When your hair looks good, you feel good. It can add a little pep into your step and give you an extra boost of confidence. The opposite is also true.
A bad hair day can make you lack confidence or feel less pulled together. Since your hair is one of the first things you see when you look in the mirror, it can be hard to escape a bad cut or color. That’s why it can be a nightmare when you have a bad hairdresser.
A bad hairdresser doesn’t necessarily mean one that is inexperienced or one that works at a cheap hair salon chain. A bad hairdresser can work at an expensive salon like Regis or Ulta and have many years under their belt. Here are 5 signs that someone is a bad hairdresser.
See Also: How to Find a GOOD Hairdresser
Table of Contents
Signs You Have a Bad Hairdresser
1. They Don’t Seem to Hear You
Communicating the style you envision to your stylist can be challenging. While stylists do use professional jargon that people outside of the industry may not understand, they should always try to explain what the terms mean or use layman’s terms to make sure you both are on the same page.
If you talk to your stylist and they don’t take the time to understand the look you are trying to achieve, they are a bad hairdresser.
2. They Do the Cut They Think You Should Have (and Not the Cut You Want)
A step further than not hearing you is when a hairstylist seems to hear you, but ignores what you say. Nothing is worse than asking for an inch off and ending up with much more removed.
Yes, often we aren’t willing to part with as much length as we might need to make our hair look fresh and free of split ends, but that is something that needs to be discussed before it’s cut. We know what we want, and a good stylist will listen and offer feedback, even if it isn’t what you want to hear.
Their expertise is invaluable and they can help determine if that style you love will actually work for you and your hair. If it won’t, they will work with you to figure out an alternative that will have you leaving the chair with gorgeous hair that works for you.
In fact, if your stylist gives you the pixie cut in the picture knowing that it won’t work for you and your hair, that is a sign of a bad hairdresser.
3. They Don’t Ask About Your Hair Habits
The second part of a consultation, after listening to what you want and whether or not it works for your hair type, is determining if it works for your lifestyle. Having a hair stylist that doesn’t discuss your hair habits with you is a sign of a bad hairdresser.
When we see a picture online, we can’t see the work that goes into it. It may require more work to achieve the look than you are willing to spend daily. Asking questions like how often you wash and condition your hair, or how much time you have to style it in the morning will help them to assist you in choosing the best cut.
If you walk into the salon with a picture of a complicated style but don’t like to spend much time on your hair, a good hairdresser will help you to find a happy medium.
The same is true for color. If you have a very busy schedule and can’t make a hair appointment every month, then a high maintenance color probably won’t work for you.
A good stylist wants you to have hair that you love but also is a realistic choice that works for your lifestyle whether it be short or long or straight or curly.
A bad stylist will just cut or color your hair and leave you trying to wake up early and style it every day or wearing hats to cover the roots in between color appointments.
See Also: 8 Common Hair Coloring Myths
4. They Aren’t Thorough
Anyone who has attempted an at-home haircut knows that it looks easier than it actually is. So it is easy to forgive your stylist if you occasionally end up with one piece of hair that seemed to escape being cut.
But, if you consistently leave the salon with one side longer than the other or uneven color, it might be because your stylist lacks attention to detail and isn’t being thorough.
After cutting your hair, a good hairdresser will check for evenness both after they cut it and again after they blowdry it. A good hairdresser will also apply the color carefully and strategically to ensure it will take evenly.
Your hairdresser may have the skill to do the cut and color perfectly with their eyes closed, but with such attention to detail, they show their clients how important they are.
A good stylist will take the time and care to go through it and check their work, even if it ends up that nothing needs to be tweaked.
5. They Don’t Respect Your Time
While the skill of a hairdresser has nothing to do with how prompt they are or how often their schedule changes, these things do matter. If your stylist is always running behind or canceling appointments, they are not respecting your time.
Life happens, so things can and will come up from time to time that can make your hairstylist have scheduling issues. But, if it happens consistently or unapologetically, it is a sign your stylist is being unprofessional.
When something does come up that causes your hairdresser to cancel or switch an appointment, they should offer some explanation or apology.
While just one client running behind can set off the whole day, a good hairstylist will thank you for waiting and understanding. An unprofessional stylist will not offer the same respect.
When Should You Change Hairdressers?
The decision to change hairdressers is not always an obvious one to make and has to be a personal one. It all comes down to what your priorities are.
If your stylist is always late, but you have a flexible schedule and love the way they cut your hair, it might not matter. If your stylist is amazing at color but they are always canceling appointments forcing you into using boxed hair color to touch up your roots at home, you may want to consider changing.
Ultimately, the most important thing is going to be different for everyone and requires some thought before deciding whether or not to change stylists. But, if every appointment leaves you unhappy, then you should definitely choose a new hairdresser.
Related: Hairdresser vs Barber (What’s the Difference?)
How to “Break-Up” With Your Hairdresser
Breaking up with a hairdresser can be difficult and uncomfortable, but if you are unhappy and want to change stylists, then it is necessary. The best way to tell anyone something difficult is usually by being honest, but kind.
For example, if your stylist is always canceling appointments, you can have a break-up conversation with them when they try and reschedule. Simply tell them that you appreciate all they have done as your hairstylist, but that your schedules don’t seem to line up and you will have to find a stylist whose availability better matches your own.
No matter what the reason, be gentle and direct with your stylist. Once you have you’ll feel better and then you will be able to move on and find someone that will work better for you.