Felice’s Client POV on How To Talk To Your Hairdresser

PinPoint #1: Express yourself clearly

First dates are always a little a nerve-wracking. So are first hair appointments. That’s why it’s important to go in with a clear idea of what you want and what questions you have about everything from budget, maintenance to color and cut. Don’t be afraid to ask a ton of questions! The more you ask, the more likely you will be happy with the final results immediately after your hair service and in the long run. No question is a dumb question either. You are not expected to be an expert. Your hairdresser is the expert! And don’t be shy about asking questions throughout the process. If you see them doing something and you’re not sure you like it or if it is what you actually want, then speak up! Clarify what’s going on. A lot of times, things don’t look like the final result until the end of your hair process BUT, you should definitely ask if something looks funny to you so you don’t end up with orange hair when you really wanted pink hair. Just communicate, communicate, communicate. If your stylist doesn’t like you asking questions, then you need to find a new stylist. Period. A good stylist will encourage questions and even guide you to the right questions and answer things you may have forgotten to ask. So have fun chatting it up because that’s what a hair appointment is all about!

Share and subscribe to our Beauty Wizardry YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjc45ByMrYSjuuZtvHuFbhQ?sub_confirmation=1

Jeffrey’s Pro Tips for Talking To Your Hairdresser

When it comes to any client sitting down in my chair, meeting and exceeding their goals while maintaining the integrity of their hair is always my number one priority. Whether it is your first visit with a stylist or our 20th appointment together, a proper consultation before beginning any service is always the key to a successful visit.

There are some questions to think about before going into the salon to talk with a new stylist:

- What are my hair goals? For this appointment and going forward?

- Are they possible in one sitting? What is the current state of my hair?

- What is my hair history? Happy & Healthy or Fried & Dyed? Is it coated in years of black box die with the hopes of being platinum blonde today? Be honest, what has been chemically done to my hair in the last 12 months?

- What is my budget? For this appointment and maintenance going forward?

What is my at-home maintenance? What are my new must-haves for happy, healthy hair?

PinPoint #2: Research & Honesty With Your Hairstylist

The first step to any successful hair appointment is doing your research to find a stylist that can help create the vision you have for your hair going forward. Then you need to be completely transparent with them about the current condition of your hair ie: chemical services, highlights under the previous color, box color, etc. The accessibility to beautiful beauty images online has led so many to believe miracles are possible in a few hours time. While hair wizardry does happen, it’s absolutely crucial to have realistic expectations walking into your appointment and to be as honest as possible with what has been done to your hair previously. We as stylists ask these questions prior to any service so we can assess your hair properly, give you our best advice on what can be done during your appointment and set up a timeline of goals moving forward to be achieved in the salon and during your at-home care.

Your honesty allows us to do our job properly without surprises during the process, leaving you with the best end result possible! I am fully aware when someone sits in my chair that they are more than likely familiar with my work and understand drastic transformations do happen, but every circumstance is different. Your hair type plus your hair history are going to play the largest role in determining what is possible during each session together.

PinPoint #3: Know your budget

Another big consideration when going in for any hair appointment is your budget. You should always have an idea of what your first service going to cost and what will it cost to upkeep this new look, before your first appointment. That way there will be no surprises. Your budget is going to play a major role in any hair appointment, big or small, and thinking about it from both ends is key:

1. Will you be happy with a $25 haircut or do you see the value in a $125 haircut?

1. Does price determine skill set?

What can I cut out of my daily life to afford great hair every 6-8 weeks?

Plenty of incredible artists work for much less than they are worth for various reasons and it’s not to say you can’t find an amazing deal on great hair, but most of the time the reality is that you get what you pay for! Here are some things to understand before deciding on your hair budget:

- Some stylists work off commission from the salon, while others rent their own chair and set their own prices within a salon or studio.

- Some stylists use service menus that are a package deal while others provide ala carte services.

Some stylists charge by the hour while some charge by the service.

It really just depends on the stylist and salon you are visiting. For myself, dramatic transformations or color corrections usually come with an hourly price attached vs a service price. This is because there is really no way to determine how long it will take until you get to work and the hourly price point better covers the cost of product and time used. Most regular services start at a base price and go up depending on amount of hair, product used and the time it takes to complete the service. Clients tend to forget that as an independent business, I am solely responsible for all overhead ie: all products used, tools for the job, taxes, licensing, insurance, continued education, etc and this needs to be considered when I am creating my pricing structure.

Sure, you can get a decent $25 haircut at Supercuts, but that stylist is being paid an hourly wage, has medical insurance provided for them and all their education is paid for by the parent company. Working independently, I pride myself on using only the highest quality products on my clients and I always stay up-to-date with trends and techniques. I’m constantly investing in myself which in turn raises my value and service cost. I try to approach every situation with the client’s budget in mind and provide the highest quality service no matter the price, but it’s a two-way street of understanding between the client and stylist. On the other hand, the client still has to understand what is possible within their own budgetary limits and discuss it with their stylist honestly and upfront.

To me, it’s all about clear communication. It is the stylist’s responsibility to explain what goes into the service, what can be achieved during that appointment and the cost of the maintenance going forward. After your fabulous new tresses have been tamed to perfection, it’s important to have good recommendations about your at-home care to really maintain your new look and continue building on the health of your hair. I am not someone who pushes products just to push products. Instead, I always like to share the products I am using with my clients and educate them on how their hair can benefit from these products in-between our appointments. Using the right products will set us up for success going forward. I always ask my clients their current routine – what is and isn’t working for them currently and where they could use some help from me. If you have products you love, a stylist isn’t going to push you away from what’s working. However, if you have some areas that could use some improvement like more moisture, heat protection, etc, your stylist can assist you in adding more must-have products into your current routine!

And that’s everything you need to be ready to communicate clearly and confidently with your hairdresser. Learn more about Jeffrey and Felice here. We’ll be doing more in-depth articles soon so stay tuned for more tips coming your way. What are some of your suggestions for talking with your stylist? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

Felice’s Client POV on At-Home Curly Hair Care

So you go to the salon, get a fresh cut and color and your hair is looking amazing! But a few days later, you’re feeling like you need another hair service because you have no idea how to take care of your new do. You’re not alone. This is the problem for most of us. At-home curly hair-care is not straight forward. You’re unique hair texture, chemical processing history and the environment you live in are all factors in how you should approach hair care strategy. It is important to discuss your at-home hair care with your stylist and check-in at each appointment to see how your hair is responding to your treatment so you can make adjustments.

PinPoint #1: How often should I wash?

For instance, I only wash my hair about 1x per week, but I used to do several conditioning treatments each time I washed. Soon, I realized that I was over-conditioning!

I wash less frequently because of my curls so I really only need to do deep conditioning 1x per month. Think about it like this, if you’re only supposed to do a deep conditioning treatment 1x per week, but the instructions for that product is basing that frequency on an average of someone who washes their hair 3x per week then if I only wash my hair 1x per week, I should only deep condition every 3 times I wash which would only be about 1x per month. Sorry for the math there, but you’ve got to look at it that way!

So as soon as I stopped over-conditioning, my hair stopped feeling limp and heavy and was back in business. And when I discussed this with Jeffrey, he confirmed all my theories and helped me adjust my at-home curly hair care routine. The moral of this story is to pay attention to what your hair is telling you and make adjustments based on those observations and whether or not you can figure it out on your own, you should always consult your stylist for advice!

Share and subscribe to our Beauty Wizardry YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjc45ByMrYSjuuZtvHuFbhQ?sub_confirmation=1

Jeffrey’s Pro Tips for At-Home Curly Hair Care

Here is a basic overview of my advice for at-home curly hair care that will get curly-haired gals off to the right start in caring properly for their tresses. I mean, you’ve spent all this money to go to the salon and get your hair did, you should spend the time and money to get the right products and use them properly at home!

Establishing a routine with your new products is key and a topic for discussion with your stylist as they are finishing your hair, aka from the time they start shampooing you until they remove the cape at the end to reveal your final look you should be absorbing the information they share. Some items in your arsenal may be for daily use, while others may be weekly or monthly so it’s important to know when to use what and how. I like to show my clients the amount of each product I am using and how to properly apply it.

We, as stylists, want everything to work in harmony for you at home and if you feel as if your stylist isn’t educating you enough, don’t hesitate to ask them questions! It is easy to get caught up chatting with your stylist/client, it’s a valuable relationship, but as important as the gossip is, the maintenance conversations need to be just as important to make sure you’re both on the road to a long, happy hair journey together!

PinPoint #2: Shampooing Like a Pro

Curly hair doesn’t need to be cleansed as frequently as straight hair so when it comes to shampooing, the less you wash your hair, the better! Curly hair is prone to being dry and more fragile, so with excessive shampooing, you’re opening up the cuticle and stripping the hair of its natural oils, drying out your curls even more, which is why it’s so important not to overdo it with washing.

When shampooing, concentrate on rubbing and cleansing your scalp properly with your fingertips to promote hair growth and cleanse the scalp from product buildup without dragging the product through your ends.

Another key is knowing your ingredients and to use products specifically made with your hair type in mind, look for things that are sulfate and paraben-free, as these are two of the harshest ingredients on the hair. We recommend washing 1-2 times a week, but it really comes down to creating your own routine that suits your needs.

Shampoo Recommendations –

MARCO® COLOR MOISTURIZING SHAMPOO

OLAPLEX No. 4 Bond Maintenance™ Shampoo

DEVACURL No-Poo Original Zero Lather Conditioning Cleanser

PinPoint #2: Conditioning With Purpose

One of the most important steps in any curly hair care routine is to replenish moisture into your curls. After shampooing, apply a deep conditioner that suits your hair needs. Is it dry? Pick a moisturizing formula that contains humectants and oils. Is it weak? You’ll need protein with silk amino acids or keratin to restore strength. In the shower use a wide tooth comb to distribute the conditioner evenly and then let the conditioner go to work for a bit.

For a deep treatment, place your hair under a plastic cap or cover it with a towel for 20 minutes. If you’re using a moisturizing conditioner, and your hair has absorbed most of it, you may not want or need to rinse it out. But, if you’re using a protein conditioner, rinsing is absolutely essential as these formulas could cause your hair to become brittle and lead to breakage if left in the hair, too much protein is not a good thing! If you feel as if your curls still need more moisture, opt for applying a moisturizing conditioner after rinsing out the protein conditioner and before styling your hair in place of your leave-in product.

Conditioning Recommendations –

MARCO® COLOR HYDRATE CONDITIONER WITH COLLAGEN COLOR GUARD™

OLAPLEX NO. 5 BOND MAINTENANCE™ CONDITIONER

DevaCurl One Condition Decadence Ultra Moisturizing Milk Conditioner

PinPoint #3: Styling Isn’t All About Heat

When you’re ready to dry after the shower, ditch the towel and use an old cotton t-shirt that you’ve already got or a micro-fiber towel. Terry cloth towels absorb too much moisture, which curly hair needs and the harsh fiber and rough grooves of a regular towel will ruffle the hair’s cuticle, causing frizz and additional stress to the hair. The t-shirt allows the water to sink into the material and allows it to slide through the hair instead of roughing it up.

PLOP It Out…

Curly Hair PLOP Method: How-To — *Naturally Curly / Via* *naturallycurly.com*

Check out the “PLOP” method for more information on using an old shirt for your wet-to-

dry curly hairstyles (we’ll have our own PLOP tutorial coming soon)! No matter what, do not interrupt your curls while they’re drying! Playing with them or running your fingers through them may cause them to frizz up and breaks the shape, which is the first thing you want to avoid.

LOC It Up

For many curly hair folks, the order for applying styling aids is leave-in, oil, then curl cream — which is also known as the LOC Method as it’s an abbreviation for leave in conditioner, oil, and cream. By layering your products this way, you allow each of them to penetrate into the cuticle, working as intended for maximum moisture retention in the hair.

For the first step, we recommend applying a moisturizing, leave-in conditioner of your preference, we love the MARCO® ANTI-FRIZZ LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER WITH COLLAGEN COLOR GUARD™!

Next up, apply a thin layer of oil to your hair to help lock in the moisture. Argan Oil is best for dry or frizzy hair, Macadamia Oil for extremely dry or damaged hair and Coconut Oil is great for all hair types, it’s important to test and research what will work best for your hair type.

The final step is to apply a creamy moisturizer to your hair to seal the moisture in with this outer layer. This cream can also provide your curls with definition and hold, so pick something that works well with your hair type as well as lending itself to the style you’re looking to achieve. If your curls require more hold than a creamy moisturizer can give, feel free to finish up with additional styling products to enhance your desired look.

Styling Recommendations –

MARCO® ANTI-FRIZZ LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER WITH COLLAGEN COLOR GUARD™

DEVACURL Leave-In Decadence™ Ultra Moisturizing Leave-In Conditioner

MOROCCAN OIL HYDRATING STYLING CREAM

PinPoint #4: Maintaining Is All About The Right Tools

When it comes to maintaining your curls, there are a few extra steps you can take to keep those coils intact. To start, invest in the best comb possible and ditch the brush altogether. Use a wide tooth comb to detangle section by section after cleansing and applying leave-in conditioner, starting at the ends of your hair working your way up to the root. The least amount of tension and stress on your curls, the better! Much like a terry cloth towel, rough cotton pillowcases can cause your curls to tangle and frizz so swap them out for a silk pillowcase or silk bonnet to keep your curls intact and frizz free!

And that’s our general at-home curly hair care overview. Learn more about Jeffrey and Felice here. We’ll be doing more in-depth articles soon so stay tuned for more tips coming your way. What are some of your at-home curly hair care tips? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

How to Talk To Your Hairdresser