I like to go into salons and tell the stylist ‘do whatever you think looks cool’. Does it frustrate you that I give very little guidance? I might say ‘don’t take off more than 2 inches’ or something, but I like to see what people will do with my hair. Many stylists seem flummoxed by my requesting this, like they can’t figure out a hairstyle from scratch.
Is there a difference in shampoos? I’m always pitched different products when I get a haircut; same thing goes for my 14 year old son. Last time he got a cut they suggested tea tree shampoo (He has some serious buildup on his scalp). This time someone different suggested a clarifying shampoo and conditioner. It seemed more like a sales pitch than anything that would be helpful. What are your thoughts on salon shampoo vs. drug store brands?
Bed Head Manipulator. On eBay, it’ll be cheaper than retail. At least it is here in the UK (5ish pounds on eBay compare to 10-15 at a salon).
LilGypsyGirl
Do you cut/colour your own hair or get someone to do it for you?
I’m gonna go ahead and say it’s not that they can’t figure out a hairstyle from scratch but it’s that your definition of “looks cool” may not line up with theirs at all. The last thing they need is some pissed off client who is shrieking at them.
Gypsy, what are the very worst/ugliest hair styles in your opinion? (Both men’s and women’s styles.)
This.
And that’s all I have to say about that.
LilGypsyGirl, I hope you don’t mind this. If you do, please let me know and I’ll stop. 
Anyway, last I read approximately half of salons are ‘booth rent’. Chain salons are almost never booth rent. You are not considered an employee of the salon, but a contractor. In some cases the salon owner won’t care when you work, as long as you have the rent paid every week. Other owners are more involved. Some let you set your own prices, some don’t. Your clients are yours, so this is not a good option for you if you don’t already have a steady clientele. It’s not like Bob can just do Suzie’s client. You are responsible for staying busy. As far as I know, there’s no check because no money enters the salon owner’s hands but the rent.
Other salons do a straight commission, usually 50-60% of your retail sales and services. Others do an hourly plus commission, and of course tips add up. Stylists do pretty well, actually.
I could suggest all kinds of chemical services like body waves and such, but if your hair is THAT poker straight, chances are that wouldn’t take either. Like one of the earlier posters, without you in my chair, and having mu hands in your hair, it’s kinda tough to make an assessment.
But yes, lesson for all - if you have SUPER straight hair, it WILL stick straight up off your head if cut even a millimeter too short.
Amber - I am totally over the “Victoria Beckham” and the “Katie Holmes.” For some reason, people just won’t let go of that Beckham sharp-angle-long-in-front-short-in-back thing. It’s got a few years behind it style-wise. Please stop with that haircut - stylists around the world will thank you. I guess the classic-ness of the bob that Katie Holmes had is kinda timeless, but it’s so…boring. There’s really nothing out there I HATE…just stuff I’m kind of over.
kushiel - My “cool” and your “cool,” I’m pretty sure are two totally different things. My cool may consist of an asymmetrical-fauxhawk razor cut with funky colors. Yours may be a shattered medium length layered cut in an all over chocolate brown. Without knowing where your parameters are, it’s not flummoxed, it’s more of, “Okayyyyyy, so what is COOL to you?” If you can’t tell me, chances are I’m not going to just pull something out of the air and cut away. And frankly, if you’re doing that just to “test” random stylists, please stop. Most can tell that’s what you’re doing. And yes, we don’t want you shrieking at us after you decide your asymmetrical purple fauxhawk is too much. You DID say cool. Leave it up to me, and it’s a strong possibility you may end up with just that.
**Neverender - **Where I work we get free services, so I have one of the girls in the salon do my cut and another does my color. I’m just lazy that way. Doctor, heal thyself or somesuch.
Sampiro - Good question. Yes, some stylists rent their stations. They pay usually weekly, and depending on the salon can be as little as $50, or as high as $275-300 a week. Only a truly established stylist with a HUGE book of clients really should be renting. With renting, you usually keep 100% of your money only because you would have to buy your own supplies and such. If you’re not renting, you’re probably working on commission only or salary + commission.
purple haze - I would have also recommended tea tree shampoo if you son has scalp issues. Is there a difference between salon vs. drugstore? Sort of. Is it a HUGE difference? Eh. Depends who you ask. Do I try to get my clients to use what I use on them in the salon? Sometimes, if they really want to be able to duplicate the style, sometimes its necessary. DO I push like a used car salesman? No. But some stylists are paid a small commission of retail products, so they sometimes do come across that way.
kopek - Tough one. You can never really bleach any hair to pure white. It’s impossible. It can be brought to a very pale yellow and them toned to where it looks ALMOST white, but true white is very tough. However, Manic Panic puts out a white semi-permanent dye that acts as a toner called “Snow White.” Put some of that on your beard, and it should blend in whatever grey you have and tone the yellow to a more whitish color. But to bleach to pure white will not happen.
Tabby_Cat - You may be using too much product. Start with less than you think you need. Pastes and clays tend to spread like crazy when they are heated in your hands. Less product, less spread.
torie - Thanks for the assists, btw.
poysyn - I can smell Garnier and Herbal Essences ANYTHING from a mile away. I can feel when someone is a long-time Pantene user. It’s just something you can tell after having your hands in 100’s of heads of hair, Pantene users have a slick, almost waxy feel to their hair, due to all the waxes and heavy oils in the shampoos and conditioners - sure it makes your hair fell oh-so-soft, but after a few months of use, it will build up and your hair will be a flat, weighted-down mess.
WHEW
I’m pooped! I’m pretty sure I’ve missed some, and I apologize to those I skipped, I promise it wasn’t intentional. I’m still shocked that there is such an interest in this. But, yay! I’m sure glad there is!! 
Is it really true that curly/wavy hair should only be shampooed every few days instead of every day? I realize that lack of shampoo is not the same as lack of cleaning, but I can’t wrap my head around the idea of not shampooing my head every day. On days when I’ve missed a shower, my hair feels heavy and greasy and the curl falls out. But, I do have problems with my hair ends drying out and shattering. So maybe I shouldn’t shampoo as much? I’m scared!
Yet another thing that changes by location and that most of us probably wouldn’t ever think it might be different. In Spain people at most salons are either owners or employees. There’s a chain of franchises now that’s got a model halfway between what you describe and a cooperative: each of the people working at the salon is an individual franchisee, but there’s periodic meetings where they decide whether they need more people and they can vote people out.
Me! Do mine! (post #59)
Me too! Me too! Post #38
I would say the same thing. My stylist loves it when I tell her to just do whatever, but she’s also been cutting my hair for long enough and knows me well enough to know what I like, too.
Ever have a client have a medical emergency in your chair? Heart attack? Panic attack? Death? Diarrhea? Room-evacuating fart?
I have to say, I’m finding this way more fascinating than I thought I would, given the fact that I haven’t been to a salon in, ooh, about 10 years! Yes, my name is Neeps, and I trim my own hair :o
Anyhoo, I find I have a question, I’m female, and have very fine, straight hair. It’s about half way down my back, and a bit shorter at the front and at the side. Sort of graduated, but not layered. Sorry, I can’t think of a more technical term than that.
It’s not thick, but it’s not super thin. Put it this way, if you pulled my hair back and put your thumb and index finger around all of it (as if you were making a pony tail), there would be a lot of overlap in your fingers.
In a previous reply, you suggested that someone with very fine hair try layering to get more volume. This seems counter intuitive to me - wouldn’t this mean that the longer hair would end up really, really thin at the ends, and kind of ratty looking? Is layering in fine hair better suited for shorter, more shoulder length hair? I’m kind of attached to the length I have, and previous stylists have told me that there’s no point trying to layer it.
Also, what about volumising products? I have had no luck with these so far - if I use them too frequently, they just make my hair heavy and greasy, without the desired effect.
Actually I have been very lucky - I haven’t had an irate customer yet, but I’m counting my blessings. It’s sure to come, eventually.
I have made mistakes, yes, but more on the technical side that wouldn’t really show in the appearance of the cut. I’ve never cut a hole in someone’s hair - been off my about 1/8" here or there but that’s a pretty easy fix. Basically they were mistakes that another hair stylist would see in a minute - but to someone not in the industry, it wouldn’t even be a blip on the radar.
Never had this happen but I am pretty sure my exes know better than to just pop in for an appointment. I’d still do them, money is money, but if it was a really bad situation, I would have one of the other girls take it - we do that all the time. One will hide in the back while someone else diffuses the bomb, so to speak.
If you’re going to use them often, I would go with a professional set of Oster or Andis clippers. Problem with that is, they’re usually only sold in professional beauty supply stores (only licensed people can buy there) so you may need to find a friend that is licensed to pick them up for you.
If you can’t find anyone, let me know and I will see what I can do. 
Oh, and for those who asked about good resources when looking for new hairstyles, you can try http://www.hairpedia.com or http://www.totalhair.net or http://www.hairstylezone.com
HAHA! No, thankfully - but gas is sometimes an issue. I have a regular client that poots throughout each and every appointment. They don’t stink, but it’s kind of funny how you can get used to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbrtttttttttthhhhh in the middle of a conversation. I don’t even blink anymore, honestly. She’s just gassy, I guess. Good tipper, though, so, eh…six of one, half dozen of the other.
Yes, Neeps - sometimes length is the worst thing for thing, fine hair - there really is nothing that can be done with it if the client is unwilling to take off much length. Bringing it up to shoulder or a little above with layers would help a LOT. Volumizing products are tricky. The shampoos and conditioners are made to plump the hair strands by coating them with a protein or something of some kind, but that is kind of counterproductive to the fine hair issue. I usually tell my fine-hair clients to wash with a volumizing shampoo, bypass the rinse-out conditioner, and get a light leave-in spray.
Pullet - Naturally curly hair is dry by design. Washing it daily will cause it to dry out even more. I have naturally curly hair, and, even when I’m wearing it straight only wash it like 2x a week. In between shampoos, you may want to consider a dry shampoo. Oscar Blandi makes one that is fantastic. Also the Rockaholic line from TIGI makes a good one.
If you’re having greasy roots and dry ends, condition only your ends in the shower. And keep up with your haircuts! Curly girls should keep up with their cuts at LEAST every 6 weeks to keep the dry ends at bay.