So, what is a great salon visit really like? A salon trip isn’t always just a haircut appointment. Sometimes you’re getting color or highlights, other times you’re just relaxing, pampering yourself, and enjoying being looked after. You want to walk out feeling good about your appearance, but also feeling confident. There’s more to a great salon visit than the technical skills of the stylist though. It’s about how the stylist consults, their regularity of service, how you feel during your appointment, and how you will do in your daily life with your new look.
Consultation
How your hair looks at the end of the day starts with how the stylist listens. They should know your goals before they pick up their scissors, color, or brush.
A good consultation involves a discussion of your current hair health, how much you like to maintain your hair, your current lifestyle, and any previous chemical treatments. You can show them pictures to get your point across, but you also have to remember that those images aren’t set in stone. Their texture, thickness, how your hair grows, and your current color all play a factor. Your stylist should also talk to you about how your new color or style will grow out and what type of maintenance it will require.
Stylist consulting with a client about hair goals
Technical
A great haircut or color job shouldn’t look exactly like any other. Great stylists don’t just go by the numbers; they tailor their approach to you.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a haircut, color, or blowdry, your stylist should be adapting their skills to you. Face shape can dictate length and layers, hair texture can affect how your cut moves, and color choice can be dictated by your undertones, level of contrast, current hair health, and how much time you want to spend maintaining your color. Even when it comes to a blowdry, knowing how you want to wear your hair is important.
There are other parts of technical skill that help define the hairdresser’s craft, such as:
- Giving recommendations based on your hair type and health
- Being upfront about what is and isn’t possible for your hair
- Choosing the right technique based on your desired outcome
- Styling your hair based on your preference
- Coming up with a plan based on how often you’ll need to come in again
All of this will help keep your hair looking its best once you get home.
Comfort
Sometimes you can feel great about your haircut or color job but still not have a great experience. The environment is a big factor in your overall experience. If the salon, like Trademark Salon, is clean, organized, and neat, it can give you a better sense of confidence in your stylist and their work. The way they talk to you can also help you relax throughout your appointment.
Being comfortable means letting your stylist know what you want. Some people like to chat, while others would rather keep quiet. Your stylist should talk you through their process, but they shouldn’t overwhelm you with unnecessary details. You can tell them if you’re uncomfortable or have questions. Good hygiene, cleanliness, and punctuality are small things that can also make your appointment run smoothly.
The same goes for if there’s a problem. A professional stylist will let you know if your hair isn’t in good condition to perform a certain service and won’t try to force something that could damage your hair.
Healthy Hair
It’s great if you want a drastic change, but it’s important that your stylist takes your hair’s health into consideration. Chemical treatments, excessive heat styling (there is a useful breakdown at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles), and poor maintenance can damage your hair.
Stylist assessing healthy hair before a chemical treatment
It’s okay if your stylist has to scale back your color, split your color transformation into multiple appointments, or recommend something easier to maintain. These options don’t limit your creativity; they preserve the longevity and manageability of your hair. Taking care of your hair at home is also essential. Your stylist should give you easy-to-follow instructions on how to wash, condition, and protect your hair when you apply heat, and should suggest products based on what works best for you.
Consistency
A great salon experience is memorable, but it’s one where you want to return. Knowing that you’ve had a great first appointment is great, but it’s the consistency of that experience, as you can see on this content, that keeps you coming back. Having good records and a system that allows you to consistently make an appointment when you want to is also key. It’s important to keep track of your hair’s progress, preferences, and what worked or didn’t work.
Leaving the Salon
If you walk out of the salon with more than just a new look, you’ll leave with more than just a style. A good stylist is able to consult, personalize, make you feel comfortable, protect the integrity of your hair, and provide consistent service. All of these combined make for a unique experience and a great result. And if you know how to maintain your new hair, then the salon visit will have been worth it long after you leave.