6 Things All Stylists Can Relate To

Written by Redken TeamMay 1, 2018

Read time 5 min

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Being a stylist certainly comes with its perks─free products, fun conversations, the fiercest looking hair of anyone you know─but it also can have its moments. Spending up to 10 hours a day, seven days a week on the salon floor can give rise to hairy situations from the hilarious to the awkward to the downright annoying.

Here, Redken Artist Kyle Pinneo shares six situations that every stylist can relate to. 

The "Shampoo Bowl Stare-Down"
It’s that uncomfortable moment when your guest leans back in the shampoo bowl, you start massaging their head and their eyes are open just staring at you. "The one time I get to zone out for a second while I'm shampooing and massaging your head, and you're staring right at me,” says Pinneo. “I'm like, 'Umm this is awkward.'" 

Clamping Down a Foil-Time Conversation
Chatting with guests can be one of the most fun parts of styling, until it comes time to do a foil. "One of my biggest pet peeves is when I’m doing a foil and weaving, the client is talking and moving their head while I'm trying to put lightener or color on the actual foil," says Pinneo. "And they keep moving so the actual foil keeps slipping out from behind the hair. I'm like, 'You're going to get a bleed spot if you don't stop moving right now!'"

Cursing a Client's Cellphone
Everyone is glued to their cellphones right now, and that includes while they’re sitting in the salon chair. "If their phone rings while I’m blowdrying and they pick up, I'm not going to stop blow drying so they can take a phone call. I'm on a time crunch here as well─I have clients coming," says Pinneo. And when he’s trying to apply color and the client reaches for their phone? “There's no reason to continue working until they get off the phone because it's pretty much impossible to work around it,” he says. “Unless they don’t mind their color pattern in the shape of an iPhone.”

Being Seriously Stressed Out by an iWatch
Even if they’re only checking it for their messages, there is nothing more unnerving than a client who is constantly looking at their watch. "People with iWatches will get text messages and they'll look at their watch constantly, but as their stylist, it freaks me out. Oh I'm sorry, are you on a time crunch? Do you need to hurry?" says Pinneo. "I get paranoid every single time because if they're in a hurry, then I feel like I need to hurry up finishing their hair." The joys of technology!

The Awkward “That Haircut Won't Work For You" Moment
Thanks to Instagram, Pinterest and magazines, most clients come in with a photo, or at least an idea of what they want their new hair to look like. Unfortunately, it’s not always in the cards for them. "I have to be honest and say, 'We can use this as inspiration, but you don't have this hair texture or you don't have this much hair," says Pinneo. "I feel like a lot of clients will also come in and like it because of the model or the person's face, and not necessarily the actual hair." Because even with the perfect cut and color, there’s only so much you can do to transform your guest into a celebrity’s identical twin.

Hiding in the Bathroom
Pretty much every stylist can relate to needing some peace and quiet away from the chaos of the salon floor. "Using the bathroom as an excuse to get away for a couple of minutes and be in complete solitude and silence is a go-to," says Pinneo. Sometimes, silence really is golden.  

Photography: Shutterstock