Hairdressers, Trust and Advice

Hairdresser cutting the long hair of a client
Photo: Depositphotos
Q: Is it true that you should not believe everything a hairdresser tells you? How can I know whether or not a hairdresser gives me correct advice?
 
A: Yes, this is very true. There are many components to the reason of this, though.Firstly, you have to remember that hairdressers usually have a creative nature. This means that they focus a lot on their internal “voices”, their own opinion and creative vision.
 
To put this into perspective; you’ll walk into a salon and request your hair to be cut in a certain style. The stylist will listen to what you want, but in her mind she’s consciously or un-consciously analyzing your face shape, your strong features and the features that she will perceive and potential faults.
 
A good stylist will then propose a slightly adjusted version of the style that you want. This version will play up your good features and complement your facial shape, while getting the most out of your hair type and the way that your hair is colored. But the choice is still yours. If you decide that you want to stick with the exact version that you originally had in mind, then the hairdresser has to respect that.
 
Here’s the catch; there are scores of good stylists out there, but very little who will then accept your choice if it is in direct contrast to their own opinion. Good hairdressers are artists in their own way, and they usually find it hard to work when bound by creative boundaries. This is just a showy way to say that they won’t necessarily respect your choice.
 
A mature and business driven hairstylist will respect your decision though, and if you do your homework you’re most likely to find such a stylist in your area. You also have to remember that a lot of the fresh and hip stylists insist on focusing the fashion world’s light on themselves. These are the stylists that are most likely to be the “stars” in their salons, especially upscale salons situated in fastpaced, trendy areas that are notoriously fashion oriented. Think glossy chic salons in the high-streets of New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris.
 
The problem with this is that young stylists are still immature, inexperienced and irresponsible. They may be the “face” of a highly sought after, trendy salon, but they’re highly likely to still be too creatively wild to handle your choice, if it doesn’t fit into the picture they automatically build in their heads the moment they see you.
 
The easiest way to avoid falling into the trap of walking out of a salon with a cut, style or color that you didn’t ask for and absolutely hate is to search for and find a stylist that you can trust and that fits your personality.
 
You’ll find that people who rely heavily on their appearance, ranging from actors and models to CEOs of huge companies, often stick with the same stylist for as long as they have their hair done. This is simply because they know that their stylist realizes the importance of their client’s specific instructions, yet they have the experience and knowledge to make suggestions as well.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
How to find a good hair stylist
 
Hair salon etiquette for the client
 
Hair salon etiquette for stylists
Shop