It’s no secret that Black women take their hair seriously. Which means choosing the proper hairstylist is not to be taken lightly. If you want to look fly, you need someone with gifted hands, knowledge of her craft, and preferably a kind disposition to boot. But finding all of that in one stylist can be a task. You might not get all of it at once. So how do you know when you’ve settled too much? Don’t worry, 21Ninety is here to help with signs you need a new hairstylist. Check them out below.
You don’t feel heard
You find a style that will frame your face perfectly. It’s the perfect look for your upcoming event where you plan to stunt on all of the attendees. You take the look to your stylist. She assures you can she execute the style. But when she spins you around in the chair, it’s nothing like what you discussed. Now either she’s incompetent or she decided to take her own liberties. Either way, once you leave her chair you have to fix her work. If you find yourself in this situation, it might be time to find someone who can follow directions.
Conversation Is a Chore
Black hair takes time, so when you sit down with a stylist, you know there’s a good chance you’re going to be there for a while. That means you’ll either want someone who is quiet and lets you read or relax or you’ll want to converse with someone who is engaging. Even if you don’t agree with everything your stylist has to say, you may still be able to respect their perspective. If you don’t, spending an extended period of time listening to someone who believes differently than you or who shares YouTube’s latest conspiracy theories can be torture.
Your Hair Is Not Growing
Maybe your stylist can take direction and execute a style perfectly but afterward you find your hair’s health is suffering. A great stylist should be someone who knows how to manage your desire to be fly and also protect your hair in the process. If you want color, they know how to restore moisture. If you want to retain length, they can recommend styles and products that will help you meet your goal.
Unreasonable Policies
Times are hard. We all need to make money to live. But some of these beauty policies have gotten a bit out of hand. If you stylist requests that you come wash, blow-dried and relaxed and partially braided to your appointment, then there’s a possibility your price-to-service expectations aren’t a good match. It may take some time and research but you can find someone who can provide the service you expect while charging you fairly.
You’re Constantly Waiting
If your meeting time is more of suggestion than an appointment, your stylist might be unreliable. Does something always seem to come up that requires your stylist to leave in the middle of the service, there might be a problem. And if you’ve had to find someone else to do your hair because of a last minute cancellation, sounds like it’s time for a new hairstylist.