Top tips for effectively communicating with your hairstylist, and my favourite products for scalp health
Hello!
Happy August! Hope you’re all having a great summer so far, whether you are enjoying life at home or travelling somewhere special to enjoy some rest, relaxation, and sunshine. This month, we’re focusing on how best to communicate with your stylist during an appointment. Whether it’s a new haircut you’re trying or a balayage refresh, there are a few key things to remember to convey to your stylist to ensure you leave the salon with your desired outcome.
Plus, read on for some of my favourite scalp-health recommendations, and a beauty event happening in Harrods this month!
Things to remember when communicating with your hairstylist
● Photos are extremely helpful. A picture is worth a thousand words! Coming into a hair appointment prepared with inspiration photographs from Pinterest or Instagram of exactly what you hope to achieve cut- or colour-wise will help your hairstylist massively. Bonus points if you’re pulling from your stylist’s own Instagram feed of previous client work, or if you come prepared with the names of the colours you’re looking to incorporate in your balayage!
● Agree on the plan of action early in the appointment. A good stylist will take the lead in setting out the plan within the first 5-10 minutes of a consultation. Make sure you are crystal clear with your ask during this period, and let the stylist know of any further details that are important to consider. For example, is it important to you to be able to create a voluminous hairstyle with the final look? Are you very particular about how the front pieces of your hair should fall and frame your face? Now is the time to get specific about those priority items.
● Make sure to provide feedback as the appointment progresses. There’s nothing worse that keeping quiet until the end of the appointment when the work has been done. Look up from your phone screen and make sure you are communicating with your stylist throughout your appointment, asking questions if anything arises, and checking in with yourself along the way to ensure you’re still on board with the cut/colour you’ve decided on.
● Keep an open mind. Your hairstylist has experience with lots of different hair types and common requests. You may think you are certain about wanting a particular cut or style, but your stylist might inform you that what you’re asking for can be difficult to manage, and double check that you are prepared to manage a more high-maintenance look. It’s good to know what you’re looking for, but equally important to trust your stylist’s input and guidance for the best outcome.
My favourite products for your scalp health
Scalp health is so important to overall hair health, and the skin on your scalp ages 4-6x quicker than the skin on the rest of your body. A healthy scalp supports healthy hair, and likewise, a flaky, dry, scalp can impact your hair strength and appearance. It doesn’t matter how much you invest into taking care of your hair if your scalp isn’t healthy! Here are some of my favourite scalp health products to nourish the skin under your hair:
The Ouai St Barts Scalp and Body Scrub (£36.00) — this luxuriously-scented scrub from Ouai is ideal for removing build-up and flakiness on the scalp (and sloughing dead skin away in general), thanks to its sugar crystal and probiotic formulation. It’s also got coconut oil in it for soothing, long-lasting moisture.
Weleda Rosemary Revitalising Hair Tonic (£10.46) — rosemary oil went viral a few months ago for its incredible hair-strengthening and hair-growth effects. I’ve seen firsthand in the salon how much it has helped thicken clients’ hair! Whether it’s an off-the-shelf rosemary product like this hair tonic from Weleda, or just pure rosemary oil ordered online, this is a great natural option for scalp health and hair follicle strengthening.
Philip Kingsley Overnight Scalp Barrier Serum with Triple Balancing Action (£27.00) — apply a few drops to each section of your scalp in the evening before a hair wash day, and massage gently into your scalp. Wash and style your hair as usual the next day, and use as often as desired.
Harrods event: Fresh masterclass
If you’re in London on the 18th or 19th of August, Fresh cosmetics is offering a series of skincare masterclasses at Harrods, covering topics like skin prep, serums, masking, and nighttime routines. Tickets are £40 and redeemable against Fresh product purchases on the day!
Have a lovely August. Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram for last-minute availability and appointments!
Xo,