Not everyone is a DIYer of their own hair. We completely get and respect that. If you love going to the salon and want to be sure the stylist is going to treat your hair well, here are a few tips you should follow to be sure you get the best salon experience possible.

ASK AROUND

Make sure you approach your salon hair care like you approach the diligence you use when picking out a staple wardrobe piece: with time and patience. This way, you and your stylist will be in a happy relationship for years to come. If any fellow friends get their hair done at a salon, ask them about their experience. It’s even better if they have the same texture or similar texture as you.

RESEARCH SALONS ONLINE

Look on the internet for local natural hair salons. Google natural salons near your zip code, or look for salons on online directories like styleseat.com. Once you find a few salons, continue your research. Check out their websites, look for customer testimonials, photos, etc.

CALL THE SALON

Call up the salon and ask if they have stylists that work with curly hair, or coarse hair, etc. – whatever best describes your hair. If they do, ask to set up a consultation meeting with the stylist. All good salons allow for this and they are always free or require only a small deposit, though even this is rare.

ASK ABOUT THEIR CLIENTS

When you meet with the stylist, ask them how many other clients they have that have hair like yours. A safe number of “true/committed” clients is 5+ minimum that have your texture, but use your best judgment. Ask about the products they would use on your hair. Don’t talk a lot. Listen. Ask the stylist about how they would go about washing and detangling your hair, how they would dry your hair and how it would be styled. Ask them what length of hair would they take off if you asked for a trim on healthy hair with slight split ends. If you have a sensitive scalp, thick hair or fine hair and are prone to breakage, ask to see the combs they would use. Don’t tell them what you want them to use, ask them because if you find that the stylist is naming products that would dry your hair out or picks up a comb that would rip it from your scalp, or even worse, uses words like “bad”, “unruly” or “difficult” and other awful words to describe your curly or kinky hair, run, don’t walk out of the salon as you are dealing with an inexperienced and perhaps ignorant hair stylist.

WATCH THEM IN ACTION

If your stylist will allow it, ask if you can watch her or him do someone’s hair who has your texture. Of course you would do this from afar – not standing over the clients head. You could watch them comb and wash their hair to see what your experience would be like.

BRING YOUR OWN PRODUCTS

If you have a staple shampoo, conditioner or any other hair product that you like to use, let them know that and ask them if you can bring your own products to the salon. Most salons will oblige you.

BOOK AND APPOINTMENT

Book it and go.

BRING SOME INSPIRATION

Treat your appointment like it’s special, because it is. If you have any pictures of styles you like and want your stylist to try, be sure to bring them.

ENJOY BEING PAMPERED

There is nothing like falling asleep at the shampoo bowl while your scalp is being massaged!

TAKE NOTE OF HOW THEY HANDLED YOUR HAIR

If you find that your styling session is too harsh or rough, let the stylist know immediately. You are paying for a service and there is no need for you to leave the salon only to go sit in your car and cry because you were too scared to say something.

Even if you have type 4 (kinky) hair, your styling session should not hurt, nor should hair be ripped from your head, so be cautious when dealing with salons that say they are experienced in tightly coiled hair.