Jen's Hair Blog

So, you're looking to get your hair did. That means you need to find a beauty salon. But finding a hair salons in Montgomery Village and having someone make you fabulous isn't like choosing a gas station. It's not as simple as pulling into a random salon and getting your hair cut.

You're about to spend a lot of time and money to be beautified. And the ugly truth is.... you have to live with the results, no matter how they turn out.

Well what should you look for when selecting a salon?

A few simple rules that I always use have helped me not only have a good hairday, but an awesome hair year!

The first thing you must do is figure out how much you are willing to spend. If you aren't willing to fork over more than 100 dollars after tip and product, keep that in mind when you choose a salon. I hate to say it, but a lot of the time you get what you pay for. A lot of beauty salons charge X price because their stylists went to some of the best schools out there. If you can, find out where their stylists trained. Some schools are a literally a "cut" above others, and are worth every penny.

Secondly, I always ask around. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find out who is the hottest and styliest expert out there. It helps to find out if that person actually likes their stylist too. No one wants to sit in a chair for 2 hours with someone they don't gel with.

A good idea is to head into a local boutique, clothing store, or anywhere else where people's style matches the style you are looking for. Just ask them where they went to look so good and if you hear the same salon name a few times, like Salon Red, you should have a good idea where to go.



Also, check out your local City Weekly. You know what those are, the free newspapers available at good restaurants, bars, downtown corners, etc. They usually will have a lot of ads for salons, and sometimes even some reviews of these beauty salons. So they are always worth a checkout.

Once you've found a beauty salon you're excited about, try and figure out what product they use. If you're serious about being beautiful, you know that product is SUPER important. I always look to make sure they have high end stuff. Look them up in the phonebook or the internet, maybe even on facebook. Find out if they actually have the kind of product you are used to using. If they don't, then it might be a good idea to look other places. Or, if you're feeling adventurous try and find out if their line is really that good. Not all product is created equal, but not everything you are unfamiliar with is bad.

To me the most important part of selecting a beauty salon is the ambiance.

More than once have I walked into a salon, taken a look around the lobby, watched other clients, and left.

If you aren't comfortable there, or if the mood or tone doesn't brighten your day or make you smile, then leave.

The greeter should be friendly and helpful. They should actually be excited you are there. After all, they are the face of the salon. If they aren't nice and pleasant chances are the stylists might not be either.

You'll want to establish a relationship with your stylist as well, I have been going to Paul, my stylist, for 4 years now. Not only does he make me gorgeous, but he has become one of my closest friends. Half the time I don't really even need to tell him what I want, he knows what I'm looking for, even if it's totally different from the usual. To me, that is worth every penny. Not only do I come away looking pretty, but I've just been able to relax and share things with someone I trust.

You'll want to make sure that wherever you go, they are committed to you and what you want. That means a week later if you need a quick fix, they should be happy to do it for you. Beauty salons are a business, and if they want to keep clients they should be willing to bend over backwards for you...just not when they are cutting your hair.

These are just a few simple guidelines. They're really in no particular order, but if you follow all of these I promise you'll be happy, beautiful, and will never need to worry about where to go again!

Cheers, and good Luck, Jennifer