Behind every great beauty is a very good salon.
Pampering yourself and making yourself beautiful is something you shouldn’t have to figure out alone. A regular visit to your trusted salon will definitely make things easier for you, and it’s not just about getting your hair cut and styled occasionally, or getting that mani pedi. It’s also about ensuring that you’re getting the treatments that you need, and that you’re being pampered on a regular basis.
Chances are, you already have a favored salon that you keep coming back to. If you’ve just moved to a new town however, finding the salon that’s right for you can become very tiring and time-consuming. In a perfect world, you can take your stylist and salon with you when you move, but reality bites.
Finding “The One”
If you already know things you must look for in a salon, this move shouldn’t be as hard on you. Before you know it, you’ll find that one perfect salon that will help you with all your beauty needs. To get there, here the steps:
Be like Sherlock.
You don’t actually need to be a detective/spy/private investigator, but the point here is you must do your research. Once you’ve settled on a new location, you must do a reconnaissance of the area and check what your options are. The most ideal would be to find a salon that’s near your home or workplace, for convenience purposes.
Of course, you don’t have to spend so much time physically surveying the place, because you can easily do your research online. Check listings, salon websites, and even social media. Better yet, ask around. Ask for referrals from your officemates, neighbors, and new friends. Word of mouth and personal recommendations are better because this means you actually know the people who frequent a certain salon.
Visit the salon before making an appointment.
Now you may have narrowed down your choices, or perhaps you’re eyeing one salon in particular. Before you book an appointment, you should actually go to the salon and check out the place. Remember that you are a customer with a mission, and you just want to make sure that this salon is the one for you.
Once you’re there, check the salon for cleanliness and orderliness. How busy is it? How many customers frequent it and who are they? Is the salon modern-looking? Do they have updated facilities, equipment, and products? What vibe or energy do you get as you enter the premises? Is the staff friendly? Do they make you feel at home?
It’s also best if you talk to the receptionist when you do your actual visit. Ask for a menu of the services that they offer, because this is part of your initial research. You must know how much their services cost, and if there are available deals for new or loyal customers.
Book an appointment with consultation.
Once you’ve done your proper research, you can now book an appointment with a stylist. Before anything is actually done to your hair however, you should expect a full consultation. Bring along images of pegs, and also talk about what hairstyles you’re comfortable with and what you want to avoid altogether.
This is an important step because it builds your confidence level with your stylist. You also get to assess your stylist’s competency here, because you’ll see if he or she suggests ideas that make sense to you and will actually do you good. Here, the stylist may suggest certain hair styles that go with your face shape, or ways to meet your needs while still meeting your budget.
First impressions last, but regular visits also matter.
Your very first experience with the new salon will of course play a very big role in whether or not you’re coming back in the future. However, you can’t figure everything out about a salon and the quality of its services with just one booking.
You should try and give it at least three visits, having a different service done each time so that you get an idea of the full range of services that the salon offers. Going back at different times will also allow you to observe how it is during other times of the week, perhaps with different staff on duty and different customers as well.
Trusting Your New Stylist
Once you’ve found your salon, chances are you’ve also found your stylist. It’s very important to build rapport and trust with your new stylist, because this is the stylist that you will keep coming back to.
Having a great stylist that journeys with you is such a relief, because as you go along, your stylist will know what risks to take and what products and styles go perfectly for you.