by Amber Hilton

Created on: April 26, 2007   Last Updated: May 16, 2007

The importance of clear communication with your hair stylist cannot be stressed enough. Effective communication can mean the difference between the best haircut you've ever hand and months of wearing hats and wigs to disguise a traumatizing trip to the salon. Even a very talented stylist can disappoint you if they don't clearly understand what it is you are looking for. Women and men spend hundreds of dollars and wait for months to book an appointment in order to put their hair in the hands of a stylist that they know and trust. They may eventually trust their stylist to the point where they can allow them complete artistic license to do whatever they want.

However, don't fret if you have yet to meet your stylistic soul mate or just don't have the time or money to waste on your hair. No matter where you go or what your budget is, there are some simple rules that everyone can follow in order to ensure that you get the results that you want.

A talented stylist is important, but you can't leave it all up to them. In order to effectively communicate your wishes to your stylist, you need make sure that you know exactly what you want. This means that you must plan ahead. Don't go to the hair salon on a whim, when you've just broken up with your partner, are having a severe case of PMS or if you simply have no idea of what you are looking for. Some of my worst salon experiences have been the result of being unprepared.

When you get the urge to reinvent yourself, spend AT LEAST a week exploring different styles and collect as many images as you possibly can. When paging through magazines hunting for styles/colors, remember that just because a style looks great on a model or celebrity, doesn't mean it will work for you. You need to take into account a model's hair texture and facial structure. You should also take into consideration how much care and maintenance each style will require and how much time and money you are realistically willing to spend on your hair. Your occupation or hobbies may also affect your choice.

When you've amassed a significant collection of visual images, share them with some of your close friends and family members in order to get some outside opinions. Make sure to consult with at least one friend that you know will be blatantly honest with you.

After you've made a final decision, give yourself a few more days to think it over before you actually schedule an appointment. This may seem like a lot of time and energy, but it's worth it to avoid

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