It’s happened to the best of us. You go in to the salon armed with pictures and the guts to try something new to your hair, spend a small fortune and then leave feeling less than dazzled. As a stylist, I am always working to help my clients get exactly what they want but there are rare occasions where we just were not on the same page. As much as I hate for a client to be unhappy with their hair, what I hate MORE is a client that is unhappy with their hair and doesn’t tell me about it. I know it can be awkward to pick up the phone or even admit it before you leave the salon but any professional stylist would want to do everything in their power to remedy the situation. While I admit the topic can get a little tricky…don’t you worry, I’m here to help! I have broken down a few tips on how to handle it should you ever find yourself less than pleased at your next salon visit.
START WITH A GREAT CONSULTATION
I know I already touched on this at length but a great consultation will minimize the likelihood that you will need an adjustment in the first place. Remember to speak up if at any point you feel like you are not on the same page. A few minutes in the beginning can save hours of time adjusting a color if it’s not done properly!
TREAT YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT LIKE A FIRST DATE
Remember that you and your stylist are getting to know know each other on your first visit and your “honey, carmel blonde” may be different to them. Your “just a trim” might be a couple of inches or it may mean you don’t even want to see hair hit the floor. This goes back to consultation but have a little bit more grace on a first appointment while you get to know each other. Also keep in mind that every head of hair is different so we need to get to know YOUR hair and see what we can make it do.
SPEAK UP QUICKLY
As soon as you know that it’s not what you want, mention it. If your stylist is blowing out your hair, they would rather you speak up before it’s all the way dry because they may be able to adjust it right then without doing two blow outs. I know it sometimes takes getting in different lighting to realize something looks off so call within 48 hours if possible to alert the stylist or manager that you need an adjustment. Anything past a week would be considered another service because then we are dealing with new growth. If you feel awkward mentioning it to the stylist then by all means reach out to the manager or front desk team!
BE PATIENT
Trust me, it’s never our goal to have to do an adjustment. We may have to work you into the schedule to accommodate (which we will absolutely do) but it may take some fancy scheduling to get it all done, bear with us while we get you squared away. Also, it’s possible that your hair will grow on you. No, it’s not ideal and we definitely want you happy with your hair immediately but if you wanted a big change then give it a chance to see if you are just not used to the new look. If you absolutely can’t deal then let us know and we will make it work.
ABOUT GOING DARK
Blondes, listen to me. If you think you want to go “all over dark” or “back to your natural color”…proceed with caution. Going darker can be a beautiful thing but undoing it is a whole other thing. To go back to blonde, we will likely have to bleach that dark color out of your hair. This is a process that can take several rounds of color and weeks if not months to be done properly without damaging your hair. If you go dark and hate it the next day then know that it will be at your stylist discretion about how to charge you to undo the dark! On the flip side, if you are dark and going super blonde this also takes some time to undo. Dramatic swings on the color spectrum are a commitment and this should also be part of your consultation.
MULTIPLE ADJUSTMENTS ARE A RED FLAG
A tweak here or there, or an adjustment after a new visit to a salon is one thing. If you always need adjusting or just one more foil or just one more toner then it may be time to rethink your relationship with your stylist. Something is going wrong in your communication. Either they aren’t understanding you or you aren’t understanding them. Adjustments are stressful for everyone and VERY expensive for the salon, so if you are having to get multiple adjustments at multiple salons it may be time to think about what exactly you are asking for out of a stylist. I never want to loose a client but my ultimate goal is for them to love what they see in the mirror and if I can’t give them that then I want to help them find someone that can!
BOTTOM LINE
The bottom line is that an (occasional) adjustment actually isn’t that big of a deal so don’t stress! If you have an understanding stylist at great salon then they are going to be able to whip that hair into exactly what you want. Most adjustments are minor tweaks that can be done in less than an hour. It’s always so sad to me when a client is so worried that they had to come for an adjustment and then it’s such an easy fix! I would much rather fix it than have you go somewhere else. We always take great notes at Mirror Mirror so chances are you wont ever need that adjustment again. Remember we are people just like you and ultimately we are all on the same team working to give you the best hair you can have!
To book an appointment at Mirror Mirror call (512)420-8868
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