how strange of a request is this (to ask a stylist) ?

[glitterati]

I'm due for a trim and to have my layers fixed, and I'd like to skip having the salon wash my hair and instead ask my stylist to just wet down my hair (don't they usually keep a spray bottle near their chairs?) and cut that way. I wash my hair the day before a cut anyway, and I probably don't need a second wash the next day. Also, I find that shampoo-people are rough with my hair, and probably cause some amount of breakage.

Is there a way to ask this without having the stylist look at me strangely? (lol) I thought of saying that I was allergic to the fragrance, but I don't want my stylist to not use the styling products because she's worried that I'll have a reaction...

any ideas? :)

[amaiaisabella]

Depends where you go.

Higher end salons, they usually rush you right over to the shampoo bowl. I felt weird yesterday asking the shampoo lady to only condition my hair, so I didn't and will not wash my hair for a while to make up for the lost oils.

A lower chain, like SuperCuts (if you are in the U.S.) usually does the spray and cut anyway. Just my experience, FWIW.

[Riot Crrl]

No, that is not strange. For me, even though I don't use shampoo normally, the combing out is more offensive than the shampoo. :P

This is what I used to do when my hair varied between waist and tailbone. I'm not suggesting you must follow this routine, I offer it in the spirit of commiseration, and that you may co-opt any part(s) of it that you think sound good, if any.

1. Wash, condition and detangle hair.
2. Walk 3 blocks to salon, trying not to tangle hair up any.
3. Arrive at salon, with really still wet hair. Offer to detangle for them again.
4. Suffer through trim, which is of course facilitated by the tiniest, narrowest tooth comb in the world.
5. Refuse blowout, pay, walk home with wet hair.

Strangeness lies in perception. The stylist could perceive it as strange, but whatever, who's the customer here? Plus you are saving them work. Plus, they may learn something if you detangle it yourself in front of them. Like for instance, you can't insert tiny comb in the roots of long hair and rip down as hard as you can. Augh.

[glitterati]

Like for instance, you can't insert tiny comb in the roots of long hair and rip down as hard as you can. Augh.

ouch!

Fortunately, my stylist is very gentle. She actually has the most amazing waist length curly hair I've ever seen! She works in one of those higher end salons, so I guess they think it's just natural to have your hair shampooed before cutting. I think it'll be ok if I just tell her that I washed the night before - you're right, that's definitely saving them more work

[DaSwiss]

Not strange at all. Actually, you can also just ask for a WO rinse, esp if they need it wet. Say something like 'I just washed it'. If you like to tell fibs (hey, sometimes we need to), you can say you have a special shampoo, a medicated one, etc. But usually 'i just washed it and prefer for it not to be washed again today, but a rinse would be fine', etc. Just make sure its really well combed/brushed so they don't have to yank on it.

[Feisty Redhead]

I don't think so. My sister went to a salon once and they actually asked her first if she wanted a shampoo before the trim and she said no. Then when she let her hair down out of the bun all the ladies in the store were in awe at it's length (a bit past tail bone, at the time) and the lady who did the trim said she was glad my sister didn't want a wash because it was so much hair to wash and she wasn't sure it'd all fit in the sink anyway. :lol: She just misted the last couple inches and trimmed a bit off the ends and that was that. You shouldn't have to make up any excuses - just tell them you'd prefer to JUST have the trim and not a shampoo.

[Coral]

I was thinking that I would do the same thing the next time I go in for a trim. If I feel weird about it I will probably tell a little white lie and say that my scalp had been sensitive to chemicals.

[momma smurf]

Not strange at all... and if you have a good stylist, you should be able to be honest with them, and they will be respectful of how you care for your hair. :D

[Starr]

When I used to get my hair trimmed in a salon, I would wash and blowout my hair the night before and then have them trim it dry the next day- I saved me the pain of dealing with stylists who didn't know how to work with my hair texture or cut curly hair properly. The one time I got a wash, blowout and trim in a salon the stylist cut it dry anyways. Just ask for what you want.

[mellie]

Yes, it's not strange at all. In fact the very high end salon that I went to once, didn't shampoo my hair.

[Devon77]

I am a stylist I have that request all day. So it is not strange! This is your hair- just tell them when you show up that you do not want the shampoo. This will not upset anyone. Any stylist will see long hair and be happy that they did not have to wash and comb out tangles. You are doing them a favor.

[naomimcc]

...You shouldn't have to make up any excuses - just tell them you'd prefer to JUST have the trim and not a shampoo.

Yup...this.

[angelthadiva]

It's an upsell technique sweetie, the more they do the more they charge...You don't have to explain why, just tell them you don't want it done...If she acts funky toward you, spend your money elsewhere!

[DecafJane]

I don't think it is strange at all!

Funny tale - I once had it happen to me unintentionally, as I went to the salon to get my hair done for a wedding, but had been to the gym beforehand so I had washed my (long) hair and arrived at the salon with it wet.
The stylist had a miscommunication with the apprentice (who was meant to wash my hair) and assumed it was set because it had been washed at the salon (instead of at home) and proceeded to do my hair without washing it! I didn't mind so much as it was already clean, but afterwards when the stylist worked out what had happened, she was so embarrassed that she called me at home and offered me a free salon hair treatment - so all is well that ends well. ;)

[SaveTheTapirs]

When I used to get haircuts on a regular basis (not at a fancy salon mind you), I would almost always get just a trim, no shampoo. My mom on the other hand will sometimes go in just for a wash, which seems a little weird to me, haha. A while ago I went for a trim and I had taken a shower right before, so my hair was still wet but combed. The hairdresser thanked me for saving her time and having it already wet and detangled.

Back when my hair was much shorter, I would always end up washing it when I got home anyway, to get rid of the itchy little cut hairs around my collar and neck. It seemed silly to pay for a shampoo at the salon when I was just going to wash it myself afterwards. But with a small trim on longer hair, you wouldn't really have the problem of getting itchy hairs around your collar.

[Angellen]

I have NEVER gotten my hair washed at a salon. Not sure why. I think I've been asked maybe once. If they take you to a sink, just request they simply rinse it or don't wash it at all.

Like others said, saying you just washed it is probably an excellent response. :)

[sapphire-o]

I must be REALLY cheap. I've never been to a place that washed my hair. :) To be honest I didn't notice anybody detangling my hair, either. I usually go with oily hair because I always shower right after a haircut. They didn't mind at all that my hair was greasy. I actually got lots of compliments on how shiny and smooth it was. The fanciest thing I ever got was blow-drying after the cut. I guess you shouldn't expect more from a $12 haircut. :D

[Nini]

Here in Norway it's not common to be taken straight to the sink... I think I've been asked a few times if I wanted it washed, but I've only taken them up on their offer once or twice.

I seem to recall I had my hair washed in the States though, of course, that's also the salon that cut off 9 cm instead of 3 cm as we had agreed upon;)

Nini

[Irmgart]

instead of going the day after you've washed it, can you go the day you washed it? I've done that and said, "oh, I've already washed my hair, can you just wet instead?"

Of course, for me, half the joy of getting my hair trimmed is getting it washed by someone else :)

I loooooove me some scalp massages :)

[goodenough]

I got my hair washed last time I went, and because they didn't use Dove products, my hair was evil for the few days before I washed it again. If they stop making my shampoo--I'm so chopping off my hair because it's the only way I can deal with it!

So I just got up the nerve to not have it blowdried last time (because then she uses the straightener on my STRAIGHT!! hair), and now I won't be getting it washed. Oh well. I still don't mind paying more, because she really likes and respects long hair, And I only get it cut a few times a year.

[HaiirPEACE]

no that isn't weird. usually when my friends/family come over for me to do their hair i just spray it down. other wise everything is a giant hassle

[spidermom]

I have done this many times. I tell the stylist "I shampooed my hair this morning (or yesterday)." Then she only uses conditioner. We both like it better when she cuts my hair soaking wet, otherwise it's curling/waving off in 1000 different directions.

[happylynngilmer]

I've known my stylist for...nearly 8 years. We are friends, and then I started going to her for my hair. When I went cone free, I told her and she made sure to use something acceptable on my hair. Now that I am SLS-free, I just bring in a bottle of 'poo and she will use what I bring in.
I *LoVe* it when she washes my hair. She massages my scalp and it feels amazing. It's part of the salon experience for me.

If she wasn't my friend, I would be a bit scared of bringing in my own 'poo or asking for special conditioners, so I'm thankful for that.

[Mnemosyne]

I got my hair cut this weekend, and the first thing the stylist asked was if I wanted a shampoo. I said no, so she just misted my hair down with a little sprayer bottle. I've also had stylists just wet it in the sink without shampoo/conditioner.

[HairColoredHair]

I've only had my hair washed in the salon once...

It hurt my neck horribly and my hair promptly stopped up the sink...


Lovely.

Ever since any offers of a wash have been met with a firm 'no'.

[Carolyn]

I just ask for a "dry cut". I only got crap from a stylist one time. She insisted on wetting my hair down with a spray bottle. She claimed dry hair would ruin her scissors. I'd never heard of that before, nor have I since. My opinion is she didn't want to cut it dry as it might have been more effort for her. I really don't know but that's what I think. I wussed out and let her spray my hair. I felt like a complete doormat for letting her do it. Ever since then, I've explained what I want to a new stylist and if she can't deal with my wishes, I'm outta there. I'm the client and I have the money in my hand, so to speak. The customer is always right, ya know :D

[purplebubba]

I agree with the others that it's your option.

Note: There was a salon in my area that had a sign saying it was state law that they could only work on clean hair and could refuse to work on dirty hair. But they never washed my hair. They used a spray bottle so the washing would only come into play if the stylist thought you had dirty hair and refused you service until you allowed a wash. The school I went to on the other hand insisted on washing the hair for every service. Bottom line is if they say you have to get it washed and you don't think you need it try somewhere else unless every place tells you the same. It can vary by state and it depends which salons enforce the rule if there is one.

Also I may be wrong about this but all stylists should have a spray bottle. In school we were taught that if you are cutting the hair wet or damp then you should try to have uniformly wet hair throughout the job. So if the hair not being worked on starts to dry a spray bottle would be handy to wet it again.

[Riot Crrl]

The reason I used to show up with it already wet instead of just relying on the spray bottle, is that I tried that. On my chemically lightened, somewhere between waist and tailbone, thicker-side-of-average hair, the poor stylist would stand there using the spray bottle for like 5 minutes and then wonder why my hair wasn't getting wet at all, lol. They'd usually give up and walk me over to the sink just to douse it with water only. And the little sink jumbles it all up and makes tangles.

[ladystar]

I don't think its strange. When I go my hair is greasy and really oily lol, Often I blow dry (bad me) just because I like my hair cut straight and dry. So I always cut it without wash. =)

[RustedAngel]

I feel pretty lucky, because my sister-in-law is a stylist, and knows that I'm trying to grow my hair out. I don't have any problem letting her wash my hair, but it's not quite shoulder blade length and doesn't usually tangle easily. She's always good about being gentle (probably better than me!), uses a wide toothed pick, and trims only then tips. Although, I am thinking about changing my shape to go to an all-one-length cut.

[updoprince]

I always ask my clients if they want a shampoo and condition. It is the way I was trained so it is second nature I guess.

[n3m3sis42]

I haven't let a stylist wash my hair in a couple of years. Granted, that's really probably only about 3 salon visits, but they've never acted weird about it. I'll let them wet it either in the shampoo bowl or using a spray bottle, although I normally show up with wet hair anyway. I figure if it's obviously clean AND wet then they probably won't mind that I don't want it washed.

I don't let them blow-dry my hair or put product in it, either.

I don't go to a very high-end salon, though. It's a place called "Cut Zoo" that is about $12.99 for a haircut. I prefer it to places like SuperCuts and Great Clips because they don't seem to have as much employee turnover (and also because it's verrrrry close to my house).

[heidi w.]

This is not a strange request at all. The suggestion I have is to just ask, and see what they say. If they say they must wash the hair then ask why. It's reasonable to have an explanation.

My bet is they'll say OK and not bat an eyelash.

Dry trims are done too.

The curlier the hair, the more likely it is that I would recommend a dry trim, anyway.

However, in your case you're dealing with layers, so some wetness may help the stylist you've been working with see the established lines they've already created. If wetness is what's required, misting as you suggest should work just fine.

I would say you could request this and then after this way of getting this trim decide for next time if you'd like to change the approach. ALSO, you can say that you will come in with freshly washed hair that you did yourself at home. The alternative is to come in with wet hair where you did the washing. That's a possible compromise between you and your stylist, if you even need to compromise.

(Me, I'd never go to a stylist without clean hair. It's kinda like I'm going to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned, but I still brush my teeth.)

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

PS. I've done this plenty of times, skipped the hair wash part. I now trim completely dry.

heidi w.