Whether you frequent the salon or barber shop on a weekly or monthly basis, coming prepared to your appointment can make a difference in the results you receive. Being prepared however, can become challenging and sometimes intimidating when visiting a new salon that you’ve never been to before without knowing what to expect.

Have you ever left your hair appointment feeling disappointed with the results of your new cut or style?

Spending hours of time and money at the salon and feeling unsatisfied with the results is a feeling that not many of us enjoy having. Although at times it may seem like your hairstylist may not have your best interest at hand, it’s important to understand that your hairstylist’s main goal is to have you leave the salon feeling confident and happy with your look. Often times miscommunication can lead to an unsatisfactory experience at the salon.

To help you navigate the salon scene so that you and your stylist feel content, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 hair tips to help you prep for your next appointment. To help us curate this list, we spoke to three celebrity hairstylists in Hollywood, CA to find out what are some of the key things that they would like their clients to know before and during their visit to the salon. Read more to find out what they had to say!

The Top 10 Hair Tips You Should Know During Your Next Visit to the Salon:

Tip #1 How Much Should You Tip- Typically a good rule of thumb for tipping at a salon is to give around 15-20% of your bill. However, in recent years this rule has become diluted with the increase of blowout and style-only bars that are offering quick services at a cheaper rate. More frequently, salons are lowering their service rates to keep up with the fast-growing competition, which is great for the clients but can leave stylists at a disadvantage. If you have hair that is thicker or challenging to work with be considerate of your stylist's time and effort, even if they are only creating a quick blowout. You may want to consider upping your tip to be 25-30% of your bill, especially if you are really happy with your results. Think about it, you will still be saving money in the end with a cheaper service.

Tip #2

Gifting is Sweet- Gifts are always welcome in the salon atmosphere. Creating a good bond and friendship is important to the stylist/client relationship. So if you feel like giving your stylist a gift for the holidays, birthdays or just because, this is completely acceptable and encouraged. The more you know about your stylist and the closer the relationship is, the more likely they will be to know you and what your expectations are. Do not feel pressure however to purchase gifts or to have a close relationship with your stylists in order to have a satisfying experience at the salon.

Tip #3

The Question of Conversation- Is it okay to conversate with your stylist and about what topics? Chit chat is welcomed in a salon setting. Hairstylists typically like to engage in conversation with their clients, it’s part of the job. If you aren’t in the mood to talk that is fine as well and they will understand that you may have something else on your mind, or just relaxing. Keep topics light-hearted and fun by not turning your hair appointment into a therapy session. Although your stylist may be interested in certain areas of your life, try not to bombard them with too much overwhelming personal information. Your stylist should feel excited to see you, not stressed and dreading your appointment. Keep gossip to a minimum in the salon, you never know who may know each other or be the client of another stylist. You can easily burn bridges or wear out your welcome by being known as the gossiper.

Tip #4

In-salon Dining- If you need to eat, keep it small and light. A big pet-peeve for many stylists is when their clients are eating while they are trying to style their hair. Hairstylist are usually on a tight schedule and eating while they are washing, cutting or styling can be distracting and slow down the process. Not to mention, you may not be sitting in the correct position when you are hunching over to eat a plate of pasta and the smell of your food could be offensive to those around you in the salon setting. Your safest bet is to either wait until after your appointment to eat, or keep it small. Although alcoholic beverages like wine or champagne are often complimentary, try to keep your consumption to one or two at the very most. Your hair appointment is not the time to let loose and party.

Tip #5 Use of Technology- Keep cell phone conversations to a minimum while you are in the styling seat. Talking on the phone can be distracting and slow down the styling process when communication is needed. Your stylist may need to ask you specific questions like where you prefer your hair to be parted, or products preferences and will have a hard time doing so when you are having a conversation over the phone with someone else. Typical salon stations are close in proximity to one another, so be be mindful of those around you when you are on the phone. Texting however, is fine and usually does not cause any distractions. Use your hair appointment as a time to catch up on work, social media or with friends without distracting those around you.

Tip #6 Stay On Their Good Side- Don’t be late! One of the most important hair tips that any stylist can give you is to be on time. Situations arise where you will have to be late, like emergencies or traffic which is completely acceptable but chronic tardiness is not. Stylist can have up to 10 or 12 clients booked in one day, being late can require them to shift other appointments which is not respectful of their time or others. In order to leave the salon satisfied with your new look, it’s crucial to give your stylist adequate time.

Tip #7 Loyalty- Loyalty is very important to the stylist. If you are coming to a new salon, try to stick with one person and not jump from one stylist to another. Stylist take their relationships with their clients very seriously and the more loyal you are to them, the more likely they will be to shift things in their schedule to accommodate you. Will they be upset if you do go to someone else? Not at all. This hair tip is simply a piece of advice to help you get the best our of your salon experience. If you are seeing a stylist that you don’t feel is a good fit for you, be open and honest to them about your concerns. Maybe you are looking for someone who specializes in updo’s or specific colors? Your stylist should be understanding to your needs and will most likely recommend you to someone who would be a better match based on their skill-sets.

Tip #8 Take Advice- Hairstylist are professionals for a reason, they have passion for their work and have studied the science of hair. When your stylist offers you hair tips, you should try to take their advice. Usually the goal for both of you is to get your hair in the most optimal condition as possible. If the techniques that you are currently using are not working or are damaging your hair, talk to your stylist about ways minimize this through using less heat, or specific products. Hairstylist are an especially good resource to go to if you are someone who has fine/thin or thinning hair as well. Usually they can provide advice and tips on how to style to create volume and the appearance of fuller hair.

Tip #9 Be Prepared- Bring in Pictures! Being able to visually show your hairstylist the look you want to create is key to having a style that you truly enjoy. The more examples that you are able to show, the easier it will be for your stylist to replicate what you want to achieve. One of the hardest things for a stylist to deal with is having a client who is particular about their look but is unable to communicate what they want. Remember, your hairstylist is an artist not a mind-reader.

Tip #10 Set Your Expectations- Know what you want but make sure that it’s achievable. You can’t expect the outcome of your hairstyle or cut to be comparable to someone who has a different texture than yours. Face structure should also be taken into consideration when choosing a new style along with lifestyle demands. If you are someone who needs to leave the house in hurry in the morning, it may make sense to have a style or cut that is very easy to manage. Once you’ve set clear, reasonable expectations between you and your stylist everything else should fall into place. We hope these hair tips were helpful in preparing you for your next experience at the salon. The most important thing is that you are able to leave the salon with a style and experience that you enjoy. What are some of the most interesting experiences you’ve had while in the salon?

Stay In the Know

Next week, we will help you find out which brow style works best for your face shape. Enhance your face and style by giving your brows a sultry, bolder look with Toppik’s Brow Building Fibers Kit. In just a few seconds, we will show you how to take your look from basic to wow with show-stopping brows.

If you want to be the first to know about new posts to the Hair Toppiks Blog, sign up for the Toppik VIP list to receive an email a couple times per month or check us out on Facebook!