Emerson Salon – Capitol Hill Seattle

At Emerson Salon we know that one of the biggest challenges with visiting a new stylist is getting a fantastic haircut that you love and makes you look and feel amazing. Usually this challenge comes not from the lack of skill of the stylist, but rather from a breakdown in the communication between the customer and the stylist. Not only do the stylist and customer need to overcome the natural difficulties of communicating between people who often come from very different backgrounds, but the stylist is highly trained with a technical and specific vocabulary while the customer may have a hard time putting what he or she is thinking in the right words. This gap in the vocabulary between you and your stylist is why you need to be extra sure that the stylist understands what you are saying before beginning on the appointment.

1. Be Prepared – Spend some time thinking about your haircut before going to the salon. Decide if you have a specific cut that you are looking for or would like the stylist to recommend something. This decision is key and should be the first thing you tell the stylist because it will determine the direction of the pre-cut consultation. The better idea you have of what you would like your hair to look like the easier it will be for the stylist to get on the same page and provide you with the perfect cut.

   Spend some time online looking at fashion websites, mopshots.com, or our blog to get an idea of different possibilities for hair styles. Print out the pictures you like and bring them to your appointment to show the stylist. I recommend writing on the back of the picture the URL of the image (in case the stylist needs a better look at it) and what specifically you like about the hair cut.

   Some salons (like ours) will let you email in pictures in advance and store them for you until your appointment. This is a very handy way of ensuring you will be prepared for your appointment.

2. Be Specific – Once you know what you want in your hair cut, be as specific as possible in explaining it to the stylist. Try telling the stylist what you want out of your haircut in several different ways. Be sure to point out what specifically is most important to you in your haircut (i.e. the bangs, texture, the neck line, etc) so they know where to focus their time and efforts. Bringing multiple pictures is a great way to get the dialog flowing, because it gives you and the stylist an opportunity to talk about what you do like from different pictures and what you do not like.



3. Say What You Don’t Want – Almost as important as saying what you want in a haircut is being clear about what you do not like. One of the key enemies that you are fighting in your consultation is an assumption by the stylist about what you want. Saying what you don’t like will often unseat any assumptions the stylist might have made and force them to reassess the situation. You may think that no one would consider doing a razor cut on your hair, but unless you say it, that might be exactly what the stylist is thinking. Cover your bases and say what you don’t want, even if it seems ridiculous. You will be happy when you don’t get what you already know you don’t want. Other common dislikes include blending shears, straight bangs, blocked off neck lines, etc.

4. History Matters – One of the most common mistakes made by a customer going into a haircut or coloring appointment is neglecting to catch the stylist up on your hair history. This is really important in helping the stylist to understand the specific needs of your situation. Key details to mention include the length of time since your last hair cut, any color or other chemicals that have been applied to the hair, and what styling products you use. Almost any type of hair can be handled by a trained stylist, but they need to know what they are dealing with before they begin the service so be thorough in getting your stylist up to speed.



5. Work Matters – Talk to your stylist about your profession and work environment. Especially if you are asking your stylist to provide you with a recommendation for a haircut, this information is important. You want a haircut that will be stylish and make you look great, but also be appropriate for your work environment. A great haircut for a new associate at a conservative law firm may not be the same as what a stylist would recommend for a barista at a trendy coffee shop.

6. Say It Back To Me – After you feel like you’ve made yourself very clear and the stylist has all the relevant information that they need to provide you with just the right haircut. Have them repeat it back to you. This is a great way to assess what the stylist actually heard and understood. Often you will be surprised and how the stylist synthesized all the information you just unloaded on them. If it comes back perfect then you know you are ready to begin the appointment, if not then this will help you zero in on exactly where the stylist is misunderstanding you.

7. Stay in Control – One common mistake made is to allow the stylist to begin cutting your hair before they understand what you are looking for. Remember you are in control and don’t be afraid to tell the stylist to stop. If you are not confident that the stylist and you are on the same page yet, don’t let them start and keep the conversation flowing.



8. Ask for Just a Consultation – If you are planning to make a big change to your hairstyle (like cutting off ten inches or drastically changing your hair color), don’t be afraid to schedule just a consultation. Most stylists are happy to sit with you and talk about your hair and what you are hoping to accomplish. This separation of time between your consultation and the cut will give you an opportunity to learn from the stylist but give you still an opportunity to consider if this is really what you want to do. Cutting off a lot of hair can be a big decision and once its off, its hard to get it back so be sure to take the time to be sure that this is what you want to do.

9. Learn from Mistakes – Lets face it, from time to time everyone will get a bad haircut. While these tips are designed to minimize the likelihood of that happening, there will be times where the hair cut did not turn out exactly the way you wanted it. The natural reaction in this situation is to get angry, write of a negative review of your stylist, and begin searching for a new salon where they actually know what they are doing. This may make you feel better, but unfortunately it doesn’t leave you any better prepared for your next hair appointment. Instead, take this time to learn what happened and make sure it never happens again. Talk to your stylist and be specific about what you don’t like about the haircut. Often the stylist will be able to provide technical terms for what you don’t like, which you can write down and keep ready to explain to all future haircut appointments. With this information in your pocket you will now be able to ensure you never get this haircut again.

10. Take A Photo – Do you love the haircut you just got? If so, then the most important thing you can do is ask your stylist to take a picture. Even if you have seen your stylist for years and they know your hair inside and out, its a good practice to keep a picture of the haircut you want. A good stylist will take notes on the services they performed for you, but they also see hundreds of customers between your appointments and it can be hard for them to remember exactly what they did on the previous appointment. Keeping a picture of your rockstar haircut will often provide the stylist exactly what they need to make you look amazing again and again.

And there you have it 10 awesome tips from our team here at Emerson Salon. If you follow these simple rules you will go a long ways towards taking control of your hair styling trip and ensure your stylist is always able to provide you with the perfect hair cut!