c/hairdressers

Warning: I was stubborn about my thinning shear technique for way too long

Honestly, I always used a 'point and cut' method on my blending, but switching to a consistent 'slide and cut' motion after watching a stylist in Denver changed my whole finish. Anyone else find a small change in how you hold the tool makes a huge difference?

My boss in Seattle told me to always cut curly hair dry, not wet

She said you can see the real shape and bounce better that way. I tried it on a client with tight curls last week and it worked great, the layers fell perfectly. Now I'm curious, do you all cut curly hair dry or wet? I've heard strong opinions on both sides.

Just spent 4 hours fixing a color correction that should have taken 45 minutes

Client came in with a botched box dye job that had a weird green cast. The pigment was way more stubborn than I thought, and I had to do three separate color removers before I could even start the new formula. Has anyone else had a nightmare with green tones from drugstore color?

Serious question, had a client tell me she wanted a 'simple trim' but brought a photo of a full shag mullet

This was last Tuesday at my station in the back corner of the shop. She sat down, put the phone right in front of me, and said 'just like this, but don't take too much off.' The picture was a total transformation, layers everywhere, way shorter in the back. I had to stop and ask if she was sure, because a trim and that cut are two totally different things. How do you all handle it when the words and the picture don't match up at all?

Just realized my old way of mixing color was costing me time and money

For years I mixed my permanent color straight from the tube into the developer bowl. Last month I started pre-mixing the tube color in a separate dish with a bit of the developer first, like a paste. The difference is huge. The color blends way smoother with no little globs. I used to waste maybe a quarter ounce of color per client because it would stick to the bowl. Now I get full coverage with less product. Did a full highlight on a client yesterday and used exactly what I measured. Has anyone else switched up their mixing routine and seen results like that?

Hot take: Clients who cancel last minute should pay a real fee.

The free pass system just eats into our time and money. A small charge would make people think twice before ditching.

Thought gloves were unnecessary. A perm accident proved me wrong.

Why I'll never jump on the curly girl method bandwagon

The curly girl method is too strict and ignores individual hair needs.

My boss thinks fantasy colors aren't for our upscale salon, but I DISAGREE.

Are bold hues unprofessional or just modern art?

Pegboard order changed my mind on tool storage

I figured a messy station was just how things worked. After putting up a pegboard in my home salon, I saw how much faster my mornings got. What simple fix has helped your setup?

Can we talk about when a tricky cut just clicks?

I had a client with thick, curly hair asking for a layered bob. It was a challenge to get the layers right. I took my time and focused on the texture. When I showed her the mirror, her face lit up. Moments like that make all the practice worth it.

A simple drawer fix made my home salon workflow way better.

Having dividers means no more tangled tools or lost time.

Warning: My pile of color bowls was out of control until I stacked them on a dollar store rack

How a simple shelf fix cut down my prep time

I was always wasting minutes looking for the right color tubes. So I bought a cheap shelf unit and sorted everything by color group. Now I have all my warm tones on one side and cools on the other. It sounds basic, but it really speeds up my process when clients are waiting.

Watching hair grow back messy changed my view on split end jobs

I only fix split ends when doing a full haircut now.

Blunt cuts are back in my chair this season

In my early days, layered haircuts filled my schedule. Now, blunt cuts are the norm because they're simpler to manage. Are your clients leaning towards easier styles as well?

Unpopular opinion: We need to talk about back pain from standing all day

I've been styling hair for eight years and my lower back is a constant ache. It gets worse during holiday rushes when I'm on my feet for ten hours straight. I tried a better mat but it only helped a little. My doctor said core strength is key, but I have no time for gym sessions. Other stylists at my shop just pop painkillers, which seems wrong. What do you all do to manage back strain? Are there specific exercises that fit into a busy schedule? I'm desperate for real solutions that don't cost a fortune.