There are few investments under $60 that change the way you think about yourself, but a good haircut is one of them.
Good haircuts, however, don't just happen. While obviously they require a stylist who knows what she's doing, it's not enough to walk in, sit down, and expect miracles to happen.
And finding the right hair stylist doesn't come about by accident. Julyne Derrick, beauty editor of About.com, advises tracking down a stylist who specializes in your particular hair - curly, redhead, permed, straight. Barb Quinn, hair designer, educator and speaker who in 1999 founded Hairstyle Blog.com, recommends that the best place to find a good hair stylist is in a good hair salon, which sounds obvious at first, but good stylists gravitate to top salons.
Young, recently trained stylists are enthusiastic, not stuck in a rut, and up-to-date on the latest hair style technology, but they are also inexperienced, Quinn notes. Stylists who have been around a long time are definitely experienced, but they may have settled into a certain way of doing things.
"Generally, a hairdresser who has been in the business over three years, but under thirty years is your best bet," Quinn says.
Both experts recommend asking around, talking to friends and family, finding people with hair similar to yours and asking where they got it done. And don't forget the Yellow Pages, online or the actual book, which lists salons and stylists in your area.
Quinn recommends going slow the first time you try out your new stylist, opting for a light trim before plunging into a radical cut or coloring job. This way, you can see how well the two of you fit, and if the fit isn't good, you don't have to be unhappy for the long time it will take for a cut you weren't expecting to grow out.
Once you find the stylist who is right for you, remember the questioning and communication it took to get there, continuing the conversation in subsequent visits. Go into the appointment with an idea of what you are looking for - pictures help - and listen seriously to your stylist when she offers advice.
"If your stylist says, 'No, I'm sorry, but there's no way I can make you look like Cameron (Diaz),' you'd better listen, because chances are you won't," Derrick says.
While you're at it, be honest with your stylist about your hair care routine, so that she doesn't give you a cut that takes 30 minutes of fussing in the morning when you're prepared to give no more than five.
"If your morning routine for the past 20 years includes a quick wash followed by a towel dry and ending with a soppy wet ponytail, you'd better tell your stylist or you'll end up with a fancy, layered, curling-ironed and hair sprayed 'do that takes hours to replicate," Derrick says.
If this sounds like a lot of work for a haircut, remember that your goal is to find someone you can stay with long term, and every time you leave her establishment, you want to be glowing with that happy feeling only the right haircut can give.
Carolyn Henderson - Carolyn Henderson writes about life, lifestyle, home, family, education and art. She is the manager of Steve Henderson Fine Art.
