Have you ever wondered why your hair service didn’t result in the hair of your dreams? Has your stylist ever told you that the hair in the picture you brought won’t look the same on your hair? I used to wonder about that too until I started doing hair myself and discovered the truth. Keep reading and lay your concerns to rest. You will understand how hair actually works and put things into perspective.

If we get straight down to the point and the real reason what it all comes down to is time and that’s the truth. To get the hair of your dreams, it takes time. When you call the salon and book your appointment for your full foil or balayage service, they book you for 3 hours. Maybe 4 hours at the most. But in reality sometimes those services can take anywhere from 4 to 9 hours and in some cases even longer. When a stylist has such a small frame of time to work in, they cannot achieve the beautiful hair in the picture you brought.

We all want celebrity hair

I was watching a video on YouTube called The Fabulous Life Of Miley Cyrus and in it I heard that one session with her hair stylist Chris costs $1000. She most likely books him for a full day in case she changes her mind or wants something extra added. Or if he will feel he needs more time to achieve a certain look. Celebrities don’t just pay more because they are celebrities but because quality costs more. Especially when someone’s time is involved. It just takes longer to achieve beautiful hair.

Why it takes so long

One of the reasons why it takes so long to do hair is because most of our hair has been colored over and over again. And every time you want something new the stylist will have to spend more time to achieve that look. Coloring hair the right way is not as simple as a client might assume. Also, if your hair is very damaged from previous coloring, your hair will not take color how it should, and that will add more time to your hair service as well as costing more money.

You don't have virgin hair

If your hair is virgin hair when you come in a salon, it’s much more simple, and less time-consuming to get results in less time. But if you come in with colored hair and want a look different from your current color it’s going to involve color removal just to start with. That service alone can take up to a few hours. The hair you might be dreaming of might require color removal, coloring your hair to a new base color, balayage or highlights and toner. That is four hair services in one time. That means you will be charged for four separate services. That is why it will take lots of time and not a simple touch up service. This is something I explain to my clients, so they have real expectations.

Celebrity stylist Guy Tang knows

I follow a cool celebrity stylist on Instagram Guy Tang and below are a few pictures he posted of his clients and how long it took him to achieve the results. Typically his clients book a full or half day with him, and he sometimes has a licensed cosmetologist as his assistant helping him as well. That is a realistic way of getting that fabulous hair you want along with having a knowledgeable hairstylist who is great at what they do.

Here is what Guy says

“So many people ask me why I take so long to color one client! The reality is that most people do not have virgin hair walking in the salon or my studio. Most clients have box color in their hair or just had a bad color experience that leads to splotches and spotty color that takes me hours to balance out and blend away. As you can see in the before and after pics! I do whatever it takes to finish it in one day which requires multiple steps and hours to process each step and not to mention in-depth consultations so my clients feel safe and know what to expect in between each stage without being nervous! And that is why it takes 6-9 hours for color correction!” –Guy Tang

If you can’t afford to book your stylist for as long as they require to get that look – then you just have to be patient and get one step done at a time. You can start by getting a subtle version of what you want and have your stylist take you in the direction of your dreams and eventfully they will get you there. But remember each step or service that gets you closer to the hair you want, you will have to pay for.

Big changes take time

I once had a new client who wanted a huge color change from black colored hair to platinum blonde hair. I explained everything I wrote above but more in detail specific to her situation. Saying that this will take many services, and this cannot be done in 1 or even two times. And on her second appointment after taking her another step lighter she didn’t pay me, said she forgot her wallet but then text me saying that how can I charge her for the first unfinished job. And she didn’t even let me finish her hair before she left because she had to leave, so I ended up throwing away her toner that was the last step for that service.

The point of this story is it’s important to listen to your stylist and believe them when they are telling you that big changes take many services, and you do have to pay for each step. It’s the same as if I went to a dermatologist and after one facial thought that my acne would disappear. And I thought I will just keep going until I get the skin of my dreams for free or because I paid for the first appointment.

Killing your hair isn’t an option

There are things as a stylist I am not willing to do like damage your hair to the point of no return. The few hundred dollars I would have earned will not have changed anything in my life – except ruin my reputation. The most important thing a stylist wants for their clients is for them to have the hottest hair out of all their friends. So if you are willing to take their advice and pay the price for celebrity looking hair you can have it. If not all in one day then within time.

I hope this article gave you a look into the life of incredible looking hair from a stylist perspective and what it takes to get it. If you are a stylist and you have something to add, please contribute in the comment section. For everyone else, please add your concerns or comments below as well.

SEE ALSO: What Clients Want Their Stylist To Know

Photo credit: Guy Tang, Main image: Hair is by Julia Belzetsky on Anna19av