Choosing the right salon for you.
Written by Carly
Visiting a hair salon should be an experience that you enjoy, one that leaves you feeling relaxed and with a great style to show off afterwards. However, so many people say that they would rather go to the dentist than visit a new hairdresser! At The Mount Salon, we say it is important to take away all that stress and find the right salon for you. Here are a few tips to help.
Do your research!
A website can be a good shop window for the salon. Check out if they offer the services you are looking for, for example wedding hair or specialist colour techniques. Is it professional? Super trendy? Do they offer different pricing levels?
Reviews and social media scores are a good way to get a feel for the customer service levels. However, reviews don’t tell a complete story so rather than just looking for a perfect score, see how the salon responds to comments. Communication is the key to a great hair style and a salon that responds in an up to date and professional way online is likely to be the same in real life.
Personal recommendations are often the best way to find the right salon for you. Ask friends and family who they trust with their locks. If you meet a stranger with a hair style you admire then ask them who their stylist is. We guarantee that they will be flattered that you asked.
Book a consultation
You’ve decided on the salon that you want to visit so the next step is to get in touch. A receptionist may ask you a few questions to help match you to a particular stylist. Be honest! Price might be a big decider for you, or alternatively, you might feel more comfortable with a more experienced stylist as opposed to a junior. Most professional salons offer a free-of-charge, no obligation consultation that allows you to visit and see if their salon is an environment that makes you feel comfortable. Ask yourself, do you like the atmosphere? Are you made to feel welcome?
This is an opportunity to meet your stylist and discuss your requirements and what you love – and find difficult – about your hair. You should feel listened to, and certainly not pressurised or rushed. Don’t be afraid to bring pictures in to help you explain what you are looking for. Stylists are visual people and will love this. They may advise a different process than the one you had originally thought of, but this is to help ensure you get the best result possible from your salon experience. The consultation is also a good time to perform a strand or skin test to check that you are compatible with the salon’s colour range.
What happens next?
At your appointment you should have another consultation to confirm all of the things you discussed at your first meeting. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or make changes. Your lifestyle is a huge factor that affects the success of your hairstyle – let your stylist know if you need to wear your hair a certain way for work, or if you have very little time to style your hair. Sharing information is crucial. At The Mount Salon, we understand that communication and listening is the most important part of our job. Your stylist should also read your body language and your mood; you might love to chat or relax quietly with a magazine, and your hairdresser should pick up on this.
By the end of your appointment, hopefully you will love your hair and have been shown products and tips on the best way to style it yourself. However, a first visit is just the beginning of your relationship with your salon. It is often when you have left the stylist’s chair and you have styled your hair in the comfort of your own home, that you can feel if there are any tweaks that are needed. Tell your stylist! It is great for them to see how your hair behaves and you should feel comfortable sharing what is working – or not working – for you. A professional salon will do their utmost to help and will often provide advice on looking after your hair at home and maintenance care such as fringe trims to help you love your hair, even when you are not in the salon.