Communication is everything when it comes to your hairdresser, and we don’t mean swapping gossip in the swivel chair. A thorough consultation, unambiguous instructions, and a crystal-clear agreement between you and your stylist is the best way to walk out of the salon with exactly the hair you’d hoped for.
It sounds simple, but a few badly-chosen words can let you down. Very, very badly. ‘There can often be a calamitous mismatch between what clients say, what they actually mean, and how the hairdresser interprets their words’, says salon founder Edward James, who counts Joanna Lumley and royalty among his client list.
You might think you’ve spelled it out clearly, he warns, but there are many commonly-heard phrases that are at high risk of getting lost in translation. Here are the words he says you should utter at your peril, and what to say instead.
'I trust you'
A sentiment usually combined with eight equally-dangerous words: ‘Just do what you think will look best’. Avoid, begs Edward. ‘This sounds like the dream, but it’s actually one of the riskiest things a client can say. “Best” is completely subjective. Your version of “effortless” or “glamorous” might be very different to your stylist’s. It’s the hair equivalent of saying “surprise me” and then being disappointed when it’s not what you had in mind.’
Say instead: “I’d like something low-maintenance and natural, with a bit of brightness around the front. What are your thoughts?”
'Just take an inch off'
The most misunderstood measurement in hair history, says Edwards. ‘Clients say an inch, show you five, and mean half a centimetre. Add in curly hair springing up or damaged ends needing to be properly removed, and suddenly that “inch” becomes a much bigger moment.’
Say instead: “I want to keep as much length as possible, just remove anything that looks thin or damaged.”
‘I want it to look natural’
Uh-oh. ‘Natural to one person is soft and sun-kissed. To another, it’s flat and one colour. Without context, this can go in completely the wrong direction,’ says Edward.
Say instead: “By natural, I mean soft, blended colour that grows out easily, not too bright or stripy.”
‘I want to go lighter, but not too light’
This is where things get vague very quickly, says Edward. ‘The phrase “not too light” could mean a subtle lift, or it could mean brighter through the front and ends, and it doesn’t indicate the kind of tone you like.’
Say instead: “I’d like to be lighter than I am now, but still feel like a brunette overall.” Indicate where you want to see the lighter tones, and what shades you like, using pictures if possible.
‘Can we do something different?’
‘Exciting in theory, but slightly panic-inducing in practice,’ says Edward. ‘More importantly, think about why you want a new look, how much of a change you want, and what you do currently like about your hair.’
Say instead: “I want a change, but I still need to tie it up for work and keep it fairly easy to manage, but I feel I would like the colour to look fresher”. Again, bring pictures of what you do and don’t want.
‘I hate warm tones’ (while showing a golden blonde photo)
'This is one of the biggest contradictions we see overall,' reports Edward. 'Clients often don’t realise the images they love are warm, glossy and golden, not icy. Hair terminology can be confusing, so relying purely on words can send things off track.'
Say instead: “I have some inspiration photos of what I like and also what I don’t like." Pictures are always clearer than terminology.
‘I want it to look sleek, but I don’t use heat on my hair'
‘We hear this one all the time,’ says Edward. ‘That ultra-smooth, glossy finish usually relies on styling. If you don’t use heat, the hair will behave very differently day-to-day.’
Say instead: “I want my hair to feel smoother and look sleeker without styling.” This is where treatments like keratin smoothing or hair Botox can make a real difference, helping reduce frizz, improve shine and make the hair sit more polished naturally.
‘I want to be super blonde but I don’t want any regrowth’
Hairdressers are not miracle workers. ‘This request is the ultimate contradiction. High-impact blonde comes with maintenance, and visible regrowth is part of that process.’
Say instead: “I’d love to be really blonde, but I need something that softens the regrowth and is manageable between appointments.”
