A trip to the hair salon should be all about pampering and keeping your hair looking healthy, but sometimes it's easy to get wrapped up in the dos and don'ts of etiquette during your appointment. From what to do if you're running late to the rules on tipping, Charles Worthington MBE Creative Director at Charles Worthington Salons has revealed his top tips on how to master salon etiquette…
Charles Worthington MBE has shared his top tips for mastering salon etiquette
On being late:
"15 minutes late for a one hour appointment is acceptable and doable as long as the appointment can be sped up. Beyond 15 minutes it will all depend on the following appointments, as it would of course be unfair to make your stylist run late for their next client who arrives on time."
On tipping the stylist:
"This is the same as with any other service industry, where any tip should reflect your appreciation for extra special service received."
Charles suggests speaking up if you're not happy with your final style
On using your phone:
"Speaking on the phone is not conducive to an accurate haircut as inevitably when you talk on a mobile you move your head around and will not be paying attention to the job in hand. It does also make it awkward for the stylist to communicate with their client regarding the haircut for fear of interrupting. Plus if you feel the need to talk constantly on your phone throughout your salon visit it would indicate you don't have the best rapport with your stylist."
On what you can talk about with your stylist:
"Hairdressers understand that all conversations are held in the strictest confidence, therefore nothing is off limits!"
Finding the right stylist is key to getting the look you're after
On explaining it's not the style you were after:
"Honest is always the best policy so speak up, if you feel your hair is not looking how you had hoped it is always best to communicate this before you leave the salon, thus giving your stylist the opportunity to remedy the situation. Our own policy is one of ensuring that every client is ultimately happy with the service they receive to hopefully guarantee their return to the salon."
On arriving prepared:
"Clutching a photo of a certain style you like is not a cardinal sin, but can actually be a useful tool for discussion when deciding upon a new look. However remember to be open minded to that fact that what looks good on Katy Perry may not be the best look for you!"
On finding the right stylist:
"Avoiding that feeling of awkwardness that can sometimes happen when changing to a different stylist in the same salon. My advice is from the outset book in with different stylists for each of your first few salon visits, this is the perfect way of finding a harmonious stylist/client fit."