The BEST stylist you've ever had.

[RancheroTheBee]

I know a few of us here have had some horror stories about going to a salon and having the stylist cut off 6 inches, or having your stylist tell you that brushing curly hair is okay, etc, etc.

But what about the BEST stylist you ever had? What did they do right? What did they teach you about hair care?

I'm personally going to go with the guy who taught me how to treat and care for curly/wavy hair without resorting to heat-styling all the time, which he explained was the equivalent of boiling my hair. AND he only cut off half an inch of length, just like I asked.

[may1em]

As a shorthair, I loved this woman named Becky. She always did exactly what I asked for, even though I clearly look better with long hair (once I begged her to chop from shoulder to this layered cut where no one strand was more than 6 inches long).

I always felt really happy walking out of there - though now I don't think she'd be able to do much. She'd probably be pretty shocked to see my hair now.

I also had a good stylist for my second trim during the growing out period - I loved the results of the curly girl cut - she didn't use sulfates or cones on my hair, and instead of blowfrying me, she sat me under a heat lamp. Then she moved away and nobody knew where she went. :(

ETA: Though incidentally, if any of you Hoosiers know a good stylist in the southern part of your state, let me know. I'd like a professional to do my bangs right instead of guessing what will work best on my own.

[Rohele]

I haven't had a really bad one for a long time now. Any recent "hair disasters" have come from a failure to communicate what I wanted clearly to the stylist.

I really like the stylist I'm seeing right now - she's a curly herself and seems to really get the needs of curly/wavy hair. She's the first stylist who has told me to wash my hair less, and also to warn about constant heat styling - she says it should be reserved for "special occasions only", and that I should air dry my hair whenever possible. We'll see how it goes as I grow my hair longer.

[smilinjenn71]

Currently I am in love with my stylist!:crush:

John totally gets what my goals are for my hair. When I tell him I only want my ends dusted (growing out a pixie) that's exactly what he does. When I had the dreaded mullet and only wanted 1" off, that's exactly what he did! He doesn't trim off more because *he* thinks that's what should be done. HE LISTENS!!!

He loves the Hendigo I use to color my hair and always asks if I'm still using Monistat to grow my hair...hehe. We talked about breakage and split ends last time and how elastics are the devil. He also cautioned me about being gentle with my hair when it's wet because it's more fragile. (which of course I already knew from LHC!):heartbeat: We talked about protein treatments and being careful with those b/c when using them too much you can find yourself in the same boat as before with regards to breakage/splits.

I just love him... can ya tell???? I've actually bragged on him on other threads and in my blog but I'm excited to be able to brag on him again!:D

[Syaoransbear]

My favorite hair stylist is my current one that I've been going to for about 5 years. She knows my hair in and out, and it's a plus that we have the same kind of hair too. She's far more concerned about the health of my hair than the style, and she knows the meaning of 'just a trim'.

[Nyghtingale]

Me.
Never over-cut.
Condition frequently.
And, I always listen to myself.
(and I provide free chocolate)

[RocketDog]

The guy I go to now is pretty amazing. He doesn't try to fight my hair's texture and showed me several ways to coax a more refined look out of it without having to fry it or shellac it with junk. He does a fabulous job cutting it, too, and his head massages rock!

[Shiva]

Hair stylist? I don't really "style" my hair anymore, but my mom the hairdresser gives me trims and she's the best for me.

[mira-chan]

For me? My mother. :D

I've never been to an actual professional stylist so can't say.

My mother has had really good ones generally. They work with her hair so she doesn't have to style it even as it grows out. They cut the style, not set it with products.

[GlassEyes]

I go to my mom's stylist when I need a cut. She's pretty good--though she does have a tendency to use too much product. I might've insulted her the last tim eI went it, because my hair was so caked over with cones that I braided it poorly before I left. It, sadly, looked better that way.

The cut was good, though, after I had a chance to style it myself. I've never really seen another 'stylist' before her--I had short hair, and didn't really care where it got cut, as long as it did, eventually. xD;

[NiAosSi]

I used to go to this one woman who was just great at cutting my hair and coloring it! She has since become sick and I have trust issues from previous encounters... Maybe, I will shop around some day. In the meantime, pregnancy is just wreaking havoc with my hair and I don't want to do anything I will regret!

[Roseate]

It was the wonderful stylist who helped me grow out my hair the first time.

I came to him with a raggedy layered shoulderlength cut, and told him I was thinking of growing it really long. He said "I LOVE long hair!", gave me a great trim, and told me not to come back for six months. The trim grew out beautifully, and every six months he dusted it off, made it look great and kept me feeling good about my hair for the next three years while I grew to elbow length.

Then, of course, I had to go break his heart and have him cut it all off to chin length right before he left town...

I miss that guy.

[heatherdazy]

I used to go to this one woman who was just great at cutting my hair and coloring it! She has since become sick and I have trust issues from previous encounters... Maybe, I will shop around some day. In the meantime, pregnancy is just wreaking havoc with my hair and I don't want to do anything I will regret!
Do you have her contact info? I'm sure she could give you a recommendation.

[florenonite]

I've always gone to the same hairdresser. I love her because she knows where I want to part my hair, knows I don't blow-dry, always knew when I tended to cut to shoulder that I wanted to be able to get it all into a ponytail, and just generally does exactly what I want. I don't go to her often anymore because I'm growing and self-trim (cheaper!) but if I were to cut my hair off I would go to her if possible.

[Laylah]

My mother! Although she only cuts my hair, that's all I need.
--She has never cut more or less than I ask
--She gets the hemline straight enough, or adds a U-shape if I ask
--She cuts for free

[redcelticcurls]

My current guy is my favorite. He is the one who encouraged me to grow it out in the first place. I didn't think curlies could really grow long/longish hair. I'm referring to societal long, not LHC long here lol.

He is quite good at cutting curly hair, which not all stylists can handle. I never look like a pyramid after a cut, although the curs are only about once a year now. He's good about checking my ends and letting me know how they are. My last cut was three inches and I really couldn't tell much, and no one guessed I had a haircut. He does a fantastic job with my color, and I've fooled plenty of people into thinking that I really am a readhead, lol. He does a nice job on the eyebrow waxing too when I can get myself to keep it up.

I take in my own products when I get my color done, and he is super supportive of it and enjoys checking out the ingredients list.

[Wanderer09]

What I liked about my last stylist was that she actually used a ruler to figure out how much to cut! I don't think she's ever cut too much off my hair. She sure liked her blowdriers and coney products though...

[Poetic]

My favorite stylist has to be my mother.:inlove: She never over-cuts, beautifully grooms hair. She has taught me much of what I know about haircare.:rockerdud

[Lilli]

My current guy is my favorite. He is the one who encouraged me to grow it out in the first place. I didn't think curlies could really grow long/longish hair. I'm referring to societal long, not LHC long here lol.

He is quite good at cutting curly hair, which not all stylists can handle. I never look like a pyramid after a cut, although the curs are only about once a year now. He's good about checking my ends and letting me know how they are. My last cut was three inches and I really couldn't tell much, and no one guessed I had a haircut. He does a fantastic job with my color, and I've fooled plenty of people into thinking that I really am a readhead, lol. He does a nice job on the eyebrow waxing too when I can get myself to keep it up.

I take in my own products when I get my color done, and he is super supportive of it and enjoys checking out the ingredients list.

I have completely different hair than you but am in Pittsburgh. Is this guy only for curlies? Who/where is he? Thanks!!!

[redcelticcurls]

I have completely different hair than you but am in Pittsburgh. Is this guy only for curlies? Who/where is he? Thanks!!!

Hi name is Eddy, and he's at Salon Cercone in Shadyside. You do pay Shadyside prices, but it's well worth it for me. He works with most hairtypes, (I've come n when he is finishing up straighter haired clients) but he just has a good sized curly following since he's listed on Naturallycurly's salon finder.

[Lilli]

Hi name is Eddy, and he's at Salon Cercone in Shadyside. You do pay Shadyside prices, but it's well worth it for me. He works with most hairtypes, (I've come n when he is finishing up straighter haired clients) but he just has a good sized curly following since he's listed on Naturallycurly's salon finder.

Well, I've been paying Sewickley prices so maybe it won't shock me. Ha ha ha. I want to wait a few months to cut it, but I do think I will need a cut eventually b/c I have some layers that will likely grow out weird. Thanks!!!

[Madame J]

I have an awesome stylist who does amazing layered hairstyles. Unfortunately, that's not really what I'm in the mood for anymore, so I probably won't go back to him for a long time, unless it's for a special pampering deep treatment or something. He's also a conventional color-lover -- I just saw him the other day and he'd tinted his hair with the deep burgundy he's been trying to get me to use for the last 6 months or so.

My husband started going to the owner of the salon my mom goes to for trims because the guy used to have long hair and understands the meaning of "I only want this much taken off." I might see if he'll trim my hair in a few months, if I swear to him I just want a trim, and no layers or shaping. He's really good at doing a nice, even, clean line, but he's been an owner long enough to not have confidence in his more advanced styling skills. The biggest thing in his favor is that he's actually been known to run his hand down the length of DH's hair and tell him he doesn't need as much length taken off as he's asked for. And he cuts DH's hair for free, and would at least give me a crazy discount. DH has been known to go in, get a wash, scalp treatment, condition, trim, and a bottle each of his shampoo and conditioner for less than the price of the shampoo and conditioner alone. And if I tag along, I tend to get a complimentary deep treatment with their vegan line.

[Heidi_234]

I have to most awesome hair stylist now. She hasn't studied cosmetology, but she know whole alot about hair and great hair care methods, and she has waist-hip length hair herself, and she's overall very intelligent and pretty person with the most amazing taste in music. Oh, and she's even LHC member!
Okay, I'll quit complimenting myself this very moment.
:gabigrin:

[Sunshineliz]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought it could use some reviving to praise the good stylists.:)

I was pretty happy with the haircut I got today (1st in a year!) I wanted a trim and that's all she did. I almost thought it looked like she hadn't cut anything at all.:eye: She did ask me if I wanted layers since I have wavy hair but didn't push one way or the other. She just said it would be a different look but both layers or blunt cut would be fine. I decided to wait and think on it (after all, I can always do it, but I can't undo it very well.) And she made absolutely no comments on my premature gray or that I should look into coloring it.

So she did what was asked, made suggestions but didn't push them. All-in-all, just what I need.

[Long_hair_bear]

I love my stylist, Hannah. She has done my hair for 7 years and I thoroughly trust her. :D

[Carissamarie08]

I used to be a stylist. So id have to say I like my own work on myself better then anyone else. And if I mess up I am the one to blame.

[Raiscake]

I don't have a stylist, but this one salon in Manila has never failed me. I really miss it!

[dancingmegs]

My stylist Todd is amazing! He cut my hair when it was long, he cut it short, and now he's cut me an amazingly graceful growing out style. I usually go to him with no idea what I want and a laundry list of demands (I won't wash it every day, I only blow-dry or straighten on special occasions, I want to spend no more than 5 minutes on my hair in the morning...) and every time I have come out looking and feeling great he really listens.

He is also an exceptionally cool person. He used to be a sniper in the Marines, he has tattoos and piercings, he is a volunteer firefighter, and he is involved in community theater. He just defies all stereotypes, which I find so refreshing. We hang out beyond the salon.

[Carissamarie08]

Dancingmegs, he sounds rather attractive haha:D

[battles]

My current stylist. :D She was surprised when I said I wanted to grow my hair, but really supportive. She hasn't cut more than half an inch off since I started growing, and she knows what a dusting is.

I'm interested to see what she'll think about me using henna.

[aisha.christine]

My current stylist, Tammy, is the best stylist I have ever had. She's got hip length hair, so when I told her I was growing out my hair, she was overjoyed. She gave me a bunch of pointers (very similar to the things we endorse here) and never cuts any more than I ask. I love my stylist so much, but I rarely see her because I don't need to get so many haircuts. :(

[lunalocks]

My beloved hair guru moved away last year. She had long hair herself that was beautiful She taught me how to treat my hair gently - no braiding or bunning when wet, no wringing out and how to S and D. She used organic products and NEVER blew dry my hair. I found her just after I had a serious illness and my hair was a mess. She got it back to healthy. I credit her for getting me to waist after a BSL stall for years.

Jody, if you're reading this, your girls miss you.

[Amber_Maiden]

uhhhh... I've sadly never had one.
Most stylists straighten my hair before they cut it- because it's so thick. I hate that.

[alyanna]

Wayne.

At Furisme in Montreal.

[Kelikea]

My best experience has been at Fantastic Sams. They didn't go into hair care, but they listened to what I wanted, kept the water temp cool, they were respectful of my sensitive scalp:) and I got 2 good haircuts with layers there. If I want to get my haircut again (more than the simple trim that HB is happy to do) then I would go back.

[the.fee.fairy]

My Auntie (well, step-auntie).

The best thing my uncle ever did was marry her!

I went to see her a couple of years ago and was complaining to her that i'd trimmed my hair with the wrong scissors, so she sat me down in the kitchen, whipped out her hair scissors and evened everything up for me. She also loves the fact that i have long hair and that i use semi-permanent dye on it (she even sticks up for me when my mother whinges about it!) and if i ask her to dust my ends, that is literally what she will do. She's more scared of cutting too much off than i am!

[spidermom]

I had a fabulous stylist pre-LHC who had classic-length hair. She trimmed my growing-out layers every 6-8 weeks, and my layers gradually evened out while I slowly gained length. I had to quit seeing her because of her political and religious beliefs, unfortunately; she was really pushy about it.

Even though I used to impulsively walk into salons, I can't say as I've ever had a really bad stylist. I think they all did their best to give me what I asked for.

[Darkessa]

I was born and raised in La Grande OR, I had a stylist there named Erin who was AMAZING. She was my stylist for YEARS and I loved her, after I moved over 5 hrs away I had to stop going to her.
Now I never need a stylist. So its not too sad. lol

[Delila]

The two 'best' that immediately spring to mind both made a careful point of finding out what I wanted to do, what changes I was comfortable with, what I wanted to avoid, etc. Along the way they talked with me about the ways we could achieve my goals and how I could maintain the look on my own.

[Tota]

The best hair stylist I know is some girl from my home town who cut my hair through my teenage years. She could do everything - from crazy and modern and wild and colourful pixies to beautiful long hairstyles. The thing I liked about her is that everything she did looked so simple, she never complicated things and after every haircut she told how to style it in various ways etc... She always said: If you like it, it's easy! The only problem was that she was so popular that when she worked the salon was always so crowded it was crazy - people came not only for a haircut but maybe just to say hello to her or to make an appointemnt and so on ... And she was so nice and didn't want to refuse anyone. There were other hairstylists working there too, but most of them had not much work because everyone wanted her. She even worked after she was done with her shift because people kept calling her to come to their homes after work. Being cut by her was such a treat for everyone ...

The last time I went to see her she was so crazy buzy that she ran around the salon like crazy and tend to three clients at a time ... I will never forget that session because when she was cutting my hair someone came to her and they talked and she continued to cut my hair while she wasn't looking what she's doing because she was so engaged in that conversation. I was frozen with fear but didn't want to say anything ... and at the end, the haircut was amazing as always. That was the last time I saw her because she met a man who enabled her not to work for a living. She was an amazing hairstylist but that made her hate her job at the end because it became too stressful and she had no private life.

[jacqueline101]

I'd say my current one she listens to me and we get along.

[TammyT]

One of my best hair stylists really stands out because she had fine/thin hair like me and thoroughly evaluated my hair, came up with a new strategy on coloring/cut and gave me some great dos and don'ts. That and she was just personally cool and sweet. I hated it when I moved away!

[kittymallow]

since i am a hairdresser myself i have to say me, because i always do what i wish for, and treats my hair like the fragile silk it is.. Before when i was working in a different salon there was only one of the 6 girls there i allowed to cut my hair, because we both new the meaning of dusting and we both freaked out if the other had cut more than the mm that we asked for ;P it takes time to trust somebody enough to "give" them our hair!