Considering that barbers and hair stylists dedicate their lives to making you a better-looking person, their good side is a fruitful place to be. And when you think about the fact that they're regularly coming at you with sharp objects, having your hair person like you can even make for good preemptive self-defense. So we asked an array of folks in the business to tell all—confess what, exactly, annoys them about the person sitting in their hydraulic chairs. Before we get to the juicy stuff, the fine barbers and hair stylists we asked to confess their client's bad habits wanted us to let you know that there is no crisis of manners happening in salons across the nation. Actually, they say 99% of you are really good at sitting there and getting your haircut (though it's not that hard so don't congratulate yourselves quite yet)."It's really uncomfortable when their significant other is standing over your shoulder directing the cut," says just about every barber from almost every city. Fair enough, nobody likes being micromanaged, so if your lady friend insists on controlling your hair, either go to her person or take notes so you can explain what she wants yourself.
Don't think you can get away with a video chat either. "I find it insulting," says a barber in a New York City men's salon.And, on a side note: if your trusty stylist is a woman and she's even remotely attractive, once your girlfriend meets her, there's a good chance you'll never be allowed to go back. "It's happened," says a bombshell stylist out of NYC.You keep your eyes open during a shampoo and/or shave. Totally understandable that it can be uncomfortable to be making eye contact with the stranger whose hair you're lathering up, but shaving? Since there's a razor being pressed so close to things like jugular veins, it's a little more difficult to fight the impulse to keep your eyes open.You moan in ecstasy from a really good shampoo. "That just makes me rush the job," says one regular shampoo-giver in Indianapolis. And if you moan and keep your eyes open at the same time? Since you're not five years old, it should go without saying that you shouldn't cut your own hair, but even cleaning up your own neckline can be really frustrating.
"I've seen crooked lines, chunks taken out and borders that have been taken up way too high, and they can be difficult to fix," says a barber from San Francisco. A problem easily avoided since many barbershops will clean up your borders for less than a cost of a full cut. By all means bring in celebrity photos, but understand that, "We give haircuts, we don't rearrange faces," says a hair stylist based in Chicago. So basically, if you want Justin Timberlake's hair, depending on what's physically possible, you can pretty much have it, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll bring your sexy back."I'm not saying that, as a rule, you shouldn't talk to your stylist about the intricate details of your love life. If you have a very close and long relationship with that person, it's fine. But if that's the case the stylist usually knows your wife and likes her as well. Ninety-nine percent of the time the stylist will never say anything to her, but 99% will tell someone in the salon and it's a small world," says one NYC-based hair stylist.
Keep your personal life to yourself.Or, put another way, don't be an asshole to your stylist. One DC-based men's stylist tells us of a customer who insists on getting cut with his oversized Beats by Dre firmly planted on his ears and then gets frustrated when the stylist accidentally knocks them during the cut. Don't be that guy.Unleashing a torrent of malodorous breath or body odor on any person in close proximity who is also holding scissors is not a good idea. It's even worse when you're depending on them to take their time to make you look good. "Do what you can to make your breath not stink, just don't chew gum," says a barber out of Austin Texas.There's a sharp object near your face and you squirming only distracts the person holding it. This annoys your barber and could turn out poorly for your ear.Short hair isn't always less work than long hair. If getting a simple one-length-all-over buzz, don't go to an expensive barbershop.Under no circumstances should you touch your barber's scissors or clippers, especially to pick them up to fix something.
"Back off…" says one Arizona-based barber.This is a problem most easily solved by bringing in photos of what you like, having a conversation about what is truly possible and then being open to settle for reality. "Most stylists won't give their opinion unless you ask," says one Boston-based stylist. They see and know a lot, so you should probably ask. And when they do give their opinion, it's in your best interest to listen.So please don't text or talk on the phone while someone is cutting your hair. "Nothing is ruder than a client waving you off so they can answer a call while you're in the middle of cutting their hair. If it's an emergency, you can say, 'Excuse me, but I have to take this,'" says a stylist based out of Los Angeles.File this under the obvious but, a haircut isn't like a car, a shirt, or even dinner. Once the cut is underway, it's damn near impossible to modify the proceedings.Serving bourbon or beer at barbershops is a recent trend, but as it turns out, when all that imbibing leads to you snoring and drooling over everything, it's a bitch to the entire barbershop.
Practical Tips for your Hair Salon (4) Shampoo Bowls and Chairs Although you may be watching your finances, it would be best to try to get the best shampoo bowls and chairs you can possibly afford. The reasoning is because of your back and yourThe standard shampoo bowl and chair is normally very uncomfortable for your client while you stand on the side stretching your body to twist around to adjust to the chair to shampoo her hair. The client isn’t really very comfortable because she is not able to put her legs up and she is also trying to adjust to the chair and bowl as well. Some clients have short necks and this contributes to a special problem for her and the shampooer, as usually it can be almost impossible to wash and rinse a head of hair with a short neck without getting water all over the place, on the floor or on her back and so with the twisting and stretching on both sides, there can be back problems that arise. The latest equipment is designed for you to be able to shampoo your client’s hair from the back of the bowl with less back problems.
In this way, the client's head is right there in front of you; usually at the height of your stomach. Most important is when you are having your bowls installed to make sure the shampoo bowls are up at a reasonable height to accommodate your height and your back. The client is seated in the latest adjustable chair with her legs up and out to enjoy this pleasurable service while you massage her head. I’ve had many a client tell me that having a good shampoo was the best part of the whole service. A good shampoo is a massage and relaxes your client from the stresses of their day. There are things you can pinch on while beginning a salon but a shampoo bowl and chair shouldn’t be one of them. To sum it up, you are to consider the comfort of your client and your feet/legs and back. If you are hurting, how much enjoyment can you extend to your client? Always have rubber mats around every chair where you work, it will help you with your legs, feet and back. Have the rubber mat around the shampoo bowl, tinting area and around your
stationary chairs of your employees. If you are working for someone else, buy your own if they do not have one and when you leave; take it with you, you paid for it. If you are going to have a three to five station hair salon, make sure all of your stylist’s have rubber mats so they can stay in good health and not have problems later on. What you do early on at your job will affect you later on in life, so make sure you take care of yourself and those who will be working for you. This may seem irrelevant but, don’t be silly and insist on working in stilettos; they are for Hollywood and Hollywood only! It is true that some hair salons still insist on having the glamour of their stylist working in 7 inch heels but be real! How much good can they accomplish when their backs are hunched over trying to give their precision haircut? This is not to say what these heels will do forThink long term, and think about you! When you take your client back to the dispensary, it is vital to have everything at your finger tips without any stretching on your part.