SOME THINGS YOUR STYLIST SHOULD TELL YOU

We all want great hair and the foundation for all great hair styles begins with the cut.

You may sit with your stylist armed with photo’s from magazines, pictures from your mobile and great descriptives of what you want your hairstyle to look like, but are your expectations for that new hair style in keeping with what your hair can actually do? Does that celeb style that you are mad about match up to the amount of time and effort that you are willing to spend on your hair? Here are some points to consider and points that your stylist won’t always but really should discuss with you before the chop.

Great Hair Takes Work, Sorry
On some level if you want your hair to look good its going to take some work. Unless of course you have perfect hair, with great body, beautiful thickness, bouncy curls, ie. no imperfections then I’m sorry but you will need to do some degree of work to achieve that magazine look. Ps. the above mentioned “perfect hair” doesn’t really exist.

Warts and All
Celebrities have the same issues as you when it comes to their hair, fine, frizzy, oily etc. Where they differ is that they are normally surrounded by teams of hairstylists, they use extensions, hair pieces, wigs, top of the range hair products and processes that cost a fortune. Unless you have lottery style money and willing to spend it you cant realistically expect celeb. perfect hair everyday. Ps. Alternatively marry a hairdresser.

You Want Wash and Go Hair? Ha Ha!
Truthfully, there are not too many people in the world with the luxury of wash and go hair unless of course you want to perm it curly? Many people may look like they do (like your work colleague whose hair stays perfect all day), but Newsflash! They have to work on it. They will invariably have regular hair cuts, have discovered the correct shampoo, will be using product and will have tried different styling techniques till they hit the jackpot. Ps. we all secretly hate the “oh I just wash my hair and go” and it stays perfect all day long girl. That’s allowed.

Products? What Products?
If you don’t want to use product in your hair here’s my tip “lower your expectations”. Have you ever noticed your stylist not using product in your hair during your haircut/blowdry? If you are still using yellow pack or thrift products ie. not professional, its time to actually find out why professional products are so superior and will actually aid in achieving the salon look. Ps. Professional products are brilliant and will give you a whole new appreciation for your hair. Check out my products page, I work exclusively with the brilliant Alfaparf Milano styling and homecare products.

And Following On From That
Just because you are using product, it doesn’t mean you are using them right. If you are one of these ladies that has been using the same product you used 10 years ago (you don’t have to admit it out loud) its time for a change. When you and your stylist next meet ask their advice, ask them to show you how to use the product and how much to use. Ps. Your stylist should be doing this without being asked.

Embrace Change
If you have a new style but invariably end up blow drying it the way you always have, newsflash! you will in all probability not be happy with the end result. It will probably end up looking like it always did or worse. A haircut is is just the foundation for that great look. Styling is key. Ask your stylist for advice and a practical demonstration on properly styling that new look. Ps. Your stylist should offer this advice without being asked.

If At First You Don’t Succeed
Practice makes perfect. Try new things with your hair and retry them when you don’t get them right the first time. Trust me, even hairstylists have a hard time blow drying their own hair and it takes some skill to learn to curl/straighten your hair with hot irons. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Ps. Neither is great hair.

Only Dream When You’re Sleeping
Have real expectations with your hair. If you are only willing to spend 5 minutes styling your hair when it really needs 20 minutes, then expect it to look that way. Ask your stylist to help in choosing a look that matches the level of effort that you are prepared to give and that also matches up with your hair’s texture. Ps. Your stylist should offer this advice at the consultation stage anyway.

The Long and the Short of it!
The more hair you have, the more time it will take to style it. Which can be a real drag if you are one of those people who are “blessed” with gloriously thick hair. Its just a truth you have to accept. Ps. You are the stylist dream blow dry last thing Saturday evening.

Acceptance
A stylists chair is not a time machine. Hair changes over time as we age, just like our skin and our rear ends. It sucks, but we can only realistically work with the present condition of your hair. As much as you would love your hair to look the way it did 15 or 20 years ago, you will be much happier if you work with what you have, at the present moment, instead of focusing on what you once had. Ps. At least you wont have to resort to the comb over look.

Your Stylist is not Happy Unless you are Happy
Your stylist genuinely wants you to look and feel good. You represent their talent, experience, skill and their good name. We honestly stress about your hair and we want you to feel good about it. We want you to love it, to tell your friends about it and to come back in 6 weeks with enthusiasm about it. If you don’t love it, tell your stylist about it. And if you do love it please feel free to tell your stylist this too. Ps. We love referrals.

Feeling the urge to get your hair cut now ? Go on, click on my appointment diary to get that appointment or alternatively contact me to arrange a suitable appointment for my complimentary consultation and free skin test.