The Part of Being a Stylist I Never Really Get Used To
There’s a part of this job that still makes my stomach flip, even after almost twenty years behind the chair. It happens every time someone reaches out to say something isn’t quite right with their hair.
Not because I’m defensive.
Not because I don’t want to fix it.
And not because I think they’re wrong.
It’s the opposite. It’s because I care. Probably more than they’ll ever fully understand.
I want people to genuinely love their hair.
Not just under perfect salon lighting, but in the bathroom mirror at 6:30 a.m.
Not just on day two curls, but on days with messy buns, leggings, school drop off, and a life that is real and busy and imperfect.
And here’s the part many people don’t realize: hair color is a relationship.
It takes more than one appointment to learn someone’s hair, their lifestyle, their natural undertones, their maintenance preferences, the way their roots lift, how quickly they tone, how their hair reflects light at home versus in the studio. You simply cannot know all that in one visit, no matter how much experience you have.
Sometimes a color needs a tiny adjustment.
Sometimes a highlight blend needs more softness.
Sometimes someone lives with it for a week and realizes they want something a little cooler, or warmer, or brighter.
None of that means anything went wrong. It is part of the process.
Refining, tweaking, correcting, adjusting. These things are normal. They are also signs that a client wants to work with their stylist as a team, which is the best kind of client to have. The kind who reaches out not to complain, but to communicate. The kind who wants to help us get it right.
When I see that email come through with a concern or a worry, my first instinct is always that little lump in my throat. Not from frustration, but from caring so much about their experience. I always need a second to breathe and remind myself of what I know to be true:
This is how trust is built.
This is how communication grows.
This is how great hair actually happens.
When you come back in for a tweak, you’re not being difficult. You’re not being dramatic. You’re being honest about what works for you, and that honesty is what helps your stylist deliver the hair that fits your life.
I would always, always rather you tell me than try to live with hair you secretly don’t love. Silence doesn’t help either of us. Communication does.
So if something feels a little off, if the tone looks different in your bathroom lighting, if a piece feels too bold or not bold enough, please reach out. You’re not bothering me. You’re helping us shape your hair together, which is exactly how it should be.
And in the end, that partnership is what makes the difference between “good enough” hair and hair you truly feel at home in.
Ready to work with a stylist who values communication, refinement, and collaboration? Book your next visit at Linmay Studio in Evanston, Illinois, and let’s create hair you love every single day.
