10 Salon Tips For Getting The Hair You Want

Happy Monday, sweet friends! The question I get asked most often is about my hair. I’ve filmed a tutorial on how I get my beachy waves and I’ve shared the best products for fine hair. But, let’s be honest. You can use the best products and curl your heart out, but if you aren’t satisfied with your cut or color, it’s just not going to work. It all starts at the salon and finding a stylist and colorist that you love isn’t easy... so today I’m sharing my tips for getting the hair you want.

I’ve been going to Salon Buzz in Chicago (the one on Superior) for almost 10 years. Even now that I live on the North Shore and it isn’t the most convenient, I make the drive and sit in traffic. Why? Because Lyndsey.

I found Lyndsey by searching “the best colorist for cool highlights in Chicago” on Goggle. For real. I read her reviews and they were promising, so I tried it. And I haven’t looked back. (OK, fine except that time after my first girl was born and I tried a salon in the North Shore and EEEEEK. Oops.)

I used to see Lexi for my cut, but she moved to Wisconsin. I’ve been trying different stylists since she left. This last time I saw Paul and I LOVE the cut. I would highly recommend him.

During my appointment last month, I asked Lyndsey for her advice on getting the hair you want and leaving the salon happy. She gave me so many great tips, I couldn’t wait to share them with you.

I hope you enjoy!

(This post contains affiliated links.)

10 TIPS FOR GETTING THE HAIR YOU WANT + LEAVING THE SALON HAPPY

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE BEFORE YOU EVEN SET FOOT IN THE SALON…

1. IF YOU SEE SOMEONE’S HAIR THAT YOU LOVE, ASK HER WHERE SHE GOES. I think this works better for color than for cut. Also, look up Yelp reviews and search online for the best in your area for what you specifically want.

2. BOOK ENOUGH TIME, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE TRYING A NEW SALON. Book an extra 15 minutes, so you have enough time to talk about your expectations and share your ideas. The last thing you want is to take up a good portion of your scheduled appointment talking, and then the colorist has to hurry through the service. Oh, and for that same reason, don’t be late!

3. BRING A PHOTO OF HAIR YOU LOVE, WHETHER IT’S OF YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE. I’ve found Pinterest to be the best place to find hair inspo. I’ve spent a fair amount of time finding the perfect blonde lob. The most important thing here is to be realistic. Look for someone with similar color, texture, hair type, etc. Otherwise, you will probably be disappointed.

Striped tee, cardigan, denim, booties, and beachy waves

ONCE YOU’RE AT THE SALON…

4. TELL HER WHAT YOU DON’T WANT. Just as important as finding photos of hair you love is knowing what you DON’T love. The second I sat in Lindsey’s chair, I let her know that I didn’t want my hair to be warm. It just doesn’t work with my skin tone.

5. ASK FOR PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS. You’re sitting in the expert’s chair, so you might as well take advantage and get some good hair intel. 🙂

6. INVEST IN GOOD PRODUCTS. Lyndsey compared not using good quality products on your hair to buying suede boots and standing outside in the rain. You’ve taken the time to find a stylist/colorist and you’ve spent money on your hair, now it’s time to protect it. Here are a few of my favorites:

AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT…

7. DON’T BE AFRAID TO COMPLAIN IF YOU’RE UNHAPPY. You’ve tried someone new and you thought they’d hit it out of the park, but you’re not loving your hair. The worst thing you can do is to salon jump and try someone else. Letting your stylist/colorist know that you’re unhappy and what you don’t like about your hair is crucial information that they can use for the next time. And, they can fix it! Most salons have a 2 week adjustment period.

“My feelings aren’t hurt if someone doesn’t like her hair. I just want to fix it.” – Lyndsey

8. GIVE HER ANOTHER CHANCE. Like any relationship, it takes time for your stylist/colorist to learn exactly what you want and what you don’t. Even if you don’t love your hair after the first trip to the salon, give her another chance. She can learn and tweak and chances are you’ll like it more and more each time.

9. UNDERSTAND IT TAKES TIME TO GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT. Here’s where our expectations come into play. You’re probably not going to walk out of the salon looking exactly like that Pinterest inspo photo on the first time. Guess what? That’s ok. Because it takes time to get exactly what you want. And you may never look exactly like that photo, which is good. You can rock your own look, which is better.

10. MAKE NOTES ABOUT WHAT YOU LOVE. If you love your hair? Capture it. Take photos and make notes about what you love about it, so you can share it with her next time. More information = better results.