Advice for "Salon-Phobics". How to trust your stylist

Its actually fairly common, you know, to be scared of us Hairdressers. I can understand it, we are normally pretty confident things, and therefore may seem overbearing. Some are also guilty of being a little up their own arse, to the point that they completely ignore you and just do what they feel like to your hair, regardless of your wishes. And lets face it, when someone is brandishing a weapon in the form of scissors and telling you they know your hair better than you, you would be forgiven for sinking in to your chair and meekly saying "whatever you think".......
I think everyone on the planet has had a bad Hairdresser experience - mine was my mother. Without fail, the night before every school photograph I would look up from my beans on toast and there she would be - looming over me with a pair or "hairdressing" scissors she inherited from my grandmother (who used to be a hairdresser in the 50's so you can imagine what these scissors were like!!)
"Right. Lets cut your hair" Oh God, no. "Mum, I don't want it short, just take a bit off"  "Ill do what I thinks best madam!!"
Alas, there are no school photo's of me with beautiful long blonde locks, they are all of me sporting an iffy looking bowl cut that looks like the fringe had been chewed off by a hamster.


I think that this has made me more sympathetic as a hairdresser. Its possibly the cause of my wanting to be a hairdresser in the first place. I vowed I would learn about hair and redeem my dodgy cut status in my later years. And, above all, my kids would have really cool hair ;-)


So, here's some advice on how to ensure you get the best from your visit to the hairdressers, and leave with the hair you actually want.
1) Choose your salon and stylist carefully. Do your research. Is the salon reputable and does it come recommended? Is it cheap? You tend to pay for what you get, and cheaper salons will not have the funding to re invest in products and training. If you see someone who's hair you love, ask them where they got it cut, they'll be flattered and you'll have got a good tip off! When trying a new salon, most good ones will offer you a free consultation. Don't be afraid to ask for this. It's not committal for you and gives you the opportunity to get a feel for the salon and stylist.
2) Know what you like and what you don't like. I know this sounds odd, but I have had many a client who has sat in front of me and answered all of my questions with "I don't really know". Take in pictures of styles and colours you like, even if its just the fringe in one picture, or the colour of another. This really helps your stylist to understand YOUR perception of your hair, and will help you to get in tune with each other.
3) Do not expect to look exactly like the picture. We have scissors and tint brushes - not magic wands -and whilst we can give you the colour of Jennifer Anniston, we cant actually turn you in to her!
4) Speak up! Be honest and confident. Tell us what you hate about your hair, and also what you love about it. If we know this, we can enhance what you love and remedy what you don't.
5) Be honest! If you haven't had it cut in 6 months, or have used home colour, we need to know! You may well get a raised eyebrow, because you know that's naughty, but we really need to know in order to assess correctly what needs to be done to achieve your desired look. If you have been using home colour, please don't lie about it, it really affects how our salon colour turns out! Also, if you have been using dodgy cheap products, don't be ashamed to tell us, but do expect to be told about correct aftercare for your hair. We're not trying to give you the hard sell, just ensuring your hair looks salon perfect for as long as possible.
5) If you love the salon you go to, but would like to try another stylist within the salon, tell them! Personally, in my salon, we operate a "free roam policy" so clients can feel free to have any stylist they choose, without feeling disloyal or pressured to stay with the same stylist. We understand its nice to get a different view on your hair, and sometimes you may want one stylist to colour your hair, and another to cut it.
6) Remember, its YOUR hair. Not the stylists! I often joke with my clients that they relinquish ownership of their hair when they sit in my chair, but these are the clients who truly know and trust me. We have built up a strong relationship, to the point that they feel completely comfortable not actually having a clue what I am going to do to their hair, but are safe in the knowledge it will be awesome! After all, my clients are my adverts, and they know I would never let them leave looking less than perfect. On the flip side, they know I would never be offended if they didn't like it, and would have no problem in rectifying it if this were the case.

As Stylists, our job is to make your hair look great, and above all else to make you feel fantastic. A visit to the salon should be indulgent, relaxing and renewing. Don't be scared, no stylist wants you to be unhappy, and with these tips and a little effective communication you need never be unhappy again :-)