Does anything beat making a hair appointment? A day spent in a salon chair is cheaper than going to the spa, but it can feel just as much an act of self-care which is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and looking like a million dollars. Forget dry ends and ratty locks; salon day will make it all better.
The question is, do you make your stylist’s day better in the process? Potentially not considering that, while we spend our entire lives attending hair appointments, many of us simply never take the time to understand salon etiquette. As a result, we may struggle to strike up a relationship with our stylists, and our hair inevitably suffers as a result. You may even find that your salon behaviour is so bad you have to head somewhere new each time. That lack of continuity just won’t look as good as a cut from someone who knows your exact hair type and preferences!
So, it’s time to put an end to your style struggles and consider the following hair salon etiquette rules you simply weren’t aware of breaking.
# 1 – Showing up too Early
If you’re an organised and efficient person, you may believe that there’s no such thing as too early when a pre-planned appointment is concerned. But, trust stylists everywhere when they say that this simply isn’t the case.
This is especially true considering that most salon waiting rooms are right at the front of the building. Having even one person sitting in those fully visible chairs simply doesn’t look good for your stylist, and it’s through no fault of their own.
Salon reception areas also tend to be in full view of your stylist, who is more likely to feel rushed with their current client if they can see you sitting there for twenty-plus minutes. And that’s not even to mention how their boss might react to having a client visibly waiting for so long.
To avoid all of this, which will inevitably fall on your stylist’s shoulders, make sure you arrive no sooner than 5-10 minutes before your appointment each time. That way, you can make sure you aren’t holding anyone up, without piling unfair pressure on the person soon to be responsible for your new hair look.
# 2 – Assuming You’ll Always Get a Walk-In Appointment
Admittedly, some salons offer walk-in appointments as standard, and if you don’t care who does your hair, then there’s nothing wrong with taking this approach. However, if you prefer to see a specific stylist, failing to make an appointment is a big etiquette no-no, nevermind how loyal a client you are.
In-demand stylists simply can’t drop everything to see to your hair disasters or cutting whims. These individuals typically try to fill their days with bookings to avoid downtime, and there’s no space for you to just turn up on that schedule.
This drop-in approach is only made worse by the fact that, instead of turning you away, your stylist may feel obliged to stay later, or shuffle their appointments to fit you in and avoid losing a loyal client. All of which is a stress that they simply don’t deserve.
As such, if you want to secure a certain stylist, you should always think about booking in advance. Even if you have a hair emergency, call ahead and ask if your stylist would be able to see you that day, rather than just turning up and assuming they will.
# 3 – Oversharing About Your Life
You don’t need to know the intricacies of salon etiquette to understand the need to make at least some small talk with the person doing your hair. This is just general human decency, especially considering that most hair appointments will last an hour or more. If you don’t even acknowledge your stylist, things will quickly get awkward!
However, the need to make small talk definitely doesn’t give you free rein to overshare about your life with a stylist who, let’s be fair, is only trying to do their job. Remember, they’re paid to do your hair, not offer a free counselling session at the same time!
As a general rule, try to keep salon conversation light, fun, and general. You should certainly avoid speaking about overly personal matters or struggles. Gossip about people in your life is also a big no-no – your stylist simply doesn’t need to hear it!
Admittedly, you can speak more about, say, your children or family members, if you’ve been seeing the same stylist for some time. But, it’s still important that you don’t make the mistake of overstepping the mark, or making your stylist listen to things that make them uncomfortable.
# 4 – Talking on Your Phone
Salon time might seem like the ideal opportunity to get through those phone calls you’ve been putting off, but trust us when we say that this simply isn’t the case. For one thing, your stylist doesn’t want to sit and listen to your tedious phone calls the entire time they’re trying to do your hair. Trying being the main word there, because how much can they really do when they’re attempting to cut around your mobile phone?
Even during times when your stylist isn’t actively with you, such as when you’re waiting for dye to take, phone calls could prove disruptive to everyone else in the salon. This is especially frowned upon, because salons aim to be spa-style relaxation spaces, and no one will be able to relax while listening to you make a parent’s evening appointment.
This isn’t to say that you absolutely can’t touch your phone during a hair appointment. In fact, phone entertainment like audiobooks, podcasts, or online games such as mahjong offer some of the best ways to keep busy throughout your appointment. Just make sure that, except for emergencies or brief ‘I’ll call you back later’ conversations, you keep that screen well away from your ear at all times!
# 4 – Waiting to Complain
We’ve all had that moment where the stylist gives us a ‘big reveal’ that ends up being a big disappointment. Perhaps your new look simply doesn’t live up to your expectations, or maybe there’s a styling error that you can’t work past. Either way, this is an awkward moment, and you may feel inclined to simply smile and say all is fine to save your stylist’s feelings. In truth, though, calling up for another appointment later on is a far worse move than simply pointing out your concerns in the moment.
The reality is that stylists can’t work wonders. They have no way of knowing precisely what style you’re envisioning, no matter how many pictures you show them. They know this and are fully expecting to make a few tweaks to their work along the way.
Staying silent robs them of the chance to get things right, and it looks like a major black mark against their name when you’re back to see someone else in a few days. Worse, they’ll always know about further visits because they’ll see you arriving for and attending your appointment. Your stylist deserves your honesty and a chance to produce the best haircut in their power as a result.
# 5 – Leaving One Blanket Tip
Tipping is always an awkward thing to navigate, and this is especially true in a hair salon where one blanket tip simply doesn’t come close to cutting it. After all, there are many people involved in making your new hairstyle possible, from the receptionist who booked your appointment, to your stylist, the colourist team, and even the person who washes and dries your hair. And all of them deserve a tip.
This can be a difficult thing to get your head around, considering that you wouldn’t even think of breaking down a restaurant tip to cover, say, the service team and chefs. But salons work on a unique business model, where stylists often rent chairs or work on a freelance basis. In other words, your tip needs to go through a lot of loops before it gets to them, and if you don’t leave enough, there’s simply no guarantee of that.
One great way around this is to leave a tip directly with your stylist, and then leave another tip for the salon staff. Equally, leaving a large tip that’s a minimum of 10% of your bill makes it more likely that everyone will get a fair cut.
Conclusion
You deserve to enjoy your day at the salon, but not at the cost of general decency and basic salon etiquette. Whether you’re on the quest for a loyal stylist or you simply want the best hair possible, avoiding these embarrassing slip-ups is always the best course of action.
So, pick up the phone, book your appointment, and practise a little polite salon chit-chat, because it’s time to become the best client your stylist sees all day long. That way, they’ll be begging to have you back in no time.
