Salon Splits
The best hairdressers leave you feeling like a sharper, more polished version of yourself. But the worst can have you wondering why you ever booked the appointment. It's rarely about just one bad cut or one great style. It’s the habits they bring to the chair, the way they treat your hair like it matters. So, here are 10 red flags to watch out for and 10 indicators you've discovered hair heaven.
Photography Maghradze PH on Pexels
1. Rushes Through Cuts
You're in the salon chair, excited about your new look, when suddenly your stylist glances at their watch and starts snipping away like they're in a race against time. Hair grows at different rates across your scalp, meaning each section requires individualized attention.
2. Uses Dirty Tools
The barbicide solution sitting in that blue jar isn't just for show. It's your first line of defense against a nightmare scenario. When hairdressers skip the essential 10-minute disinfection process between clients, they're essentially playing Russian roulette with your scalp health.
3. Overuses Heat
Your hair starts protesting the moment the temperature climbs above 350°F. That's when you'll hear it sizzle and see smoke rising from your strands like a warning signal. Excessive heat breaks down the protein bonds that give your hair its elasticity.
4. Cuts Without Consultation
Most hair salon complaints stem from a communication breakdown during the consultation phase. The moment your hairdresser starts cutting without asking about your hair goals or daily routine, you're in for some disappointment. A proper consultation is a strategic 5–10 minute conversation.
5. Ignores Face Shape
Ancient Greek sculptors knew something that bad hair artists apparently missed in beauty school. If your salonist cuts the same blunt bob on every client regardless of bone structure, they're playing hairstyling roulette with your appearance. Round faces desperately need height and volume.
6. Misunderstands Hair Texture
Curly hair isn't just “difficult straight hair,” it's a completely different beast with four distinct categories (A, B, C, D) that each demand specialized cutting methods and techniques. Asian hair is typically 50% thicker than European hair, requiring completely adjusted techniques.
7. Overcharges For Services
The ambush happens mid-service when they announce additional fees that were never discussed during your consultation. Professional salons operate on transparency. That is, pricing should be clearly displayed and thoroughly discussed before any service begins, not presented unexpectedly with elevated charges.
8. Chooses Wrong Products
Hair care chemistry is harsh and merciless. One wrong product choice can spell disaster for your strands. When stylists reach for sulfate shampoos on chemically treated hair or grab a 40-volume developer rather than a 20-volume one, they're launching a chemical attack.
9. Cancels Last Minute
The chaos of constant cancellations and chronic tardiness reveals a deeper problem: disorganized scheduling systems and complete disregard for client respect. Reputable parlours maintain 24–48 hour cancellation policies specifically to protect both parties from the financial and scheduling disasters that poor planning creates.
10. Gossips About Clients
As soon as your hairdresser starts sharing juicy details about other clients' personal lives or relationship drama, they're violating fundamental formal standards and probably breaking state licensing board ethical guidelines. Instead of focusing on your hair needs and preferences, they're mentally elsewhere.
However, some hair artists have mastered their craft, and it shows.
1. Masters Color Theory
Experienced colorists don't just slap on whatever's trending; they understand the complex science of color theory and can blend up to 12 different tones to achieve perfect shade matches. Great hairdressers perform meticulous strand tests and tend to lighten dark hair gradually.
2. Holds Professional License
The difference between someone who cuts hair and a legitimate professional lies in that state-issued license hanging on the salon wall. This credential represents hundreds of hours of rigorous training and testing. Trusted beauticians have completed state-licensed cosmetology programs or apprenticeships.
Hair Spies from US on Wikimedia
3. Prevents Hair Damage
Every consultation becomes a health assessment when you're working with someone who prioritizes your hair's long-term integrity over short-term dramatic results. Such experts assess hair health before any chemical service and confidently refuse requests that might give you months of regret.
4. Knows Current Trends
Fashion weeks and celebrity style evolution are more of a continuing education that directly influences their craft and keeps them ahead of the curve. The modern hair industry moves at lightning speed, with Instagram and TikTok driving most current trend requests.
5. Teaches Styling Techniques
The appointment doesn't end when the cape comes off. Exceptional hairdressers turn you into your own personal styling expert by demonstrating multiple techniques that work with your specific cut. With their help, you learn to create 5-10 different looks from one haircut.
6. Understands Scalp Science
Your scalp is living, breathing skin that requires the same thoughtful attention as your facial complexion. These knowledgeable artists can identify scalp conditions, such as seborrheic dermatitis or product buildup, and recommend targeted treatments that treat the root causes rather than surface symptoms.
7. Nails Your Vision
You bring in a reference photo, and they actually deliver something close to or maybe better. They don't just copy what they see but analyze the underlying structure, proportions, and techniques that make a style work, then adapt those elements accordingly.
8. Delivers Consistent Results
Every single visit produces the same high-quality outcome—no surprises, no disappointments, just reliable excellence that you can count on month after month. Some individuals have perfected their work to the point where their cuts grow out evenly and their colors fade smoothly.
9. Fixes Mistakes
The true test of professionalism is how gracefully someone handles the inevitable human errors that occur in any creative field. Honest stylists openly admit when something's off instead of trying to convince you that an obvious mistake was intentional, immediately taking responsibility.
10. Excels With Kids
Managing wiggly little ones requires an entirely different skill set that combines technical expertise with child psychology and infinite patience. That's when these people use calming, fun approaches specifically designed for children, turning potentially stressful experiences into enjoyable adventures.
