36 secrets your hair stylist won’t tell you

Hair salons share their secrets for saving money, getting a great hair cut, and more.

Or: “I’m pretty easy to work with.” Nine times out of ten, hair stylists say, it’s not true.

So we hairdressers use words like lightener and decolouriser. But no matter how we prettify the language, if we’re lifting a dark colour out of your hair, we’re using bleach. If you’re not sure exactly how much lighter your hair should be, here’s how to find the best hair colour for your skin tone.

I may note that you don’t tip well or that you talked loudly about how drunk you were last night. I may also write down that you’re going through a divorce or that you’re into tennis so I can remember to ask you about those things next time.

But really it’s at 2:30.

Don’t make your first appointment with me on a Saturday. That’s our busiest day, and I won’t be able to give you the time and attention you want and deserve.

Ask for one if it doesn’t. Doing both together eliminates some steps and should save you about 20 percent, according to most hairdressers.

But be wary of hair salons that offer deals all the time. That’s not a good sign.

I had a client who wore her super-thin hair short for years because she thought she had to. I finally talked her into growing it out into a stacked bob, and everyone now says she looks incredible.

Check out the 40 best hairstyles for women over 40. 

If your hair still contains moisture, the iron will damage it, hair stylists say.

Meanwhile, dermatologists share the things you should never do to your skin.