I have heard so many haircut horror stories that I would like to educate you, the paying client, on what you should be looking for when getting your haircut. Unfortunately, some of you as a client are under the impression that going to one of the “better salons” or sometimes referred to as an “upscale salon” will give you the best haircut since life’s bread.

I firmly believe that every cosmetology student must master the art and technique of haircutting to work in an “upscale salon.” So what is an upscale salon? It can be defined as exclusive or “luxurious or elegant or relating to the upper end of a social-economic scale.” This is a well-known little-understood fact and another topic I will have to talk about some other time.

Most people don’t understand that there are a few basic principles when doing a haircut. First, there are points on a person’s head and facial structure that will affect the overall haircut. I like to say that a precise haircut begins with understanding a person’s head shape and facial features. What is your head shaped like? What are the facial features you want to hide? Haircut styles are designed to accentuate a person’s good features while minimizing a person’s insecure features. Nobody wants to put what they’re most uncomfortable with on BLAST. I know I don’t! So when selecting a haircut, you should consider your head shape, facial contour, neckline, and hair texture. These four things will significantly determine the outcome of your haircut.

If you’re going to a professional, remember they’re the expert. But, I highly recommend your research the stylist as well as the salon they’re working in. Read the reviews because reviews will give you the 411, you hear me? Also, I suggest you book a consultation before booking the actual haircut. With that said, please don’t be that customer who goes into a salon, sits down in the chair, and proceeds to tell the professional what technique they should be using – unless you’ve accomplished a precise haircut on your 

own. And if that’s the case, then do it yourself! Remember, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Just because the last person who cut your hair did it one way doesn’t mean the next stylist cannot achieve the same look while using a different technique. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before going forward with a haircut when going to a professional. If these basic things are not happening, get up and run!

• Did the professional do a thorough consultation with you by asking you detailed questions?
• Did the professional ask what it is you would like to accomplish?
• Did the professional ask to see some pictures or show you some pictures?
• Visuals are the BEST thing you can do for yourself and your stylist. They can’t see your vision as you cannot see their vision. So I highly suggest photographs.

Ask the professional as many questions that you can think of. When doing this, you can get comfortable with the stylist. The discussion between you and the professional must be done so that you’re on the same page.

Questions you may want to ask:

• How long have you been dong hair?
• What are your favorite hairstyles to do?
• What type of haircut would you recommend for someone with my face shape? (you should know your face shape)

Questions or statements you may not want to ask or say to a stylist:

• Have you done a haircut like this before?
• It looks like you’re going to cut all of my hair off! 
• Are you sure you’re not going to cut it all off?

When you are nervous, you actually pass off that nervous energy to your stylist. And when you feel as though your haircut is going in a different direction, it is perfectly okay to question it but do it calmly. So you have just been educated on how to receive a haircut. I hope you, as the client, can walk into the salon with a little bit of knowledge on what to look for, what to expect, and what to ask. That way, you won’t have any horror story to report to the professional who has to fix it. 

And that’s all I have for you today, friends. But, of course, I love to get your feedback. So if there is anything you’d like to tell me or share with me, or if you have a topic you’d like me to discuss and elaborate on, shoot me an email. You can email me at hairsmyexperience@gmail.com.