Ok, I am feeling like a loser today!  I have been in this business as a boothrenter for 14 years and my salon recently moved (3 weeks) to a much more upscale location.  We had been in the ground floor of a retirement apartment and now are on a main street with lots of upscale apartments and businesses around us.  I have always thought I did good hair, especially color which I have really spent time and money on education.  My weakest area is probably finishing styles on younger people as alot of my clientle is 40 plus.  Now we have younger people coming in in their twenties and thirties, very high maintenance and picky and I am feeling a little out of my element.  I think I just need to get my confidence up with some extra styling classes and things.  Any suggestions on where to look for some more education on finishing styles? These young women with curly thick hair that want it perfectly straight, but want layers?  I don't get it?  Try to do that without it looking straggly on the ends.  Sorry, I'm rambling, but I spent 1 1/2 hours today trying to make a 23 year old happy with her style that looked great!  First she wanted swooping bangs, then when I did that, she wanted them to curve toward her face.  I am just really frustrated here.  Is it just me, or does this happen to other people.  One of my co workers was listening to all of this and said it wasn't me.  I just feel I need to step up a bit on styling and not sure where to get it.  Ok, sorry to rant, going to go take a half a valium now!  Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can give me.

My ceramic brush is my friend. With my blow dryer setting on hot I can smooth, and bend the hair in the direction I want it with volume at the roots, smooth mid shafts, and wispy ends. I also use smoothing serums to help control the hair.

If you want to know what the younger generation wants, just look at the celebrities they are watching. And don't forget to tell them that Jessica Simpson has a trunk full of extensions and hair pieces, so does JLo, so does Mariah Carey, and Paris Hilton. You will find the occasional, can't please for nothing clients. But don't let their issue become yours. If you feel the need, pass these clients on to someone who can relate better with them, and leave yourself room for the clients you are more in tune with. I don't do roller sets. I can do them, and do them well, but I find it monotonous, and I find they book too much of my time and don't leave me enough time to do the things I love to do. I also don't do perms, I can do them well but choose not to, my reasons are, I cannot guarantee a perm, hormones, medications, and damaged hair make them too unpredictable in my opinion. I do not knock people who do these services, they are just services I choose not to do.

Good luck with this, and don't let it get you down. We all get those days.

AMirage

Dear jodymark-

Welcome to the BTC Talk Back Boards!  Please take a few moments to read over the board rules in the green box above.  I am so sorry you are having these issues.  Remember during your consultation phase, these younger clients are no different than you older ones.  Hair is hair.  If you know for a fact, that come hell or high water - the hair will not do that - explain to them their options.   The advice given to already is excellent.  Teach your clients how to style their hair and charge for it.  Barex Italy Hairgomine is an excellent blowdry smoothing gel.  GHD Flat Irons are excellent flat irons.  You can retail them.  Your clients will buy them.  Set up a self service station in your salon in case they want to do their own drying.  Be aware that extensive daily drying of this type can cause carpel tunnel and tendonitis in your arm.  Take care and much success to you.

Cindy Farr Hester  Asst Moderator