Finding a good hairstylist or barber is a tale as old as time. But the truth is that half the battle of nailing down the perfect haircut has to do with you! A while ago, Redditor @Pan_Beesly asked, “What are some helpful and unhelpful things that clients do when they come in for a haircut?” The responses remain as timely as ever. Here are 15 DOs and DON’Ts that really stood out:
1.
“I have plenty of clients who like to bring a book or their laptop or even just chill quietly while I’m doing their hair. I appreciate those folks just as much (if not more so sometimes) than the talkers. I would say most of us try to make conversation at all costs because it’s what’s expected of us. I have known stylists who have been told they were ‘rude’ and were left bad reviews just for being considered quiet or reserved by people, even if the haircut was good, which is dumb. I definitely have no qualms about just being quiet and doing my thing. In many cases, I would prefer it.”
2.
“Do NOT come to the stylist in a raging fit because your boyfriend hurt your feelings, so now you’re going to cut your long hair into a pixie to show that you have control over your life. No matter how awesome it looks, you WILL hate it, you WILL cry, and you will HATE us for allowing you to do it. This is why stylists will always try to talk you down off that ledge, and many will offer a slower transition (‘Let’s try a shoulder-length bob!’) or refuse you completely. It’s not that we hate you. We want you to love us and come back. But if you hate your hair, you’ll hate us by extension.”
3.
“Know what clipper guard number you get on the sides: #2, #4, etc. It’s a lot easier for you to remember your number than it is for us to remember everyone’s. Please don’t say ‘like last time’ unless you know us well and come in very often.”
4.
“DON’T WEAR A HOODIE or a turtleneck. If you can take it off, fine. But they both get in the way a lot if I’m trying to cut and color your hair.”
5.
“I love it when people say, ‘Do whatever you want.’ It’s my job then to ask questions and see what style and color would work for your lifestyle. I give people what I think they will maintain, as well as something flattering.”
6.
“Lifting your head in the shampoo bowl! Don’t do that. That’s how we end up soaking the back of your shirt!”
7.
“Don’t expect a miracle color change without investing a lot of time and money.”
8.
“Don’t blast off at the stylist who tried to ‘upsell’ products. They hate it just as much as you do. Just be polite and say ‘No’ if you don’t want it. They aren’t trying to spike your bill. They have to follow selling guidelines, otherwise they’ll get marks on their reports for not selling enough.”
9.
“If we are done with a cut, please don’t ‘help’ with removing the hair. You’re not removing it. You are actually making it worse by patting it into your clothes, sticking it into your skin, and letting it fall into your shoes. We know how itchy it can get when you do that.”
10.
“Don’t switch how you’re sitting halfway through the cut! Even crossing or uncrossing your legs can make a difference in how the cut turns out!”
11.
“Don’t ask to have an inch off all over and then say, ‘We can go from there if I want more.’ That’s asking me to do two haircuts, come on.”
12.
“Have realistic expectations. Just because Sally was able to go from black to blonde in one appointment doesn’t mean you can. Your hair isn’t Sally’s.”
13.
“You’d be shocked at how just washing your hair can make a huge difference between a good haircut and a great one.”
15.
Finally, “Please tip the shampoo girls and assistants! A lot of them are usually licensed cosmetologists, who are in the assisting program post-school, because everyone has to start at the bottom. So they are busting their asses all day everyday for minimum wage when they actually could be doing your hair, but salons make people start at the bottom as shampoo girls.”
Are you a hairstylist or barber? If so, tell us what the DOs and DON’Ts are that clients need to know when getting a haircut in the comments or anonymous form below!
Related
Discover more from InstiWitty Media Studios
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
