Babble Community

c/cosmetologists

7

robinf51•12h ago

That moment I realized 6 months of purple shampoo did nothing for my brass

I've been using purple shampoo every single wash for like 6 months straight thinking it was fighting my brass. Then last weekend I did a quick toner at home with a Wella T18 and 20 volume developer and holy crap the difference was night and day. My hair went from brassy orange to an actual cool ash blonde in 25 minutes. Has anyone else wasted months on shampoo when they could've just toned properly?

18

taylor.hayden•1d ago

Had a client call me out for using too much heat on her hair last month

She had fine, highlighted hair and I was blasting it with 450 degrees like I always did. She told me her last stylist used 380 and I thought no way that would work, but I tried it on her roots and mids. Now I check the heat before I even pick up the iron for anyone with color or thin strands. Has anyone else adjusted their heat settings based on feedback like that?

15

taylorc40•1d ago

Had a client's bleach melt their hair off at a wedding trial last Saturday because I didn't check their previous box dye history first

I was doing a full foil at Blush Salon in Austin and the strands literally turned to mush when I pulled the comb through, so now I always do a strand test with 40 volume even if they swear they've never colored it before, has anyone else had a horror story from trusting a client's word too fast?

6

murray.drew•1d ago

I finally changed my mind on adding extensions to every client who asks

Had a conversation with a client named Jenna last Thursday who came in for a trim and told me she’d been wearing tape-ins for 5 years straight. She said her natural hair was so thin underneath she could see her scalp through a ponytail. That hit me hard because I’ve been the cosmetologist who says yes to every extension request without asking about the long-term upkeep. Now I’m rethinking how I talk to clients about giving their real hair a break. Anyone else have a client story that flipped their approach to extensions?

21

the_spencer•2d ago

Saw a 6 month difference in balayage that flipped my opinion on wait times

I used to think clients who wanted balayage touch-ups every 8 weeks were just being picky. Had this one client, Megan, who kept insisting her color looked muddy after 10 weeks. I pushed back for like 4 appointments telling her she was fine. Then she came in after waiting 6 months because she got busy, and I saw her natural regrowth versus the old faded color side by side. The difference was huge - the faded parts had this orange tone I never noticed before because I was always layering over it. Turns out she was right, the older color was throwing off the whole look. Now I tell my balayage people to come back at 10 weeks max. Has anyone else gone back on something they were stubborn about with clients?

6

jake986•2d ago

Stopped into a salon in Austin last week that had no sanitization station

Walked into this trendy spot on South Congress and didn't see a single barbicide jar or autoclave out in the open. The stylist was just wiping down shears with a cloth between clients - grossed me out so bad I left. Has anyone else run into places skipping basic sanitation?

24

patricia558•20d ago

Question about why some clients lie about hair history

Honestly I had a lady come in last Tuesday swearing she never used box dye, but when I did a strand test the color lifted completely uneven. Tbh I would rather deal with honesty upfront than spend 45 minutes fixing a mess they could have warned me about. How do you guys get new clients to actually tell you what they've been using?

5

the_sam•21d ago

Spent $220 on that fancy hot tool system and I'm 50/50 on it

Grabbed the high-end thermal styling set six months ago thinking it'd speed up my bookings, but after 40 clients some love the shine while others say it flakes off within hours. Anyone else find these premium tools are hit or miss for different hair types?

19

xenaf51•22d ago

Stop using cheap purple shampoo on grey hair

I was having a horrible time with my elderly clients' grey hair looking yellow and brassy no matter what I did. After about 6 months of trying different purple shampoos from the beauty supply store, nothing was cutting it. Then a stylist in my salon told me to try a blue-toned toner instead of just relying on shampoo. I did a 10-minute toner treatment on 4 clients last week and their grey hair came out silver and bright, not yellow at all. Has anyone else switched from purple shampoo to a toner for grey coverage?

26

ryantorres•28d ago

A client's mom told me I was 'brushing wrong' and it threw me for a loop

Last Tuesday this older lady sat in my chair and watched me work on her daughter's hair, then politely said I was going against the natural growth pattern with my brush technique. She showed me how she brushes from the nape up on curly hair to avoid breakage, and honestly I've been doing it the same way for 8 years without questioning it. Has anyone else had a total stranger call out a habit you thought was fine?

33

nora110•29d ago

My regular client said my blowout technique was too old school

She pulled up a TikTok of some stylist doing a twist-and-roll method on 2B hair and asked if I could try it. Tried it on my lunch break and it actually cut my drying time by 10 minutes. Has anyone else had clients teach them new tricks from social media?

7

phoenixb34•1mo ago

Switched from clip-in extensions to tape-ins after 5 years

Honestly I was super loyal to clip-ins because I thought tape-ins would be too hard to maintain. But one of my clients at the salon in Austin convinced me to try them on her and I saw how natural they looked. I ordered a set for myself last month and the application only took me 20 minutes. Has anyone else made the switch and noticed less damage to their natural hair?

3

seanjackson•1mo ago

Vent: Wasted $60 on a fancy heat protectant spray that did nothing

That expensive brand everyone raves about left my client's ends crispy after a blowout last Tuesday, has anyone else had better luck with a cheaper alternative?

3

robert_bell•1mo ago

I used to think hair masks were a waste of money until I tried one on a damaged perm last May

I had this client come in with fried hair from a box dye gone wrong and I was ready to recommend a trim. She begged me to try a deep conditioning mask from a brand I never use, Olaplex, and I was skeptical because I figured it was hype. After two treatments over 3 weeks her hair went from straw to actual silk, I could run my fingers through it without snagging. Has anyone else had a product they dismissed that totally proved them wrong?

10

milesbailey•1mo ago

Blew out a curling iron in the middle of a perm set last Tuesday

I was working on a client in my little studio over on Elm Street here in Tucson, doing a spiral perm set, and right as I wrapped the last rod my curling iron just popped and sparked. It was one of those Hot Tools ones I've had for about 3 years, nothing fancy but it always worked fine. The client freaked out a little, jumped right out of the chair. I had to finish the perm with a backup iron that barely held temp, and the curls came out way looser than I promised. Now I'm gonna check all my tools every morning before anyone sits down, because that could have burned someone's scalp or worse. Has anyone else had a tool just die on you mid-service like that?

22

sarah818•1mo ago

I skip the bonder step on perms and my curls turn out better

Everyone in my salon swears by bonder protectants before perm solution, but I stopped using them 6 months ago after a client at Ulta in Phoenix had limp results. Without that extra step, the curls hold tighter and last closer to 8 weeks instead of 4. Has anyone else noticed the bonder dulls their perm results?

19

masongonzalez•1mo ago

Hit 1000 haircuts last month and it felt weird

I've been behind the chair for about two years now and somehow did my 1000th haircut last month. It was just a regular Tuesday with a regular client named Mrs. Patterson who comes in every five weeks for the same bob. I didn't plan anything for it but my coworker looked up my booking history and told me the number. Has anyone else hit a random milestone like that and felt like it should have been a bigger deal?

7

young.nora•1mo ago

Hot take: balayage is way overrated for thin hair

I saw a client last month with super fine hair who wanted that soft grown-out balayage look. After just 8 weeks her highlights had faded into this muddy orange mess because the toner couldn't hold. Why do salons keep pushing balayage on people with thin strands?

12

wesley_adams•1mo ago

Used to think setting spray was a scam, now I get it

For years I did makeup without any setting spray. Just powder and hope. Then I helped a bride get ready for her wedding in July and she swore by this Urban Decay stuff. She was sweating like crazy but her makeup didn't budge. Bought a bottle the next day and used it on a client who works a 12 hour retail shift. She came back the next week and said her foundation lasted through her whole shift. That's what changed my mind. Anyone else have a product they were skeptical about until a client proved them wrong?

-1

logan_ellis•1mo ago

Miss the old days of simple perms and wet sets

I learned at the Paul Mitchell school in Chicago back in '08. Everything was about roller sets and marcel curling irons. Now I see stylists reaching for a flat iron for every single client. Had a mom bring in her 8 year old last week asking for a keratin treatment. That never would have happened when I started. Where do you all draw the line on what treatments are appropriate for young kids?

10

seanjackson•1mo ago

I used to think a 15-minute scalp massage was just a nice extra, but a regular changed my mind

For years, I'd do a quick 2-minute scalp rub during a shampoo and call it good. Then Mrs. Ellis, who comes in every 6 weeks, mentioned her headaches always got better after her appointment. I started timing myself and realized I was rushing it. Now I use a timer and do a full 15 minutes of focused massage with my thumbs, and the feedback on relaxation is way better. Anyone have other techniques for a really effective scalp treatment?

13

carr.lee•1mo ago

A client's comment about her old stylist really got me thinking

I was doing a color correction on a new client yesterday, and she mentioned her last stylist never wore gloves when applying color. She said, 'He told me his hands were tough enough.' That hit different because I realized some people still think it's a sign of experience, not a health risk. It made me rethink how we talk about safety in the salon, not just to each other, but to clients who might not know better. What's the best way you've found to explain why gloves are non-negotiable?

29

olivia398•1mo ago

Serious question, I had to pick between a classic balayage and a full foil highlight for a client wanting a big change but with low upkeep.

I went with the balayage because her hair was already dry from past color, and after two sessions the grow-out looks way more natural than foils would have, so what's your go-to for clients who hate frequent touch-ups?

5

the_lee•1mo ago

Honestly thought using a tiny bit of conditioner as a heat protectant was a crazy idea

Tbh, I ran out of my usual spray before a big blowout appointment last week and panicked. I remembered an old stylist saying a dime-sized amount of regular conditioner mixed with water in a spray bottle could work in a pinch. Ngl, I tried it on a test section first, using my client's own conditioner, and it actually smoothed the hair without weighing it down. The blowout held its shape perfectly for three days, which she texted me about. Has anyone else ever tried a weird kitchen-sink trick like this that actually worked out okay?

2

joel_martinez•1mo ago

Showerthought: I saw my niece's prom photos from this year and last year side by side.

Her hair color was the same shade, but the cut and style from my salon this spring gave her a whole new confidence. Has anyone else had a client where just changing the shape made a bigger impact than the color?