No matter how much I mentally prepare myself for shelling out cash to make myself look great, the final total at a salon always leaves a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach, immediately followed by instantaneous panic that I won’t have enough to tip my stylist before I begin to beat my freshly-styled head against the wall in regret that I spent so much moola. It’s quite difficult to leave any salon without making a dent in your pocket that eventually leads to a dent in the door you’ve decided to punch in frustration. Bottom line in this situation seems to be it’s best to prepare yourself to spend some cashola, but spending an arm and a leg isn’t always necessary. I’ve comprised a few tips on how to avoid allowing your salon bill to become reminiscent of your recent adjustable rate mortgage rates. Hopefully you’ll walk away feeling happy that you saved a few bucks as opposed to searching for the nearest round of buckshot.
1) Find Out What You’re Getting Into
The best way to avoid getting charged up the wazoo when you get your hair done is to go into the situation knowing exactly how much it will cost. Go in to the salon before you schedule a service and ask them how much they charge for a cut versus just a trim, all-over color versus highlights, if they charge extra for blow-dry and style, etc. If you know you are just going in for a routine trim, for example, you could potentially save yourself at least $20 by skipping on the styling; most salons charge you a bit extra for style and/or blow-dry. Knowing an exact quote before you sit down in the chair will completely prepare you to face the cash register.
2) Skip the Swank
Despite their nature, salons are not all about appearances. Perfectly qualified individuals are employed in salons that run the gamut from tiny neon-sign clad strip mall shops to impressive infrastructure adorned with baroque architecture. I find that sometimes, great things come in modest packages. While you might feel luxurious and elite in a nicely decorated salon, try to not base everything on looks alone. Places that are highly decorated, bear a famous name, or are in a prime location usually have astronomical rent and therefore higher prices for their services. I’m not saying run out to Fantastic Sam’s to save some dough, but you certainly don’t have to spend a lot to look great. As long as the individual about to chop your crop has their license and you trust them, you can’t go wrong. 3) Chat ‘em Up
Sometimes the stylist-client relationship can be a bit awkward (what with the sometimes forced conversation with someone you might not know well) but try to break out of your protective shell and chat up your stylist. I like to ask her/him exactly what they’re doing to my hair, what kind of product they are using and why it’s effective for my hair type, what type of shampoo they would recommend that I use, tips to make 2nd day hair still look clean, etc. I figure if you have the first hand advice of an expert, why not take full advantage of it? After all, they went to school for this, essentially earning a degree in their craft. If they can give you expert advice on how to manage your mane, you can apply it to your daily routine. You can also find out the details of the products you should be using, which leads me to my fourth tip: 4) NEVER Buy Product
Just like wine menus at most restaurants, the price you see is not the actual value or worth of the product. Most places significantly mark up their merchandise so that they make a few bucks off of the base value. Even though it is tempting to buy exactly what the stylist recommends for you right then and there, chances are that you can find it cheaper at a beauty supply store or online. And while placing your orders online may cost you a bit more in terms of time spent waiting, it will usually cost you far less, monetarily speaking. 5) Befriend a Stylist
I know, I know. We could all only wish to be so lucky. But you’d be surprised how easy it is to find a friend who is willing to cut your hair for much cheaper than the average salon price. And if you already have a stylist you get along with quite well, start to spend some time with them when you’re both free. Who knows, a fat discount might come out of it… 6) Learn Helpful at-Home Tips.
This is sort of an extension of tip number 3. When you have an open dialogue going with your stylist, they usually have some ideas on how to extend the life of your cut and/or color. This could ultimately save you from making monthly trips to the salon for touch-ups and trims, thus saving you quite a wad of cash. We needn’t be so reliant on others to take care of simple things for us, especially when we’re short on funds. Watch and listen to your stylist carefully, follow her advice, and you’ll find your time between necessary trips to the salon will lengthen like a healthy head of hair.
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as a hint for a good cut. Know what you want and don't want. Don't be wishy washy about, I want it short but want to keep my length. Sounds funny but you would be surprised at how often this happens. Ask questions about styling, product, and prises. I have never done alacart. You pay for what you get. Most of us stylist are just as stumped about getting good service and nice hair as you are. If we hear you asking questions that tells us that you are interested in your looks. We love these kind of clients, they are our paychecks. If we keep you happy we stay happy. Besides it being a living most of us that are good at it consider it an art form. When I see you two weeks from the time I cut your hair and it looks good, It makes me happy to know you cared enough to do your hair the way I showed you.
as for finding a friend that is a hair dresser, good luck. Most stylist that work for someone else can't give discounts. Those of us that own our own business can't aford to give all our friends breaks. Unless you would like to try out the new florecent Blue that just came out. I would love to try that on someone. Ha ha.