Salon Habits That Seem Nice But Really Annoy Your Stylist

For many of us, going to the salon isn't just about hair. Getting your mane tended to is the end goal, but often, our hairstylists become friends we can't wait to see and the salon itself like a temporary oasis from the routine of our lives. When you've found the perfect hairstylist for you, you'll likely be on your best behavior to maintain that relationship for as long as possible — honestly, nothing is worse than having to find a new stylist when you miss your old one. But unfortunately, some of the common things clients do in the salon can actually be irritating on the other end, even if they're trying to be nice or polite. 

To sort out the genuinely helpful and courteous salon habits from the annoying, Glam spoke to Renae Miller, founder of Alternative Hair, who exclusively reveals that some of the pleasant small talk many of us naturally engage in isn't always that pleasant. We also chatted with Stanimir Hristov, salon owner of Your Hairdresser — a top rated hair salon in Putney, London — who notes that arriving too early to your appointment can be just as off-putting as arriving too late. Though habits like refusing to give your stylist negative feedback may mean well (and many of us are guilty of them!), they can actually make everything harder in the long run. In the interest of creating better salon experiences for everyone, here are some salon practices to retire, straight from the experts.

When you have a close relationship with your hairstylist, you probably skip the small talk and dive right into the deep and meaningful conversation, but if you're not at the gossip and therapy stage yet, you probably rely on small talk. It's easy to fall into this trap, but one of the biggest salon habits that annoys stylists, according to Renae Miller, can simply be commenting on the weather. "One of my biggest peeves is knowing I'm at the salon all day and it's a beautiful day ... every client comes in stating, 'It's such a beautiful day! You should get out and enjoy it!'" Miller recounts to Glam exclusively. "My inner dialogue is, 'Great idea, see you in two weeks.'" 

The sentiment here is understandable, even if commenting on the weather comes naturally to many and is almost always done with innocent intentions. If someone is stuck inside all day, going on about how beautiful it is outside can come across as rubbing their nose in it. That's especially true if they happen to be inside for most of the nice days of the year, which many stylists are. To avoid unintentionally annoying your stylist, learn how to skip the small talk and get to know someone on a deeper level sans insensitive comments.

A lot of people elect to wash their hair before going to the salon, and truthfully, there are some good reasons for doing so. Maybe you find the basin at the salon uncomfortable, or perhaps you have a sensitive scalp and want to avoid certain ingredients in your haircare products. Some salons charge extra for a shampoo, so if you can do it just as well yourself, it might be a good way to save money. If you have a particular reason for wanting to wash it yourself, discuss it with your stylist first, as Stanimir Hristov notes that clients who wash their own hair first can jeopardize their cut or styling.

"There's a reason why the hair needs to be professionally washed in the salon before any given procedure," Hristov explains exclusively to Glam. "I can't guarantee that the customer has washed their hair properly at home so would prefer to do it myself for best results!" Certain styles require specific products when the hair is wet, including particular types of shampoos, treatments, and conditioners, to guarantee that final look. So, if you do insist on washing your hair at home, then you might end up with a slightly different end result. Of course, this is all moot if your stylist has requested that you wash your own hair, which might happen if they prefer working with day-old hair that has some grit for updos.

If you've just paid money for a glossy wash, cut, and blow-dry, the chances of you throwing a hat on immediately after are low. But it happens — bad weather can sometimes tempt us to conceal our hair, or maybe a hat is just part of your outfit for that day. If it is, though, think twice, as this is another habit that seems harmless but can come across as rude or ungrateful to your hairstylist, especially if you didn't pay for the blow-dry part. "When you've done a beautifully executed complimentary blow-dry and the customer puts on a hat straight after — well frustrating!" Stanimir Hristov tells Glam exclusively. "Even though they didn't necessarily ask for it but you decided to do it as an extra touch, it still undermines that additional bit of work and thought." 

There's probably more leeway to wear a hat, scarf, or hood over your hair if you did pay for the blow-dry and styling. But when it's thrown in on top of a simple cut or color, then throwing on a hat can make it seem like you don't appreciate the extra effort the stylist went to in order to make your hair look nice. 

It goes without saying that you shouldn't arrive late to a hair appointment. Even if you're having a quick trim, being late can push a whole day of clients back, causing stress for your stylist. But you might be surprised to realize that arriving early can also be stressful for them, just in a different way. "While this is so much better than being late or not showing up, it still puts an unnecessary amount of pressure on the hairstylist to finish up with the previous customer," Stanimir Hristov shares in our exclusive chat. "Especially if the early-bird customer isn't even looking at their phone or reading a magazine, they're just staring directly at you — just get there on time to avoid that awkward wait!" 

Ultimately, stylists know what they're doing when they plan their schedules. Even if they don't have a client directly before you, it doesn't mean that they want to start on your hair early. Often, they'll purposely leave a window to eat, have a break, make some phone calls, or anything else they're trying to fit in between clients. If they see you waiting during this free window, they might feel pressure not to take care of these personal tasks, which they're entitled to. 

Every hairstylist is different in terms of how much interaction they like with their clients. Some love to chat and catch up, while others prefer a quieter environment. But even those who love to talk to their clients don't appreciate conversation that makes someone move around in the chair. Though totally innocent, this habit can make it difficult to get the job done, especially if the stylist is doing something that requires attention to detail, like highlights or cutting.

"When the customer talks a little too passionately and moves their head around all the time — a big no-no especially when doing a precise haircut or applying bleach!" Stanimir Hristov tells Glam exclusively. "I almost got bleach in a customer's eye one time because she wouldn't settle down in the chair despite being warned many times to stay still (phew!)." There's nothing wrong with a good conversation in the salon chair, but try to remember to keep as still as possible. 

Being assertive in any situation requires practice, especially when many of us were raised with the idea that directly asking for things or speaking your mind is rude. But in the hair salon, it's vital to be direct and clear when communicating with your stylist. Your hair's on the line! Speaking anonymously to BuzzFeed, one stylist revealed their pet peeve when it comes to the common lack of direction from customers: "... that classic line, 'You're the professional. You figure it out.' That one really grinds my gears." Beating around the bush in this case isn't polite; it puts unnecessary pressure on the stylist.

Sometimes, that lack of direction isn't because a client is too polite or scared to ask for what they want, but because they genuinely don't know. Understandably, this is just as irritating. "When they wait and wait and wait, and their turn finally comes up and they don't have a clue what they want to do with their hair," the stylist added. "You just sat there for 40 minutes in the waiting room dude how did you not google images of men's haircuts?!?" If you don't go into the salon with a basic idea of what you want, you could end up deciding on a whim and then making a drastic hair change you'll regret (just like some celebs have done).

This might sound like a contradiction, but there's also such a thing as being too direct. It's important to be clear about what you want, but that shouldn't extend into thinking you know more than the stylist or trying to take control of the process.

"The most nerve-wrecking thing a client can do while they are in the chair is constantly second guess what the stylist is doing or changing their minds about their service," Giovanny Jorge, master stylist and founder of Hair Repair Bar by Giojé, told Brit + Co. "Clients need to trust their stylist and not back seat drive every snip ... Sometimes, I just want to give the client the scissors and let them cut their own hair. J/K." Also speaking to the outlet, stylist and co-creator of Red Market Miami Salon Jean Marc Durante noted that there's a fine line between being too vague and being overbearing in your request: "We always encourage our clients to give as many details as possible with how they want their hair to be cut, colored, and/or styles, but directing the service and telling the hairstylist exactly how to do their hair in step-by-step format is unnecessary when seeing a professional." 

Bringing in a photo of what you want can sometimes help the situation, but remember to let the photo speak for itself. "I hate when a client gives me a picture ... and they keep looking at it to see if you are doing your job correctly," an anonymous stylist told Romper.

Obviously, hairstylists don't appreciate clients coming in late, as it can throw off the whole day. But we're all human; sometimes, life gets in the way, and you can't help it. If you're going to be late, it's important to let the salon know and be honest. Don't try to sugarcoat or gloss over how late you'll be, as it just confuses things.

"When a client calls to say they will be five minutes late, followed by 'Can I get you anything at Starbucks?'... then walks in 30 minutes after their appointment blaming traffic," an anonymous stylist told BuzzFeed of this annoying habit. "I ... do my best to stay on time because I value my clients' schedules. This scenario doesn't happen often, but when it does, it throws me way off for the rest of the day and it affects everyone after that client." Your stylist may initially be annoyed to hear that you're running 20 minutes late instead of five, but it's better that they know exactly what's going on so they can plan accordingly. And there's no point in lying — the truth will come out when you eventually waltz in. It may be unintentional, but this is definitely one of the rude things your hairdresser wishes you'd stop doing at the salon.

The thought of telling a stylist that you don't like what they've done is horrendous to many, especially if you struggle with being assertive or have a close relationship with your stylist. Whether or not you should be honest after a cut, when it's too late to do anything about it, is debatable. But if the damage isn't done yet, that's your window to speak up. Stylists might not love hearing that you don't like what they're doing in the moment, but they prefer that to you leaving in secret unhappiness because you don't like your hair.

"When completing a cut or color based on an inspiration photo, the client says they 'wanted to go a different direction' — but only tells us once the service is completed," Jean Marc Durante told Brit + Co of this annoying habit. Granted, it can be difficult to have that conversation, but stylists are professionals. As long as you're polite and tactful, telling them how you feel is the best way to avoid a hair disaster.

Many people find the shampoo and condition part of a hair appointment to be the most relaxing element. Others might feel like closing their eyes and switching off is rude to the stylist, so they try to keep their eyes open and maintain eye contact. Several hairstylists have gone on the record (aka made social media videos) to confirm that this actually comes across as creepy, rather than polite. One creator shared a video with the caption "Annoying things clients do," which included "The staring in the eye." Another TikTokker shared that "staring at her while at the back wash" is among the "things that annoy your hairdresser but she won't tell you."

By the same token, videos like these also confirm that stylists don't find it helpful when you lift your head while getting your hair washed. Clients often do this innocently to try and help the stylist reach the back of the scalp, but again, they're professionals and have it covered. Lifting your head doesn't help them reach your scalp. and instead just leaves water running down your back, which they then feel bad about.

Hairstylists and clients alike often love getting to chat to each other, so long as the conversation doesn't contain gaffes. Sometimes, well-meaning clients might make remarks about the industry that can come across as annoying or even offensive, and that can sour the whole experience. As one anonymous stylist shared with BuzzFeed, "Hearing clients in my chair say 'oh this must be such an easy job, I would love to just play with hair all day' is so rude. We do SO much more than that. We are chemists, therapists, friends, artists all in one." While a client might think that they're complimenting the stylist by admiring their job, comments like these actually undermine and trivialize the experience of being a stylist, which is understandably frustrating. 

Comments like these are so common that some stylists have taken to social media to vent about it. In a video entitled "Things People Say That Annoy Hair Stylists" (and it's a part two because there are so many!), the stylist demonstrated one comment that can be extremely condescending: "So are you still going to school? Like, do you want like a real job after this?" Again, clients may say things like this to try and take an interest in their stylist's life, but they end up implying that the role of a hairstylist is not a real or valid job.

Last but not least, we have a general common courtesy. In the age of social media, taking photos is involved in pretty much everything, including hair appointments. Both stylist and client might want to snap some pics at some stage during the process, but as the client, you also have to think about whether posing for or taking photos is going to make you move around in your seat, which can throw off the service. This is the same logic as not talking too passionately as you have your hair done — the stylist's job should always come first.

At the same time, it's important to remember the usual etiquette surrounding taking photos of other people (which is admittedly easy to forget in said social-media age). If you love your new hair and want to take a photo that includes your stylist, check with them before posting it on social media. This basic netiquette might save you an awkward moment in the salon!

Salons come with their own common courtesies, but they're not the only place you can have your hair cut or styled. Here are the things you need to know before getting your hair done at a beauty school.