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months of unflattering hairstyles. Patience is a virtue when it comes to choosing a hairstyle.

When it comes to hair, language is typically not the best way to communicate. Hair terminology can be confusing to the non-stylist and terms often means different things to different people, so make sure that you are explaining what you want thoroughly and in your own words. For example "chunky" or "layered" may conjure up entirely different images for you than it does for your stylist.

Ask your stylist to visually show you how much they are going to cut off or show him/her yourself by holding your hair between your fingers. Verbally designating a certain number of inches may result in the stylist cutting off too much. Some people don't have a clear idea of how much an inch actually is and don't take into account how hair texture and the way that the hair falls will affect this measurement. You can always ask your stylist to take off some more, but there's no putting the hair back once the damage has been done.

This is also where having visual images comes in handy. The more magazines and photographs that you look at, the better you will be able to understand and communicate what it is that you want. Magazine images and photographs are an ideal means of communicating your wishes to your stylist.

A good stylist will take the time to listen to you and will give you an honest and professional opinion. They should know what questions to ask you and will take into account the texture and condition of your hair as well as the shape of your face and your lifestyle.

Make sure you explain your current daily hair routine and tell them how much time you are willing to spend styling your hair. A good stylist will be honest with you about whether or not a particular style will realistically work for you and will ask you questions to make sure that they are understanding your correctly.

If you feel like your concerns aren't being heard or if a stylist brandishes their scissors before your butt even hits the chair, get the heck out of there! Speak with the manager and request a different stylist or check out another salon. Don't worry about hurting someone's feelings. It's part of a stylist's job to do the best they can to please their clients and this includes listening carefully and giving their objective and professional opinion. After all, they are not the one that is going to have to live with the outcome for the next several months if it turns out disastrously.

Scheduling a consultation

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