to agree to having your hair cut or coloring in a manner that you don't desire. If you don't care what is done to your hair you can definitely benefit from a training night.

Salon chains almost always have official training programs, aim to please because the reputation of the entire chain is at stake and are usually reasonably priced.

The low-rent, $10 a cut chains do have training, but usually it's in a fixed repertoire of styles. If your hair's hard to deal with or you want something other than the standard 5 cuts, forget it.

There are other great ways to get the cut you desire at price your budget will allow.

Some stylists and salons will offer add-on perks which give you a bigger bang for your hair services bucks.

These add-on perks include free bang trims in-between regular haircuts, discounts for booking multiple appointments in advance, reduced charges for families or patrons with kids and special salon product specials.

Even if you opt for a more expensive stylist or salon but they offer you free perks and heavily reduced add-on services you will actually come out ahead of the lower cut-rate salons with no frills.

Some salons offer money back guarantees on their work, so you can bet they aim to please. Usually, this is printed on literature found in the salon; it isn't widely advertised. Some hairstylists will go so far as to guarantee their chemical services such as thermal re-conditioners, Keratin treatments, perms and hair hues if you follow their at-home advice.

Follow The Boys For A Great Hair Cut

A trend for women to visit barber shops for a great haircut has been gaining in popularity during the challenging economic times. Traditionally trained barbers are the best are creating a precision haircut on any type of hair.

Contrary to popular opinion you don't have to be a guy to visit a barbershop for a haircut. If you're concerned you can always call in advance to make sure.

Besides flat tops, barbers can create those amazing hawk and faux hawk cuts which requires combining a clipper cut with scissors.

Traditionally women don't even consider a barber shop as a hair cut option because they want their hair blow out or styled with an iron. However, if you want a high rent haircut on a budget ask any guy you know goes to a barber for a recommendation. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Along the same lines as getting a barber cut is visiting a barber college for a cut by a student. Don't worry, the students are always supervised by a teacher or senior barber.

Summary

When it comes to locating a great hairstylist you can take the easy route and hop a plane to New York, Los Angeles or Miami where the cream of the crop maintain high rent hair salons.

Or you can let follow some of the inside tips listed in the above article to find a great high rent stylist who fits your beauty budget and provides you with the cut, color and style of your dreams.

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- Revised Publication Date: 03/03/11

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