Choosing your perfect hairstylist can be stressful, especially if you are having hair health issues. You might be moving to a new town or you just feel like your stylist doesn’t get you – whatever your reason, these 9 Tips from stylist and Arey Trichologist Jay Small will help smooth your transition to a new hairstylist. 

Choosing Your Perfect Hairstylist Doesn’t Have to Be a Headache

As a salon stylist for over 20 years, I know there are many reasons people need to make a change. It is possible to find the perfect hairstylist who gets you, your hair type and the style you want to achieve. Unfortunately that’s not as simple as just picking the first place you see on Main Street or Instagram, you need to do some looking before you leap!

Here’s my checklist to make it easier to choose the perfect hairstylist for you:

 

Nine Expert Tips For Choosing a Hairstylist:

1 - Referrals Are Your Hairstyle’s Best Friend

If you know someone with great hair, ask them for a referral – especially if they have a similar hair type and texture to you. Most of my salon clients are word-of-mouth. It means there’s a level of trust right from the beginning.

Instagram can also be a great place to research local stylists – but remember to read the reviews before committing your hair to their hands. 

 

2 - Get Your Hair and Scalp in Good Shape

Even the best hairstylist is not a miracle worker – if you have thin, brittle and dry hair, it’s not going to take color well. It’s also extra vulnerable to breakage from heat-styling. Your scalp skin is also important for healthy hair growth so make sure you give your scalp the same care and attention as your tresses.

 

 

Taking care of your hair and scalp health doesn’t have to be hard. Here are some easy ways you can take proactive care of your hair:

✅ Avoid sulfates: do an audit of your bathroom shelf and throw out anything with sulfates. These are harsh cleansers that dry out your hair and scalp and fade hair color fast. Look for gentle, sulfate-free shampoos like Arey Wash that won’t strip your hair. 

✅ Take care of your scalp: hair dye, chemical treatments, harsh shampoo, hard water and chlorine can all irritate your scalp. Then there’s buildup – when your natural oils combine with dead skin cells to form a waxy film on your scalp. Scalp buildup can unbalance your scalp’s natural ecosystem and leave you with dandruff, itching and even hair loss. A regular exfoliation with Scrub gently washes away buildup and restores your scalp’s natural balance. Read more here about the benefits of adding a scalp scrub to your haircare routine.

 

 

✅ Nourish your hair: vitamin and mineral deficiencies are a major cause of hair loss and premature greying. Taking a hair health supplement like Not Today, Grey boosts your hair growth and thickness from the inside-out. Read more about the science-backed ingredients in Not Today, Grey.

As a stylist and product creator I don’t believe in reactive care alone because I know that beautiful, healthy hair starts before you step into the salon.

 

3 - Do You Need a Stylist Or a Trichologist?

It’s time to consult a Trichologist if you have issues beyond hairstyling such as hair loss, severe breakage, dandruff, or a flaky or irritated scalp. Trichologists understand the whole cycle of hair growth and can advise you on the best way to treat and prevent hair and scalp health issues.

Check out my Trichologist tips for healthy hair here.

 

4 - Give Your New Hairstylist Some Help

Ok, so you’ve done your research and booked a hair appointment but you’re still feeling anxious. Don’t feel bad, my clients are often nervous when they first arrive. It can be scary to trust your locks to a new stylist. Your hairstylist is probably feeling anxious too. The only way you’re both going to end up feeling happy at the end of the session is through good communication.

 

 

You need to set some expectations for your desired result. Checking a stylist’s reviews and social media posts can help you know if they are experts at the look you want. Here are some good ways to make sure you and your stylist are both on the same page:

✅ Bring a color mood board: take screenshots of your favorite color effects to help your stylist understand your hair color goals.  

✅ Bring a picture of your ideal style: remember that your hairstylist is not a mindreader so a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Many of my long-term clients just let me do my thing, while others are very specific. But the do-my-own-thing clients are a result of many conversations over time until they trust me.

 

5 - Why You Need a Hair Consultation

Some salons schedule consultations in advance of a hair appointment. Other stylists build them into the appointment time. Either way don’t skip the consultation.

Here’s what should happen during a consultation:

✅ Your hairstylist will listen to your hair goals: taking into account your face shape, hair texture and condition.

✅ Your hairstylist asks about maintenance: in other words are you the wash-and-go type or the get-up-early-and-style type?

✅ Your hairstylist advises on color: not everyone’s hair is a good candidate for hair dye. In a consultation your stylist will probably run their fingers through your hair to check its condition. They should also ask if you are using box hair dye or if your last color was in a salon. 

✅ Your hairstylist listens to you: remember, this isn’t a one-way conversation. If you’re not interested in complicated color or have concerns about covering grey hair, then the consultation is your chance to let the stylist know.

If you have a sensitive scalp you should talk to your stylist during the consultation so they can decide what kind level of developer (color activator) you can tolerate. You should also discuss using a pre-color treatment like Calm It Down™.

 

 

Calm It Down™ soothes, nourishes and cools your scalp before and after using hair dyes, relaxers or other chemicals. Here’s how to use Calm It Down™:

✅ Before coloring your hair: apply Calm It Down™ 4-6 hours before using hair dye.

✅ After every on-scalp color service: apply Calm It Down™ daily after coloring until your scalp is no longer irritated.

Calm It Down™ also contains Arey’s Mela-9™ Complex which supports pigment production and helps slow, delay and reverse grey hair growth.

 

6 - Don’t Make These Common First Appointment Mistakes

Your first salon appointment with a new hairstylist is kind of like a first date – you don’t know each other so take it slow. And definitely don’t go for a radical transformation on the first session.

Follow these guidelines for a successful first appointment:

✅ Opt for a trim over a drastic change in length. 

✅ Try a color similar to your natural shade rather than anything radical that would require both bleach and dye to achieve.

✅ Don’t badmouth your former stylist, instead focus on what you want from your new stylist.

Remember communication is everything. Don’t suffer in silence and then leave a bad review. Your hairstylist’s goal is to have you leave their chair feeling and looking great. They can’t do that if you don’t help them understand your needs.

 

7 - Are Your Hairstyle Expectations Unrealistic?

You’re only going to be disappointed if you show up at a salon expecting the hairstylist to wave a magic wand and magically erase ten years of hair damage. And those platinum locks you love on Instagram may not be a realistic option for your hair type. As a responsible stylist, my job is often to talk people out of certain color or cut decisions. 

 

 

Here’s what I ask clients about their home haircare habits: 

✅ Shampoo habits: are you protecting your color by using a color safe, sulfate-free shampoo like Wash? 

✅ Heat styling habits: if you’re a regular with the heat tools, are you using a heat protectant like Mend?

✅ Lifestyle habits: are you using a leave-in conditioner like Live In Mist® to protect your hair from damage and fading from the sun?

If your new style means regular heat tools, you need to use a heat protectant like Mend every time your shampoo. Mend also helps with natural texture if you prefer to air dry.

Read more here about safer heatstyling habits.

 

If you’re someone who spends a lot of time in the sun, Live In Mist® leave-in conditioner is an easy way to nourish your hair, style your hair and protect it from sun damage. 

 

8 - Is Your Ideal Hairstyle High or Low Maintenance?

The most perfect style in the world isn't really perfect if it doesn't fit into your lifestyle and haircare routine. Make sure you leave the salon understanding how to care for your new color or cut. It looks easy when there’s a professional deftly styling your locks, but things might not look so simple at 7 a.m. when your alarm goes off.

When you choose your style make sure you know the answers to these questions: 

✅ How often do you want to go to the salon for touchups?

✅ What’s your haircare budget for tools, products, and salon visits?

✅ How much time do you want to spend styling your hair daily?

Ask your hairstylist what products they used to cleanse and style your hair – it’s worth buying them because you may not be able to achieve that look without them. Your stylist should be happy to show you how to use the products.

 

9 - Use Clean, Balanced, Color-Safe Haircare Between Appointments

Last but not least, make sure you use products that are clean and designed for your hair type. At Arey we follow the Credo Clean Standard™ because we care about your health and our planet too. We never use artificial fragrances, phthalates, parabens or formaldehyde. We are also vegan, gluten and cruelty-free.

We want you to achieve your hair goals so we offer up to 25% off on all subscription orders. Because we know consistency delivers the best results.

We are Arey.

Have questions? Check out our FAQ page or reach out to us via email.

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