A lady has a handful of important relationships in her life that truly mold who she is. Her mother and father, of course. Her husband, close friends and last, but certainly not least—her hair stylist.
Part beautician, part therapist, the hair stylist helps cultivate our look and celebrate life changes. Whether it’s reinventing ourselves after a breakup, fixing our hair on our wedding day or getting the mom chop after our first baby, a good hairstylist is there during the biggest moments in our lives.
But while we may feel at home in their chair, it is important to remember stylists are professionals. To help avoid a hairy situation in the salon, let’s talk salon etiquette!
Know what you want.
Try not to show up to your appointment empty handed. If you know you want a certain look, bring a photo for inspiration. This will help avoid any unfortunate miscommunication and save time. You’ll also want to keep your goals in mind when booking your appointment. Don’t schedule a haircut and then show up and expect to get a cut AND color. A mishap like that could put your stylist in a serious time crunch.
Arrive on time.
Speaking of time crunches, be considerate of your stylist’s schedule and arrive on time. Late arrivals may result in your appointment being rushed or delay your stylist from getting to other clients—neither of which is ideal.
Show up with presentable hair.
It may be tempting to skip your usual wash ahead of an appointment to capitalize on that professional shampoo, but resist the urge. First, it’s not polite to expect someone to touch dirty hair. Second, it’s easier for your stylist to see how you like your hair styled if it’s clean and fixed.
I am personally a big fan of voluminous hair (thank you, pageant days). I tend to like to show up to an appointment with my hair curled so my stylist can see the vibe I’m going for.
When it comes to fixing my own hair, I have three products that I love for my “big hair, don’t care” look—all linked below!
Stay off your phone.
Just as you wouldn’t text in the middle of a conversation with your doctor or mechanic, extend the same courtesy to your beautician and silence your phone.
Exceptions: silent appointments. Some salons have the option of booking a “silent appointment” where the client has indicated they would prefer not to chat. In this case, feel free to use your time as you see fit as long as you are able to respond to questions when needed.
Be mindful of children.
Many people view their hair appointments as a time to relax and recharge. If you have a child who is too young to sit quietly or may get under foot, avoid bringing them to the salon out of consideration for other guests and the stylists who are working.
Communicate if you’re not happy.
Bad haircuts happen. If you are unhappy with a haircut or color, it is perfectly polite to voice your concerns to your hairstylist—preferably before you leave your appointment. However, sometimes mistakes are caught later. In this case, call your hairstylist as soon as possible and calmly communicate the issue. Any stylist worth their salt will get you fixed up.
Tip your stylist.
And as always, be generous. If your hairstylist does a good job, tip 15-20% of your bill to indicate your appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
