Ten Things I Learned: From working in a salon.

For the past few months, I’ve been moonlighting as a salesgirl in local hair salon. While this might seem like quite the departure from my science aspirations- and admittedly, I initially only signed on to support my shoe addiction- it’s actually been a pretty cool learning experience so far. So from a salon insider to you, here are some of the more useful tips I’ve picked up while working alongside the experts.

1. Not all products were created equally.

 For a long time, I was an avid about buying my hair products on the cheap. Being a Thifty McThrifterson, I figured since there are many of the same ingredients in drugstore and salon products, why shell out more for the latter? While this is true, what’s really important in the effectiveness of a product is its concentration of active ingredients. While the recipe might be the same, a drugstore conditioner contains significantly less of the good stuff than a pricier brand, which means that I was blowing through bottles of shampoo unnecessarily, having to use more product each time to get a lesser result. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, professional brands may actually be the better deal overall as with many of them, a little goes a long way. Plus, less packaging=slightly better for the environment. Win-win?

2. For added volume, blow dry hair upside down.

 You’ve probably heard this one, right? The real trick here is that once you’ve finished drying your hair upside down, blast your roots on your dryer’s cool setting for a couple of minutes. The long and the short of the science here is that heat breaks bonds that make your hair the shape it naturally is, and then cooling the hair while your head is still flipped allows the new, more voluminous shape to “set” exactly where you want it. Easy-peasy.

3. Top coat is key.

 The secret to a perfect, chip-resistant manicure? Top coat, and lots of it. I usually put at least three layers of top coat over top of my polish: one covering the whole nail, one on just your tips, then another complete coat. Depending on how it’s holding up, I may add another coat or two as time goes by. It’ll take a little longer than your standard swipe-and-go, but this usually buys me at least seven chip-free days.

4. There is a trick to perfect curls. And you can do it.

If you have layers and own a curling iron, I probably don’t need to explain to you how aggravating it is to curl a section when the shorter pieces keep slipping from your iron’s grasp. The solution? Clamp the hair just above your shortest layer, roll the curl up, and then lightly release the clamp while twisting the iron tighter. The longer layers should be pulled into the clamp, giving you a perfect curl. Takes a bit of practice, but once you have the hang of it, curling or waving your hair is a cinch.

5. Don’t be afraid to haggle.

This one is kind of a general rule for shopping, Many stores and businesses allow employees some leeway when it comes to sales pricing. While a request for a discount on a regularly priced item might not be your best bet, items that are damaged or already discounted tend to be fair game. If you notice 20 of the same product reduced on a shelf, chances are it’s not selling too well, and you might consider asking for an additional discount. Buying multiple products can also help this process. Keep your suggestions reasonable, and bargaining can be fun! It can’t hurt to ask, and you might be surprised by your success.

6. You need a drink.

 Or rather, your hair does. This isn’t so much of a scientific tip as it is an observation. Having always been the proud owner of reasonably healthy hair, I never really gave restorative hair treatments and masques a second look. However, I test-drove a sample of one shortly after starting at the salon, and I am now hooked. To delay the onset of split ends (and save money on cuts), I use a hair masque only on my ends once a week over top of my regular conditioner, and a split-end mender on damp hair after every washing. I like Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque and Redken Anti-Snap, but there are TONS of excellent home remedies out there.

7. No ‘poo? No problem!

 Although I know many people who feel gross if they don’t, washing your hair very frequently (once a day or more) is actually not very healthy for most hair. Many chemicals in shampoo (particularly the ones that provide lather) contain drying agents that strip your hair of the natural oils that keep it healthy and strong. When you do this every day, the oil glands in your scalp kick into overdrive to compensate, which actually means that your hair will become greasier faster.

While it may take a week or two to get used to, washing your hair less will allow your hair shaft to take advantage of your body’s own built-in shine serum, and as a result your scalp will adjust to produce less oil. I’ve been practicing this for a few months, and now I generally can get about 3 good hair days (read: can wear my hair down, style it, sans oil spills) out of my fairly fine hair per wash.

When I do lather up, I use Pureology, a vegan line that is sulfate and paraben-free. The difference I’ve noticed since switching from lines that use these harsh chemicals is ridiculous, even in addition to the no ‘poo effects. My hair was noticeably shiner and stronger almost immediately. While this line is pretty pricey, there are many other companies that manufacture similarly gentle products.

8. Dry shampoo exists, and it is Good.

That said, there are still days when my hair needs a little pick-me-up, and then I am glad to have dry shampoo in my arsenal. Spray a bit in your roots, brush it out, and you’re ready to go for another day, free of damage from lathering or blow-drying your tresses. Most salon brands, and a lot of drugstore ones sell these, so it shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to clean up on a student budget.

9. Be a good person.

Sometimes stores have promotions that employees aren’t required to inform you of. They’re the kind of deals a salesperson will save in order to convince you to buy that matching conditioner to your shampoo, promising you a free hairspray if you do or whatever. The thing about these though is that the company may discourage the seller to even tell you that you qualify for a deal if you come to the cash with the conditioner in hand already, thus saving them product. It’s a very sneaky corporate trick, and although I only know first-hand of a few places that do this, from my limited sales experience it's pretty effective, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's more widely used than I'm aware of. 

Here’s the thing though. I’m a reasonable person, and if you’re nice to me, I’ll probably give you the deal anyways. If you are condescending or rude, I probably won’t. Definitely a good rule for life in general, but particularly applicable in retail: you never know when the person serving you has the option to cut you a break. Being friendly and respectful pays off.

10. …Umm…

I can’t actually think of a tenth styling tip, but I like the alliteration of “Ten Things”. Since I was a tad tardy to the party with this first post, here is a funny animal video. You’re welcome.

Posted by: Meghan