c/hairdressers

That day a color correction in Seattle went from a total mess to my best work

Honestly, a lady came in with box black dye over her old blonde and wanted to be a cool ash brown. Tbh, I thought it was a lost cause after the first round lifted patchy and orange. Ngl, I mixed a custom toner with a 7N and a tiny bit of violet additive, left it on for 25 minutes, and it came out perfectly even and cool. Anyone else have a color save that made your whole week?

Vent: I thought the 'dust-free' cutting cape was just a marketing scam

My boss in Charlotte made us all switch to these expensive capes that claim to repel hair clippings, and I was ready to call it a gimmick after the first client. After using it on about 30 cuts, I realized my black pants actually stayed clean all day, which never happened before. Has anyone else found a tool they doubted that actually made a real difference in their daily grind?

My cordless clipper battery gave out mid-fade on a Saturday rush

I was halfway through a skin fade on a regular client yesterday when my main clippers just died, and my backup set was still charging. I had to quickly switch to my old corded pair, which felt super awkward after getting used to cordless. What's your go-to backup plan when your main tools fail during a busy slot?

Vent: I tried a 'dry cut' on a client with super thick hair and it turned into a disaster

I saw a stylist in a video do a dry cut on thick, wavy hair to get more texture, so I tried it on a regular client. Her hair just poofed out and I had to spend an extra 45 minutes wetting it down and fixing the shape. Anyone have a better method for managing thick hair without losing control?

Hot take: Getting the lighting right for my home haircut station is impossible.

Every bulb I try casts weird shadows on the hair.

DAE see how a tidy station helps you think clearer?

I spent ten minutes organizing my tools today, and my haircuts were better. What's your setup like?

TIL my neighbor gets annoyed when I mention her dry ends

Most hairdressers think we should point out hair flaws, but I find it can offend people. I only share tips if someone asks me first.

My toddler kept trying to 'help' with my color bowls, so I came up with a kid-safe distraction.

I give them old brushes and empty bottles to play with while I work, and it keeps them busy and out of trouble.

TIL that complicated braiding takes way longer than I expected during a wedding prep.

I mean, after long shifts, my legs hurt so much I can't fall asleep. Idk, maybe we need better stretches or something?

The day my salon floor became a slip-n-slide of hair spray

I was putting in new floor tiles in my home salon over the weekend. Things were going okay until I bumped a full can of super strong hair spray. It fell and rolled right where I was about to step. When I put my foot down, the can shot out and spun across the room. It left a long, slick trail of spray that made the floor crazy slippery. I tried to walk and almost fell, grabbing my color cart for balance. Now I have a shiny strip that smells like apples and bad choices, lmao.

Confused about why some clients' hair takes color differently

Water hardness checks solve many color issues.

When a regular asked me to lie about her hair color

She needed a note for work saying her bright red was natural. I said no, but it made me think about how often we bend the truth for clients. That small choice changed how I handle similar requests now.

Rant: The color mixer at my shop went crazy yesterday

I was prepping a highlight formula, and the machine started squirting color everywhere. My apron looked like a rainbow threw up on it. We had to stop and clean for an hour, and the client thought it was a new art project. So ridiculous!