I don’t know if this has been done already, but I don’t remember ever seeing it, so I figured I’d jump on the bandwagon and join the ranks of the “Ask The…” crew!
So ask away!
Hopefully I will be able to keep up if I get slammed with questions, so please be gentle! 
If a guy is interested in the “perfectly messy” or “bed head” hair style, which affordable and commercially available styling product would you recommend?
Hair spray is no good, makes the hair too hard and stiff for a style that is supposed to look natural and unaltered. Same goes for most gels.
I’ve heard the suggestion of something called “styling glue” or paste but have no idea where I’d find such a product, let alone affording something that seems somewhat hard to come by.
Most of those products will say “paste”, “glue,” or “clay.” Anyway, for the “bed head” look, I would look for a brand called Bed Head (ha!) Manipulator. Available in most major retailers (CVS, Walgreen’s, WalMart even I think). Gives is the “messy. dirty” look without being goopy or crunchy.
“Ask the” threads traditionally go in MPSIMS, so I’m going to move this thither.
twickster, Cafe Society moderator
I have wavy/curly hair that is completely unmanageable. Are there any products (even super expensive) that will give me nice, gorgeous waves and curls, as opposed to stiff, shiny, ugly curls or frizz?
If I want a particular haircut and I bring a picture the first time, am I expected to bring the picture each time or should the hairdresser remember the style?
You may want to check out Ouidad’s (Wee-Dahd) website…she is a stylist the specializes ONLY in the design of curly hair.
Anyway, since I’m not in the business of trying to get people to spend every last red cent they have on product, let’s stay with the mid-range stuff first.
Naturally curly/wavy hair is very dry normally due to its biology and structure. You need to start with a good shampoo/conditioner/weekly intensive treatment. I like Redken’s Fresh Curls line. Also try a curl defining lotion/cream rather than gels, mousses and sprays - they are loaded with alcohol and are super-drying to the hair. From the same line as above, work in some Fresh Curls Curl enhancing lotion (it comes in a tube). Work a good amount of the product in - remember, dry hair sucks up product like a sponge. Let it hair dry for soft, touchable curls that move! Finish with the Fresh Curls Serum to add shine.
A good cut is essential as well - try to find a stylist that has a good understanding of curly hair or specializes in the design of it. A bad cut on curly hair often looks a hot mess! Good luck!
What do you do if you encounter head lice?
Pictures are a great idea! It helps us understand what you are looking for as a client, and gives us the opportunity to let you know if the look is realistically achievable. Unless your cut has COMPLETELY grown out and has NO shape at all from the initial cut, then yes - but that would be at least a year’s time, give or take. I don’t know many people that cut their hair on an annual basis.
However, you shouldn’t have to bring the picture every time, no. Once the cut is in, and you are going to the same stylist every time, following the cut should be no problem.
Do you feel like you get “stale” with a particular client after a while? A regular comes in, sits in your chair, you say, “So what are we doing today?” and the regular says, “Just shape it up, same as last time.” And you think, “Yawn.”
What do you do with a new client that says, “I want a change,” but can’t be more specific about what s/he wants?
How do you handle the client that comes in with a photo and s/he says s/he wants her/his hair to look like THIS, and you know there is know way in hell her/his hair is going to look like the photo?
Have you ever had a color job or permanent go terribly, hair-damaging-ly wrong?
Recently, there was a thread about a “X things a restaurant worker should never do,” which generated a thread on “X things a restaurant patron should never do.” What’s on your list of things that hair salon clients should never do?
Run in circles with my arms in the air screaming “Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!”
Actually, as stylists we reserve the right to refuse to perform a hair service if we feel the client has some kind of contagious condition - actually, according to the state of FL, we are REQUIRED to refuse the service. When it comes to lice, we usually will recommend a lice removal kit and politely send the client on their way without performing the service.
OK, one more, but I missed the edit window. If a longtime client starts going to a different salon, would you like the client to tell you? Or do you just assume that clients changing stylists or salons is part of the business?
Of course. But thats even more of a reason to be enthusiastic about MY job. Once a client senses a stylists’ boredom, they will start looking for a new one.
Even the teeniest of changes can look huge. A slightly different approach to a haircut or a tiny change in color. I usually start there. I can tell if a client is looking for something drastic or if they are just looking for a tweak on their current look. I’m not sure how, it’s an intuition thing, I guess. When they aren’t specific, I am usually looking for someone that wants a slight yet noticeable change.
Clients are looking to their stylists for guidance and honesty. For the most part, clients don’t understand hair structure, density, texture. If they show me a photo of something that is totally unrealistic due to those factors, I will tell them the truth. Then suggest something similar, or something I think would be more flattering. Clients like what they like, but on the whole are open to our suggestions - it’s not as traumatic as one may think.
Haha! Actually, no. I’m pretty careful with my chemical services, and the clients appreciate it!
Wow. Where do I begin? Here are a few that are pretty universal, I think:
[ul]
[li]Show up late. Don’t. Ever. You’re screwing my entire day up. If you are running late, call. I may have to reschedule you, I may not. But you breezing in 30 minutes late really annoys me and will most likely not get you seen that day.[/li][li]Don’t bring your small infants and toddlers if you can avoid it. There are too many fumes, and too many things that are sharp, hot, and caustic for little Tyler to be playing with. Don’t shoot me the look of death when I tell said child to not stick his hand in the pretty blue water (Barbicide). It’s POISON. Mom, YOU should be paying attention.[/li][li]Don’t question my technique. Chances are you don’t have the first clue HOW to cut hair. When you tell me that your LAST stylists didn’t cut your hair like that, and do I know what I’m doing, it’s going to make me want to stab you in the neck with my shears. Sit quietly and trust me. If you don’t, go back to your old stylist.[/li][li]Don’t lie to me during the consultation. I am asking you questions so you don’t wind up bald. If you have hilites, chances are I can’t give you a perm. If you lie to me, your hair will burn off. Be honest and we will be fine.[/li][li]Don’t tell me you like your hair if you hate it. I can tell if you hate it. TELL me and give me the opportunity to fix it - I can handle it, trust me. It’s my job - don’t worry about my feelings. It’s your hair that I am concerned about.[/li][/ul]
This is fun!
Do you prefer for your clients to talk to you? Sometimes I feel so awkward sitting in that chair, especially if I’ve never been to that stylist before. I never know what to talk about.
Thanks for your answers, LilGypysGirl! This is fun for us, too.
Can you describe the salon where you work? How many stylists? Owner-operated or part of a chain?
Where are you in your career? Fresh out of school? Twenty-year veteran?
What kind of professional development opportunities do you have? Does your employer pick up the tab or do you have to pay for it yourself?
I usually let the clients take the lead. I’m pretty outgoing as a rule, so chat away if you’re in my chair! If you feel like being quiet go ahead! Just relax and let me take care of everything!
There’s about 10 of us working, some 25 year veterans, some only a few months out of school. I have been working in the salon about a year now. It’s a chain salon, but not a rush-rush quickie place. We still believe in quality and taking time with our clients.
My company offers some classes through Redken, but I tend to take a lot on my own via the internet and other sources. Sadly, those classes are out of my own pocket and I don’t get reimbursed. But it’s all for the love of the job, really.
Have you ever refused to do a particular hairstyle because you thought it would look horrible? For example, if an attractive young woman with long hair wanted to go Mia Farrow ca. 1967 and you thought it was terrible but she couldn’t be convinced, or a guy with nice looking long hair wanted a Mohawk that you thought would make him look like a complete dork, would you do it?
Why the hell did my hair start parting a different way a few years ago? I had it slightly long for awhile, where I could comb it up and back in a kind of 70s Jack Nicholson way, then I cut it short for awhile, then when I tried to grow it out again the top decided it wanted to part off to the side. WTF?
Ok, here’s a couple of questions
I am a man in his late 30s. As such my hair (what’s left of it) doesn’t take the same style it did ten years ago. The stylists I have worked with have been either unwilling or unable to help me get a nice looking head of hair.
How do I find a good men’s stylist?
And do you have any suggested resources for finding a good hairstyle?
I do try to talk clients into what I think would be most flattering. However, there are situations where people just simply DO NOT WANT TO HEAR IT, and I will just do the cut, for the sake of keeping the peace. Sometimes you have to pick your battles when it comes to hair. I’ve never REFUSED, per se - try to GUIDE them into something better, but sometimes it doesn’t always work out.
Chances are that’s your natural part. Some hairstyles can camoflage or completely hide it, and when the hair is cut differently or styled in a new way, the part will come through. You probably always had it, but the new cut and then new growth forced the part to show.
Since I can’t see your hair, it’s hard for me to make a call on it. BUT - you may have better luck with a barber. They are trained differently than stylists are and probably can help you out. Or try a male stylist. I have noticed that a lot of female stylists for some reason are afraid of men’s hair. In my salon for example, there are only 3 out of the 10 of us that cut men’s hair (myself included). Sorry I know that wasn’t hugely helpful…