r/hairstylist

Bit of a random one but… does anyone actually own an apron they like wearing?

I’ve been trying to find one and everything feels either:

- super cheap and flimsy

- or like I’m about to walk into a commercial kitchen 😅

I just want something simple and clean that actually fits well and feels decent on. Nothing over the top, no big logos, just something you’d naturally throw on without thinking.

I feel like there has to be brands doing this properly but I’m clearly missing them.

If you’ve got one you rate, drop it below 🙏

I have been in the industry since 2023.

I am a 22yo female. I love doing hair, i really do, but my body is giving out. I haven’t had a proper ehlers danlos diagnosis, but I show all of the signs. Just standing and doing hair for long periods of time is dibilitating. My joints pop, and click, and half-dislocate. On top of that, I have severe ADHD and POTS. I own my small salon entirely alone, and unfortunately stopped having a set schedule. people don’t respect my time, expect me to work at any hour of the day, and my body can’t do it anymore. I’m not sure how to approach this. I am booked out for several months so I can’t really move my schedule much anymore. Any advice is welcome. Tysm

I've been doing hair for 3 years and I swear I've thrown out hundreds of dollars worth of clothes. Had a gorgeous black tee last week, one lightener splatter and it's got orange spots everywhere. My partner thinks I'm insane for buying nice clothes just to destroy them at work.

I've tried the "just wear cheap stuff" approach but honestly looking put together matters to me and my clients notice. What's everyone else doing? Do you have a system, or have you just accepted the bleach tax?

I recently learned that Sally’s is hiring licensed colorists for remote positions where they do 10-12 live chat + video consultations a day with customers.

From what I understand, the role is basically:

•	Helping clients troubleshoot color issues (including, if not solely being emphasized on corrections) 

•	Curating a basket of products together for the in store Sally’s rep to have together for customer to purchase the recommended products

•	Then sending step-by-step instructions via email for DIY application…

I know Sally Beauty also owns Cosmo Prof, so they’ve always been connected to both consumers and professionals, but this feels like a shift.

On one hand, it makes sense with how many people are doing their hair at home now.

On the other, it’s interesting (and maybe a little concerning?) to see licensed professionals guiding DIY color, especially with more complex services like corrective work, which we’re usually taught not to guide clients through at home.

For licensed stylists:

•	How do you feel about this?

•	Do you see it as a good opportunity or does it undermine salon work?

•	Would you ever do/ work at a position like this?  (Ps the pay is $16-$18 hr full time, benefits, but no commission, from my research)

Is hairstyling genuinely worth it I just want a stable career and good financial income I can rely on I am introverted w basic social skills. Is it worth to prepare for hairstyling course? Feel free to share😊

I’m chronically ill and burnt out after 8-9 years (started in a toxic salon, built my clientele, been independent the past 2.5 yrs). It pays the bills, but barely.

I can only physically work 15-20hrs/week, maybe the occasional 25, so going back to a salon is NOT in the cards.

I need to switch to something more sedentary with benefits, but I’m afraid to leave my clients. (However, I cannot address my health issues with my current income level and position.)

A lot of them are ride or dies, some travel from states over to see me. Some joke the would quite literally book a trip for a week to come see me if I moved to another country. I have a couple that have told me time and time again that I’m their stylist until they move on (from this life).

I know the only thing I can do at the moment is rock out the remainder of my lease and potentially raise prices to supplement. Anyone who has left the industry have any advice on transitioning?

I have my next career lined up, but meanwhile, I’m not ready to say goodbye to all the wonderful people who have been with me for so long. I’ve debated on trying to still do some of my super OGs once or twice a month after transitioning, but I don’t know if that’ll end up being a headache.

I wanted to get into hair extensions but, was wondering if there are stylist who only specialize in extensions. I've seen people get their hair retouched or color done and then add extensions. Just wondering if there's any hope for just doing extensions without having to do any color. The more I think about it the more I feel like it would be a loss of money if I don't do both services for a single client but, I don't really like doing color. What do yall think?

Basically a shear sharpener I had never seen before came into my shop, and I’m pretty sure I feel for a scam. She sharpened 2 of my shears and my clipper blades in record time. My shears are literally just pushing the hair around and barely cutting at all, and my clippers are 2x louder than they were before. I didn’t get her contact info because I’m dumb. I’m still a relatively new stylist, and my shears are not very expensive which is a good thing here I guess. Now I’m down $60 and need to buy all new tools.

I feel so defeated and stupid :( I’m having to use my beauty school shears, and I do 20/25 haircuts a day. I’m cutting so slowly, and my hand already hurts because I have become very used to my double swivel shears, normal ones feel impossible to use… just wanna cry:/ only 1 of my coworkers agreed to get hers sharpened and is saying the same thing about how bad they are.

A lesson has been learned I guess :(((

So, not a stylist, but I've been working in salons since a teenager, and the entire time, I've just wanted to look through and touch a lot of people's hair because I want to see how their stylist does it. It's just pure curiosity, but I just wish it was something normal to ask. I just wanna see how y'all's color blended! (This might break a rule idk it flagged it for something that didn't rly make sense :P)

I’m looking at a space that is currently just studs although there is water/electric/hvac already in place I’d just have to extend/customize it how I’d like. It’s a 4,000sq ft space total and the landlord/owner has agreed to sub divide it. I’m looking at a 1,200 sq ft space

It’s obviously going to need practically an entire build out. Has anyone been in this situation before? Is it unreasonable to ask the landlord/owner if he will cover the cost is the basics such as ceiling/flooring/doors and I will cover the specifics for the salon such as plumbing/electrical. It just doesn’t seem to make sense to dump that much money into finishing his building because I would just be a tenant leasing.

What would be fair? Has anyone been in this situation before?

I currently own a salon in a small town, I stay pretty consistently booked but I am looking to transition out of the industry. I have been doing hair for 6 years, owned my own salon for 3. I recently accepted a position at a bank as a bank teller and hope to one day move up, since I’m currently in school to get my bachelors in finance. I have 2 weeks before I start my new job. Financially, I will still need to do hair a little bit on the side. I was thinking one evening during the week and 1 Saturday a month, what would you do for your schedule working 8-5 (some days it will be 4)? Also, I am offering a few of my clients to come in on the evening I work or Saturday but I cannot keep the majority of my clients due to not having enough time to fit them all in. How would I word a text to reach out to them to tell all my clients? Thank you

Been talking to a lot of salon owners in the Gulf lately and the software situation is all over the place. Some are still on spreadsheets, some on Fresha, some built their own WhatsApp system.

Curious what people here are actually using day to day. Appointments, POS, staff, inventory is there one tool handling all of it or are you juggling multiple?

We built WAJ specifically for this market, waj.ai, because nothing out there really understood how salons operate here. Walk-ins, cash payments, Arabic speaking staff, WhatsApp as the main booking channel. Most Western tools just don't account for that.

What's been your experience?

Looking for true old-school small neighborhood hair salons in Columbus- not trendy, not Instagram salons. I mean the kind of place where there’s regular Betty’s, drinking good coffee, reading magazines and gossiping.

•	been around forever / family-owned

•	maybe hasn’t updated the decor since the 90s (in the best way) steel magnoliaish vibes

•mix of old and younger stylists

Open to anywhere in Columbus or surrounding areas (west side, Reynoldsburg, Grove City, even farther out?!!

Please help me find this hidden gem to work at!!! Or else maybe I’ll have to create my own