c/hairdressers

Chatted with a barber in Portland about why he charges extra for beard trims

I was visiting a friend and got my hair cut at his local shop. The barber, Mike, said he adds 15 dollars for any beard work because it's a totally different skill set and tool kit. He explained that a good beard trim needs more detail work and different clipper guards than a standard haircut. It made me rethink how I price my own services for men's grooming. Do you all have separate pricing for beard trims versus haircuts?

Pro tip: I tried skipping the blowdry before a balayage and it actually worked better

Everyone at my salon in Austin swears you have to blowdry the hair completely before painting on balayage to see the true canvas. I was running behind last Thursday and tried something different on a client with thick, wavy hair. I sectioned it while it was still damp from the wash, applied my lightener, and let it process. The result after 45 minutes was a way softer, more blended transition because the dampness slowed the lift just enough. I've done this three times now on similar hair types with perfect results. Has anyone else found a shortcut that goes against the usual rules?

Serious question, how do you handle a client who wants a style that just won't work for their hair?

I was at a family cookout over the weekend and got talking with my cousin, who's a graphic designer. She was telling me about a client who wanted a logo that was way too busy for their simple brand. She said her job wasn't just to give them what they asked for, but to guide them to what would actually work best. It hit me... that's exactly what we do, but I think I've been too soft about it. I had a woman in my chair on Tuesday who brought in a picture of a super sleek, straight bob, but her hair is the curliest, most dense hair I've seen. I tried to talk her into a shape that would work with her curl, but I backed down when she pushed. Now I'm thinking I should have been firmer, like my cousin is with her clients. It's not about being rude, it's about using our skill to get them a good result. Has anyone found a good way to say 'that won't work, but this will' without making them feel shut down?

TIL a trick for blending stubborn gray roots on dark hair

A client came in with about an inch of gray regrowth on her dark brown color, and the usual base color just wasn't covering it fully. I remembered something I saw a stylist do at a class in Denver last year. I tried mixing a tiny amount of a warm, coppery red direct dye into her regular demi-permanent color formula, maybe a pea-sized amount to a 2oz mix. Processed it for the full 45 minutes. The warmth helped the color grab onto the resistant gray, and the blend was seamless. Has anyone else tried adding a bit of direct dye to their formula for tough cases like this?

A client from Chicago asked for a cut I saw on a show three years ago

Last week, a new client brought in a photo from a show that was big in 2021, wanting the exact shaggy bob. I had to explain that the cut she loved was styled for camera lighting and wouldn't lay right with her fine hair. We ended up doing a softer version with more layers, and she was way happier. Has anyone else had to talk a client down from a TV haircut that just wouldn't work in real life?

My mentor told me to stop using a 10 volume developer for all my toners

She said it was lazy and I'd get better results with a 6, but I argued it was fine. After a client's blonde went slightly brassy last week, I tried the 6 volume and the tone was way cleaner and lasted longer. Anyone else have a stubborn habit they finally broke?

Vent: A client's color correction turned into a 7-hour marathon

They came in with box black over faded red, wanting a cool blonde. The lift took forever and I had to do three separate rounds of color remover just to get it to orange. Anyone else have a nightmare correction that ate up your whole day?

Rant: A client's husband tried to explain color theory to me yesterday

I was mixing a level 7 ash for a root touch-up when he leaned over my shoulder and said, 'You know, in my graphic design job, we just use the hex code #4A4A4A for that gray.' I had to stop and just stare at my bowl for a second. He was dead serious. It made me think about how we all have our own language for color that makes zero sense outside our field. Has a non-hairdresser ever tried to 'help' you with your job in a totally wrong way?

Back in my first shop in Austin, I had to decide between keeping the old-school perm rods or switching to the new foam ones everyone was talking about.

I stuck with the old metal ones for another year, mostly out of habit, and honestly I think my perms held their shape better. Anyone still using the classic rods, or did the foam ones win out for you guys?

Just lost $350 on a 'professional' curling iron that fried my client's hair in one pass

A regular at my old shop in Tacoma told me to always check the hairline before a big cut, and it saved me from a huge mistake.

Question about using a razor on curly hair

A new client came in yesterday with a weird, choppy shape, and she said her last stylist used a razor to thin it out. I see this a lot, and it always wrecks the curl pattern. How do you explain to clients why this is a bad idea without trashing the other stylist?

Pro tip: A bleach mix went wrong on a client from Dayton last week

I was doing a full highlight on a new client, and my 30 volume developer felt way too warm when I mixed it. I went ahead anyway, and after 15 minutes her scalp was bright red. I rinsed it out fast, applied a cool water compress, and used a heavy dose of aloe gel. Has anyone else had a batch of developer go bad like that, and what's your go-to for a chemical burn?

A client in Phoenix told me my thinning shears were too aggressive on her fine hair

She said it made her ends look wispy and thin, so now I only take off about 20% of what I used to. Anyone have a favorite technique for fine hair that still adds texture?

I used to think a dry cut was always better for curly hair

A client came in with tight coils that were always frizzy after a wet cut, so we tried cutting it dry first. Over two months, she kept it up with the right products, and the shape held so much better. Seeing her come back with defined, bouncy curls instead of a triangle shape changed my whole approach. For anyone who works with a lot of natural texture, have you found a specific technique that helps with shape retention?

My mentor told me to charge more for a corrective color, and I finally did it.

For years, I undercharged for big fixes because I felt bad about the client's situation. My mentor, Sarah, who owns a salon in Portland, kept saying, 'Your skill and the extra product have real value, charge for it.' Last week, a client came in with a box dye disaster that took 4 hours and a full tube of color remover to fix. I quoted her $250 instead of my usual $150, and she paid it without a blink, thanking me for saving her hair. It changed my whole view on pricing my time correctly. Has anyone else had a tipping point that made them adjust their rates for complex services?

That time a bridal party in Dallas made me quit using cheap foils

The bride's highlights turned brassy orange halfway through the reception photos, and I had to fix it in the hotel bathroom. Now I only use the professional grade stuff, even if it costs more. Anyone else have a horror story that changed their kit for good?

A regular at my salon in Portland said my blowouts were too tight

Honestly, she told me last month she was getting headaches after every visit and thought it was my tension on the round brush. I always aimed for that super smooth, zero-volume look, but I've started leaving a bit more lift at the roots and easing up on the pull. Has anyone else had a client point out a technique that was actually causing discomfort?

Warning: trying to fix a client's color correction took me three days instead of one

I had a client come in who had box dyed her hair black over old highlights, and she wanted a warm, honey blonde. In my experience, that's a tough lift, but I figured with a good plan, I could do it in a full day. I started with a color remover, which helped some, but it left this weird, patchy orange base. The first round of bleach just didn't lift evenly, and I had to baby sections to avoid breakage. After the first eight-hour day, we were only halfway there, and her hair felt rough. I sent her home with a deep conditioner and told her to come back. Day two was more careful lightening and a toner that went too ashy. Finally, on the third visit, I got the color balanced with a demi-permanent glaze to add the warmth back without more damage. It turned out nice, but man, it ate up my whole week. Has anyone else had a color correction that just kept fighting you every step of the way?

Had a client bring in a picture of a cartoon character for a cut

This lady wanted her hair to look exactly like the main character from a show my kid watches, and she was very serious about the blue streak. I mixed a semi-permanent color and did my best, but it looked wild under the salon lights. Has anyone else had to match a color to something that wasn't even real?

Swapping out cotton towels for microfiber was a game changer for blowouts

I always used regular cotton towels to dry hair before blowouts, but they left so much moisture and caused frizz. Last month, I decided to stop that and buy a bunch of microfiber towels. Now, I wrap each client's hair in microfiber after washing. It soaks up water way faster, so hair is damp, not dripping, when I start styling. This cut my blow-drying time by about a third, which means I can fit in more appointments. My clients have noticed their hair looks smoother and holds style longer. Plus, the towels are light and dry quick between uses. Honestly, it's a small change that really helped my salon routine.

A client filmed their own reaction to a haircut in my chair

They set their phone up on my station and recorded the whole reveal. Felt a bit like a performance review, and then they posted it online with a filter.

Maple Street's natural dye salon... my thinking flipped

I always figured plant-based colors were flat. Then a regular came in with this vibrant berry shade... it changed everything. Now I'm asking them for tips.

Razor cuts were on my never list until a coworker's quick show-and-tell

I always thought razor cuts made hair look choppy and damaged. Maybe it's just me but I stuck with regular shears for every client. Then my coworker did a quick demo on how to angle the razor for feathered ends. She worked on someone with straight, thick hair and the layers blended so smoothly. Now I add light razor work to blunt cuts for movement, and clients say it feels airy. I guess watching someone skilled do it right in front of you is what it took. It's crazy how one little technique can flip your whole approach.

My lazy habit with clipper guards almost ruined a fade

I got into the bad habit of not double-checking my clipper guard sizes before starting a cut. Just last month, I mixed up a #1 and a #2 guard on a tight fade job. The result was a noticeable step in the blend, and the client pointed it out right away. I had to go back and correct it, which took extra time and looked unprofessional. Now, I make a point to visually confirm each guard before it touches hair. It's a small step that prevents big mistakes. Seriously, take that extra second to check your tools.