WBBE: How to be a Client that your Hairstylist Doesn't Dread

 I may just be starting out in the hair industry, but one thing you learn pretty quickly is which kind of clients to avoid and which ones you want to keep coming back. Here are some thoughts I've had about what clients can do to make hairdressers not dread the appointment day (and in the meantime, if you take note of these characteristics, I can almost guarantee that your hair will be better cared for):

Two of my recent styles. I love how they turned out!

1. Don't act like we don't know what we're doing. We may not actually know what we're doing, but when you start acting like you don't trust us, it makes us nervous and we're much more likely to do something wrong. I'm always more confident when I have a client who is confident in me.

2. Don't use at-home haircolor to color your hair extremely unnatural colors and then come into a salon and demand a miraculous fix. And, if after trying to talk you out of your intended course of action, if we ask you to sign a release form, take that as our polite way of saying that "If we do what you're telling us to, there's a good chance your hair will fall out of your head." The minute a release form gets involved, run away and keep your hair!

3. The "I don't suppose you can just take the hair that you just cut off and glue it back to my head" joke got old after the first 50 times we heard it.

4. Don't get your hair bleached all over and then get chunky black highlights. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but I do highly recommend it. I just haven't seen anyone who really looks good in that style. Cosmetologists should be able to set aside their own opinions and achieve whatever their client wants to do with their hair whether it will actually look good or not...but still, try to avoid hairstyles that are pretty much universally bad ideas.

5. It would be nice if you wouldn't show us pictures of a cut or style you want on someone who has completely different hair length/texture/thickness/color than you, and then complain when your style doesn't look the way you thought it would. You know your own hair, go for a style that works for you, or at least listen when your hair stylist tries to explain why the cut you have pictured will look very different on you than it looks in the picture.

6. Don't hit on your hairdresser. To elaborate, don't ask for their phone number, don't ask them out, and don't tell them bizarre, creepy stories chock-full of innuendo. I've never had this happen to me, it's either the sparkler on my left hand or what Mom calls my "general aura of meanness"--but a lot of the guys fuss the other girls, and it's annoying.

7. Many hairstylists would add, "And don't take your baby/toddler/rambunctious child to the salon!" I wouldn't say that. If your stylist is a snob about kids, go ahead and let me do your hair instead. I totally understand that sometimes taking kids with you is really the only option. I'll even do house calls for moms and toddlers. But I'm just giving you a warning that some people get really snotty about kids. It does help your cause if your babies are extra cute and extra quiet, but if you're a mom with young kids and you want your hair done--choosing a stylist who is sympathetic to children will really improve your experience!

8. Another thing. Lots of hairstylists seems to really hate it when you witness to them. At my school, we get a whole lot of older men and women who come and recite Bible verses or talk about the Kingdom of God throughout their haircut. I think I'm the only girl in school who likes them. I love the witnessers! Their heart and their passion for the kingdom is exciting to me. If only the guy who recites as much of the Bible as possible during a 20 minute haircut would hold his head still while talking so that I can get his flattop right, I'd love him even more. I enjoy talking about my faith with these people. But most of the other stylists get really annoyed.