how to insure you get the best haircut!

We've all been there. You go into a new salon because your usual lady at your salon is booked, you're too impatient and it's either do go now or take the scissors to your own hair. So you go to the new salon and stray from your four week appointment at the place you feel safe and comfortable at. We've all done it before, no sense in lying about it...

So, you go and you tell the stylist who has never cut your hair what you'd like and they do it. You leave the salon feeling not as great as you typically do when leaving your salon and then you get home and really get your hands in your hair,  it hits you...this haircut is bad. You hate it and it's not what you wanted. 

Sound familiar. Two things you need to realize in situations like that. One, most the time the reason for that bad haircut is because there was a lack of communication. On your part but hugely on the stylist. Our biggest role is to have the best consultation because if not then how in the hell would the  stylist actually really know what you want. Two, sometimes that haircut isn't bad but it's your expectations! Sorry, truth. Sometime we expect our hair to look exactly like that photo you showed of Blake Lively's bombshell curled hair that looks like something out of a Victoria Secret catalog. But then here you are with limp fine textured hair. That's not going to look like that on it's own. You've got to do shit to it! But seriously, no one can look like Blake Lively. Pouty face.

Not matter if you're sitting in the same chair you have been for ten plus years or if you are sitting in a scary new chair and are freaked out of your mind there's a way to come out of the salon feeling like a million bucks.  Because who are we kidding it's really up to you to make that happen. Stylist are not mind readers and we sure can't wave a magic wand and make you look like Beyonce. But we sure try! 

1. Bring photos! You see how I put this on the top of the list. So important. We love photos and I can't stress it enough. Print them out or save them on your phone or iPad. Bring them in. Multiples are good too. Say you like the fringe on this one girl over here but then you like the way the layers look on that girl other there. I used to bring at least three photos to my stylist picking out different things I like from each style. Not to forget color! You tell your stylist you want to go sultry red. Hell yeah! You go girl. But do you realize how many shades of red there are! Not to forget that chili pepper red might look one way to you and another to me. You can make sure you are getting what you're asking for too!

2. Explain what you see. Kind of piggybacking the last point, explain what you see in the photos. Being specific is key. When showing a picture of a haircut, explain and show what you like about it and what you might not. Hairstylist have a different "eye" and can be seeing things in that photo that you might not be. Also, it helps for you to use landmarks when telling them about length. Taking length off can be scary. When you tell the stylist to take a few inches off can be kind of vague. Hopefully the stylist will clarify but if not and for you to safeguard your precious hair use a measurement. I want to take off two inches. I want my shortest layer to land around my law line. I want my fringe to sit right above my eyebrows. Use descriptive words. It will help!

3. Can it be done? Expectations. Sometimes we find photos that we love. It can be of a celebrities new hair style or a model from a magazine. They have hair that shines like pearls and volume for days. You love the way it looks, I mean, who doesn't. However, I think our expectations can get the best of us. Celebrities and models have multiple stylist fawning over them spraying loads of dry shampoo and hairspray. Don't be afraid to ask your stylist if it can be done. Sometimes the model in photo has completely different textured hair or density than yours. Fine, but that doesn't necessarily mean it can't be done. Most stylist will tell you what course of action would be taken in order to achieve a style and then it's up to you to decide if it's right for you. We can all accomplish having that sexy hair but it takes work and some product. It's just the way it is. And when you see celebrities walking up and hash tagging their photos with I woke up like this, well, they woke up like that because the amount of product in that hair could withhold a windstorm.

Be confident with your hair and be your own kind of beautiful!