9 Things Your Hairstylist Desperately Wants to Tell You (But Can’t)

As much as the movies would like you to believe that your hairdresser should totes double as your therapist and that a top notch stylist can make your locks worthy of an Oscar in one quick visit, reality is, well…a little bit different. There’s a reason your hairstylist won’t flat out say that the bleached blonde color you love would actually look awful with your complexion (respect, people), but if you listen hard enough and learn to read between the lines, you’ll definitely reap some mane benefits. We asked a bunch of seasoned pros to share the one thing they wish they could tell their clients the most.

1. Just trust me

“You come to us for a reason. So let us do what we know best. We would never let you walk out not looking your best. Trust what we suggest and relax. Go with it.” – Dominick Pucciarello, master stylist at Mizu New York Salon

2. That hairstyle won’t make you look younger

“I try to advise my clients to not automatically go back to the hairstyles they wore when they were younger. Just because you had that look when you were 20 doesn’t mean you’re going to look younger with it now.” – Nunzio Saviano, NYC hairstylist and salon owner

3. Please listen to me

“At times, I would love to say, ‘Listen to me – I’m the expert.’ But as a professional, I do my best to give realistic advice while still meeting a client’s wishes and expectations. It’s in my best interest for every client to look their very best when leaving my salon, of course.” – Angelo David Pisacreta, celebrity hair extensions expert and owner of Angelo David Salon in NYC

4. Be realistic

“As a colorist for more than a decade, I would like to tell my clients to be
 realistic with what they can have. Even though they might want another type 
of color, their hair might not be right for it. If we tell you a 
style or color treatment won’t be right for your hair, as much as you want 
it, rely on the professional that you’re paying.” – Nevada Blue, hairstylist at Atlanta’s Van Michael Salon


5. Respect my time

“One thing I find rude is when clients arrive really late and expect 
to add on a service or are upset that their hair isn’t styled exactly how
 they’d like after having limited time from being late. If you have extremely long hair and know it takes longer than normal to 
dry, please tell the salon when you’re booking. There’s nothing worse than
 having 30 minutes to blow dry and it really takes over an hour.” – Head stylist at Andre Richard Salon in Philadelphia 


6. Don’t cut or color your hair yourself

“Leave the highlights and cuts to the professionals. That $10 box of color you just bought to look like J. Lo is now going to cost you at least $200 (or more) for me to fix it.” – Lea Leonardis, owner of Ja Vi No Salon in Plains, PA

7. Get a color that works with your budget

“Please don’t go more than 4-8 weeks without a root touch-up if you’re going to do permanent or high lift color. Even 8 weeks is really too long. First of all, it doesn’t look good, and it doesn’t save you money because it’s more work and product to fix. What we can do together is think of a hair color service that fits your needs and your budget so everyone is happy.” – Margie, owner of the Studio of the Colour of Design

8. Stop the gossip

“When you trash your old stylist, we wonder what you’re going to say about us when you walk out the door.” – Hairstylists at Elliven Spa

9. Don’t come with really, really dirty hair

“When you do a single process it’s good to not have freshly washed hair. That doesn’t mean come after a week of not washing though. That much buildup isn’t necessary. Never do that if it’s a new stylist, as the hair looks darker when it’s dirty and it’s hard to judge what the actual color is.” – George Papanikolas, Matrix celebrity hairstylist

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