First off, a hairdresser/client relationship is not a marriage! I meet so many people who know there look is outdated and feel blah, but they love their hairdresser so they stay with them. I say drop them!
A true "friend" can make a coffee date with you every 6 weeks to catch up. There is not a more important accessory in your wardrobe than your hair. And at the end of the day when everything comes off and you are in bed with your sweetie, you will still wear your hair.
Ask yourself if you should be in the market for a new hairdresser or if your hairdresser is doing their job?
1. When you see you hairdresser does he/she consult with you every visit? Does they make suggestions for your look? Do they consider the seasons and current trends? Do they factor in your texture and tones?
2. Does you hairdresser have an assistant apply your color? That is a big NO NO in my book. I can spot applications done by an assistant immediately, it resembles boxed color done at home. My salon is made up of hairdressers who specialize in either cut or color and I would not allow an assistant to apply color.
3. Another thing you want to watch for is a hairdresser who avoids using pictures to decide on a look that is right for you. This is a big red flag. A confident hairdresser believes they can achieve any look and pictures do not threaten them . Most sub-par hairdressers have 3 or 4 looks they can achieve on most clients. These type of hairdressers hate pictures. They are threatened by looks that are outside of their comfort zone when it comes to technical compitency, color application & color formulation. This is where most color corrections and re-do's originate from.
Tips to Finding a Great Hairdresser......
1. As a colorist, I think it is a smart choice to see a specialist. Find a hairdresser who focuses on cutting and styling and a colorist who only "paints heads". There are many reasons why seeing someone who specializes in their field is better, but I will start by giving you my top two. First, if you hate your cut and love your color you don't have to break up with your amazing colorists to try and find an equally amazing hair cutter. Second, the odds of getting someone who is at the top of there game (continued education and technical training) is much higher. See below...
"It is practice, however, that makes perfect, according to the sociologist whose books have become required reading within the Conservative party. The best way to achieve international stardom is to spend 10,000 hours honing your skills, says the new book by Malcolm Gladwell, author of the best-selling The Tipping Point. The greatest athletes, entrepreneurs, musicians and scientists emerge only after spending at least three hours a day for a decade mastering their chosen field."
Many people talk about the 10,000 hour rule and in this case it would take a hairdresser who is doing both (cut & color) twice as long to master their art.
2. When searching for a good hair stylist, don't just open the yellow pages and choose the prettiest ad or click on the first site you see online. Spend a day shopping at your local mall. Study the hair cuts of the men and women who work behind the counters in boutiques and make-up departments. When you see a hair cut you like, ask the person what salon she goes to and what her stylists name is. Most women will happily share this information with you because they love their stylist and the flattery isn't so bad either! Also, you can visit
yelp.com online, we get alot of new clients from that site. It is the perfect place to read about actual salon experiences before you make your choice.
3. Get a consultation. The best approach to any new relationship is communication! Spend at least 10-15 minutes talking with a stylist (who should always make time for a consultation) to see if you can work together successfully. Make sure you have good communication and you share the same philosophy when it comes to hair. Bring pictures to the consultation and ask your hairdresser for advice. An experienced hairdresser will talk about the texture of your hair versus the models hair in the picture. You should also hear what will work with your hair type and even what won't work with the look that you are trying to achieve. They might say "good job, this model has hair like yours, let's do this" and get you booked. Another sign that a hairdresser is experienced is a homework assignment. If you don't show up with pictures, they may ask you to find some that you like and bring them back in to ook at together. Best case scenario, the hairdresser will pull out their own book filled with pictures from their very own clients and/or pictures they have chosen from a magazine to create a book for clients.
4. In between visits ~ Now that you have found your new mate in the beauty industry and your hair looks amazing you are ready for your "at home regimen". Any great stylist will educate you during your visit on products they are using in your hair and why they chose those particular products. They will give you tips and techniques you can try at home to recreate the salon look! Products should be recommended to you (both shampoo/cond and styling) every visit and in between visits it is not a bad idea to pop in for a blow dry. At the end of the day the most important thing is to preserve your color, the integrity of your hair and the investment you have made on looking and feeling beautiful. So listen to your hairdresser when they suggest products and at home treatments, they are the ones who have mastered their art.
Thank you for reading my blog. Now its time to go find the hairdresser of your dreams or thank the one you have for keeping you looking great all the time!
www.jackwinnsalon.com
