How to insure a perfect cut

What you should expect


For me, This is a no brainer. But then again I am a beauty professional, not just a hairdresser. With 18 years experience and working in many differnet types of salons over the years, I have gained an insight into what one should expect when you go to a salon.


1.First things first, you should be greeted with a smile and asked how you are doing. Not only by your hairdresser but by the other hairdressers as well. (at least the smile part)


2.The salon should be clean. You should look around in general and see cleanness. There should not be hair in every corner or dirty towels stacked everywhere. Nor an inch of dust on everything! And the big NO, NO in our industry is to use any dirty implement. That means no picking combs up off the floor when we drop them and just keep on trucking. I mean really......you have no idea what someone has on the bottom of their shoes when they walk on that floor! Do you really want that in your hair?? I see this almost on a daily basis and it drives me nuts to see other hairdressers do this. So if yours go to do this stop her! Tell her you really would rather her use a different one. We have a whole drawer full of combs and brushes to use. There is no reason for this outside of laziness.


3.Your hairdresser should be ready for you. Though we do run behind sometimes, this should not be an every visit occurance.


4.A postive atmosphere.


5.Your hairdressers full attention.


6.Professionalism! I know that this one is a hard one to get, but believe me they are out there.


Let me elaborate on theses.

Number 1 may seem minor, but it really is a big deal. When you enter any establishment of customer service it is always nice to be acknowledged. And face it. If it weren't for you they would not have a job, so the least they could do is bid you a hello and well wishes right?


Number 2 should be a given. But many really don't pay much attention. Well you should. Each state regulates all salons, especially in the area of cleanness. But many shops kind of slack off on this once the inspector leaves. They will allow towels to stack up, not sweep up their hair right away, and in general not really clean up after themselves. There are rules which we all must follow in this industry. You should not be put at risk because a hairdresser did not clean up. There are many contaminates out there that are transmitted through a beauty shop and all are prevented by simply cleaning up.


Number 3 is self explanatory.


Number 4 is also self explantory to a point. There should be postive enegry in the air at any shop. Do you really want to hear what horrific act their boyfriend did yesterday or how miserable they are? Going to a salon to get your hair done is suppposed to be a relaxing experience and how can one relax when you are thrown in the middle of your hairdressers nightmare every time you visit?


Number 5. You are paying for your hairdressers time. Not the other way around. Fromthe moment you sit in her chair you should have her full attention. She/he should not have her mind on other things. If this is happening then you are not going to get the best service.


Number 6. All the above lead to this. If you get 1-5 then you are getting a good bit of professionalism.


Once you achieve the first 6 steps you are on your way to the perfect cut.


What you can do to help

We are not mind readers nor do we have magic. There are so many types of hair which go on so many types of faces, which go with so many type of people... well you get the message.


Mis-communication is the number 1 reason people leave unhappy. There are many different terms that go with the same thing and there are confusing terms out there that really confuse us. Example: I had a girl come in last week. She had beautiful long hair and wanted it cut off. Well, I asked her how she wanted it and she told me she wanted a pixie bob. I just looked at her. A pixe is about an 1-2 inchs long all over, real short choppy layers. And a bob in mainly hugs the head at longer lengths. Some with angles, some without. Really varies. This client insisted that the one she was talking about was called a pixie bob! I had to explain that the difference is just too drastic. Now I am sure that there is a hairdresser out there that did a cut and gave it that name. As this happens all the time. My point is that you must make clear what you are trying to convey to your hairdresser. Remember that she has your life for the next few months in her hands. And just that simple mis- term can mean the difference between a good cut and a whack job.


Expecting a miracle. I know that everyone wants that perfect hair do. But let's get real. For us everyday people this is really just a dream for the most. You know what type of hair you have. You know if you have thin fine hair. If you bring in a picture that has thick heavy locks in it and expect to get it then you will not be happy. If your hair is naturally curly and you bring in a straight haired photo, know that it will not happen. Find a picture that has similar hair to yours. You may not like it, but that is where we come in. A good hairdresser should be able to modify the cut to suit what you want your hair to do. I have been know to take 3 photos and turn it in to 1 cut before. But keep in mind that they all had basically the same type of hair. This is where the communication comes back into play. Tell her/him what it is you like about the picture, then tell them what you don't. Listen to her suggestions. Don't take it the wrong way when they tell you that your hair will not do that. Would you rather they do it then send you out the door?


Sit up straight with your legs uncrossed! This may seem unimportant, but really it is one of the most important things in getting an even cut. Just think about how crooked your body is when you cross your legs. Well if your body is uneven then it stands to reason that when you stand up straight then your hair will be uneven. Just think about it.


Buy professional products. When we style your hair we use certain products on it to make it do the things it does. When your stylist styles your hair ask her what she is using and how she uses it. If you like the way it does your hair then buy it! The cost is worth it. And many products out there really aren't that much more than drugstore brands. And don't even think that you can get the same product she uses at the drugstore. You may think you are getting the same thing but most likely your are getting a watered down black market brand. Or one that has been purchased illegally. Professional products are soldby professionals. Only the salon can give you your money back when it fails or does not live up to your expectations. And all salons have a money back guarantee Which is why you should really discuss this with your hairdresser. If you want to get close to the results that she gets then you need to use what she uses on you. The cost is offset by the amount that you use as well. When it says a dime size it means a dime size!

Quit fighting your hair! Have you ever noticed that when we have a bad hair day everything seems to go wrong? Most of us have a style that isn't suited for our hair type. We seem to want to go with the flow of things out there. We want what the stars have, or what someone else has. Well, quit. Talk to your stylist. Ask for her input. Do what looks good on you and suits your needs. When you quit trying to make your hair do things it wasn't meant to do then you and your hair will be much happier.