Hairdresser explains why you should never take inspiration pictures to the salon

The days of DIY haircuts and botched box dye are officially over.

Now that Coronavirus restrictions in England have eased and salons have been allowed to reopen, we can finally sort out those neglected locks.

But before you take a seat in the stylist’s chair, there are a few things you should know.

We employed the help of one of London’s most in-demand hairdressers, Adam Reed, to dish the dirt on all the things he really wishes his clients knew.

With three salons, a product line, experience creating hundreds of hair looks for fashion week, as well as being a global ambassador for brands like L’Oreal Professional and GHD, we knew he was the man for the job.

Adam has compiled a list of five things all hairdressers want their customers to know before their appointment – from having realistic expectations about your hair inspo pictures to his biggest pet peeve, keep reading to find out more.

Doing your own hair is really difficult

The first rule about cutting your own hair is this – don’t do it.

A common question that hairdressers are often asked is whether they cut their own hair, and the answer is no as Adam revealed: “Not many pros would attempt doing their own hair.”

So, leave the work to the professionals.

Hairdressers are worth their weight in gold

“Great hair only comes from a gifted professional,” says Adam.

There’s nothing wrong with letting your pal, nan or distant cousin giving you a trim or a colour, but you’ll never get that fresh-from-the-salon feeling that we all know and love.

Timeliness is just good manners

This is basic hair salon etiquette – don’t make this mistake.

Adam says: “Being late for your hair appointment is just not acceptable, and if you walk in with a steaming hot coffee that is just plain rude!

“Being late has a terrible effect on a stylist’s day and all subsequent appointments, so, please be on time.”

Don’t believe everything you see online

Most people get their hair inspiration from celebrities, models, or pictures they see on social media.

Although this is the easiest way to give your stylist a rough idea of what you want, you should probably have an honest conversation about the upkeep of the hairdo too.

Adam says: “A lot of the celebrities that you see changing their hair every day are wearing wigs and hairpieces, and that changing your hair colour is timely and expensive, and needs to be looked after with great products.”

Trust in us

“We know what we are doing and have spent years becoming the experts that we are today,” says Adam.

“We do know the limits of your hair and appreciate that you take our advice, as you would from a dentist or optician.

“We are not in the business of telling you that something will not work if we can make it work without compromising you or your hair condition.”

What else do we need to know? Let us know in the comments.

Do you have a story to share? We want to hear all about it. Email us at [email protected]