The relationship between you and your hairstylist should be based on trust, great communication, and mutual respect. But let’s be honest: there are always those awkward questions that pop into your head—about tipping, timing, or whether you really need that fancy shampoo—that you just hesitate to ask.

We want to shed light on unasked questions, giving you the confidence and understanding that hair salon etiquette won’t just make your next visit smoother; it will also guarantee better results and a stronger partnership with your stylist. Questions like “how often should I color my hair” and “do I really need to tip”, are answered and explained.

Let’s dive into the ten biggest secrets people have for their hairstylist, and the professional answers you deserve!

1. Should My Hair Be Dirty or Clean for My Salon Appointment?

This is arguably the most common pre-appointment dilemma. The correct answer depends entirely on the chemical process involved.

For Hair Color Services (Highlights, Balayage, Single Process):

We highly recommend arriving with hair that is one to two days unwashed (naturally dirty). The reasoning is protective and based on chemistry:

Sebum Protection: The natural oils (sebum) produced by your scalp create a thin, protective layer. This barrier acts as a buffer against the mild irritants in hair color, significantly reducing the risk of burning, itching, or redness, especially if you have a sensitive scalp.
Color Penetration: If your hair is overly dirty—saturated with heavy styling products, dry shampoo, or extreme buildup—these external layers can inhibit the color molecules from fully penetrating the hair shaft, leading to patchy or incomplete coverage.

The sweet spot is always naturally dirty—not caked in product, to hide your regrowth, but not squeaky clean. Root powders can also inhibit color molecules from covering grey hair and/or shift the intended color results.

For Haircuts, Treatments, and Styling:

Please arrive with relatively clean hair. While we always shampoo your hair before a haircut or a deep conditioning treatment, arriving clean allows us to accurately assess your hair’s natural density, texture, growth pattern, and how you style it. Before it is wet and slicked down, this initial assessment is crucial for planning the cut’s geometry.

2. Is Purchasing My Hair Products from My Hairstylist Really Important?

In short: Yes, it is crucial, and it’s about protecting your financial investment. Some think this question may not be hair salon etiquette, but we think it applies because it protects your hair and our artisty,

Professional products, such as the lines we carry at BLU Salon in Monrovia CA, including BOB Professional Hair Care, are held to significantly higher standards than products found in drugstores or big-box retailers.

Higher Concentration: Professional formulas contain higher concentrations of active, beneficial ingredients (like bond-builders, color stabilizers, and high-quality oils) and less water, alcohol, or cheap fillers.
Scientific Compatibility: Our color system and professional product lines are designed to work together. At BLU Salon, we end your hair color service with a professional product that closes the hair cuticle for longer-lasting color and shine. Professional shampoos and conditioners maintain the pH balance necessary to keep that cuticle closed, preventing color molecules from escaping.
Regulatory Differences: Many retail products contain harsh sulfates or low-grade silicones that strip color rapidly or create a heavy, artificial coating that eventually causes damage. We offer scientifically formulated solutions tailored to the needs of colored and chemically-treated hair.

Choosing professional products is the single easiest way to ensure your expensive, bespoke salon color lasts weeks longer.

Natural Hair Products: Feed Your Hair With Nature’s Top 17 Elixers

3. What Hairstyle Will Look Best on Me?

The perfect hairstyle is a triangulation of three key factors: your face shape, your hair texture, and your lifestyle.

When you sit down for a consultation with your Monrovia, CA hairstylist, we are not just looking at a photo you brought in; we are performing a physical analysis:

Facial Geometry: We consider where volume, layering, and length should fall to balance your features. A long curtain bang can soften a square jawline, while a precision bob can highlight a strong neck.
Natural Texture and Density: If your hair is naturally fine, we will suggest cuts that maximize the appearance of volume. If it is coarse and curly, we will recommend layers that encourage movement without creating excessive frizz.
Maintenance Commitment: We want to give you a style you can actually manage. If you only have 5 minutes in the morning, we will suggest a wash-and-wear style. If you are willing to spend time with a round brush, we can pursue higher-maintenance looks. The best style is the one you feel confident in every day, not just the day you leave the salon.

Unveiling Your Best Self: Perfect Hairstyles For Your Face Shape

4. Should I Stick with One Hairstylist?

While variety can be fun, in the world of professional hair care, consistency is king.

A dedicated, long-term stylist essentially becomes the archivist of your hair’s history. They know:

How does your hair process color (is your grey stubborn, does your hair process quickly or slowly with bleach, do you tend to process warm or “brassy”, etc, etc)
The exact formulation of your color mix. (because it’s not really one color fits all)
Your growth patterns, hair textures and density, likes and dislikes.
Your long-term goals and help you work towards them (are you growing it out? transitioning to gray?).

Knowing you and your hair eliminates guesswork and prevents accidental chemical overlaps or uneven color results that can occur when switching between stylists or salons. Sticking with one stylist means every service builds intentionally on the last, guaranteeing reliable and consistent results.

5. What’s the Best Way to Pay for My Salon Services?

Navigating payment and tipping can often feel confusing, but transparency is key to great hair salon etiquette. At BLU Salon, we aim to make your experience as convenient as possible.

Paying for Services:

BLU Salon, your Monrovia CA hairstylist, accepts all major credit cards, Venmo, and cash for all services. We understand the convenience of electronic payments and accept them readily. For our long-term, loyal clients, we also accept personal checks. Our policy is centered on providing ease of transaction for your service.

The Gratuity Question:

The distinction and confusion often arise when it comes to tipping. While paying the total service cost and the gratuity via credit card is the most convenient option for most clients—and we are happy to process this for you—many individual stylists prefer cash tips. The reason is purely logistical: when a tip is processed through a credit card, a portion of that amount (the processing fee) is deducted by the credit card company before the money is distributed to the stylist. Cash allows your stylist to receive 100% of your generous gratuity instantly.

6. Is It Essential to Tip My Hairstylist, and How Much Should I Tip?

Our Tipping Philosophy

This is a big, uncomfortable question of hair salon etiquette! We want to address the common industry expectation surrounding tips. We firmly believe that your professional hairstylist, who has undergone extensive training and charges for a service rendered, should not rely on tips to make a living.

We charge a fair price for the high-quality service you receive. Therefore, we want to remind our valued customers that a tip is a true gratuity—an extra gift of appreciation from you, the client. It is never an expectation. We guarantee you will receive the same exceptional quality of service, customer care, and attention to detail every time you visit BLU Salon, whether or not you leave a tip. Your satisfaction with our work is always our top priority.

If your hairstylist utilizes an assistant, tipping is a crucial part of their compensation. A cash tip of $5.00 – $10.00 can be a welcome gift for their hard work.

Here’s a little extra “tip” from us to you. If you can not afford a tip, that’s OKAY! Even more valuable than a tip is your loyalty and referrals. That’s worth more than gold! This is the cornerstone of hair salon etiquette in the US service industry.

7. How Often Should I Wait Between Haircuts or Hair Color?

This question directly relates to maintaining the health and integrity of your hair. Understanding how often should I color my hair or cut it depends on your specific goals and color type:

How Often Should I Get Haircuts (Timing for Optimal Health and Style):

Precision/Short Cuts: Requires maintenance every 4–6 weeks to maintain the sharp lines and shape.
Mid-Length/Long Layers: Every 6–10 weeks is generally sufficient to remove split ends and maintain the structural integrity of the layers, preventing the bottom from looking thin or stringy.

How Often Should I Hair Color My Hair (Timing for Optimal Fading and Coverage):

Permanent Root Coverage (Grays)/Vivid Fashion Colors/Bleach & Tone: Roots become visible between 3–6 weeks. Booking within this window ensures seamless coverage. Some clients prefer a root retouch every 3 weeks. We offer a special service pricing for this at BLU. Ask us for details.
Highlights/Balayage: Full highlight services are typically booked every 10–14 weeks. Many clients opt for a partial highlight or face-frame refresh every 8-10 weeks to manage regrowth around the hairline without doing a full head.
Toner/Gloss Refresh: If you notice your blonde or brown tone getting brassy, a quick gloss or toner service can be booked every 4–8 weeks to neutralize unwanted hues and restore shine. This service can also be done for blending highlights into regrowth if it’s hard to go a full 10-14 weeks. This is a vital maintenance step that prevents the need for drastic, damaging changes later.

8. How Should I Maintain My Hair Color at Home So It Stays Fresh Between Appointments?

This is where the at-home work pays off. Follow these four rules to preserve your professional color:

Use Color-Safe Products: Stick exclusively to sulfate-free, color-safe professional shampoo and conditioner (see Question #2). Sulfates are harsh detergents that strip color rapidly.
Turn Down the Heat: High temperatures cause the hair shaft to expand, releasing color molecules. Wash your hair with lukewarm water and minimize the frequency of heat styling (curling irons, flat irons).
Heat Protection is Non-Negotiable: Before any blow-dry or heat styling, apply a thermal protectant. This shield minimizes damage that leads to porosity, which in turn causes color to fade unevenly.
Consider UV Protection: Just as your skin is sensitive to UV exposure, your hair color is, too. Use hair products that contain UV filters or wear a hat if you plan to spend prolonged time in the sun.

What’s The Big Deal About Sulfate-Free Shampoo?

9. Do You Offer Complimentary Consultations?

Absolutely, yes! At BLU Salon, and your Monrovia Ca hairstylist, we view the consultation as the foundation of great hair. We offer complimentary consultations for all services, including significant color changes, corrections, and extensions.

A consultation provides dedicated time (typically 15–30 minutes) to:

Discuss your inspiration and desired outcome.
Perform a thorough strand test and analyze your hair’s current health and texture.
Develop a realistic service plan, including a clear timeline and an accurate price quote.

This removes financial and scheduling anxieties, ensuring you and your stylist are perfectly aligned before the appointment is booked.

10. If I Do My Hair Color at Home, Will I Get the Same Results?

The blunt professional answer is no, you will not, and the risk of costly correction is high.

Box dye manufacturers formulate their products to achieve some result on every possible hair type, which requires powerful, high-volume developers. This can be overly damaging to your specific hair. Professional color is fundamentally different:

Customization: We hand-mix the developer volume, color pigment, and toners specifically for your hair’s history and natural undertone.
Application Precision: A professional applies color systematically, dealing with roots, ends, existing color, and highlights differently to ensure even saturation and natural dimension—a feat impossible to achieve alone.
Damage Control: If your hair is overly processed or fragile, a professional can adjust the formulation or refuse the service to prevent breakage. A box dye offers no such safety net.

Trust a professional hairstylist to protect your hair’s health and deliver the beautiful, customized color you deserve.

Benefits of Professional Hair Color VS Home Hair Color Kits

We hope this comprehensive guide on hair salon etiquette alleviates your fears and prepares you for a successful appointment. Open communication with your stylist is the secret ingredient to your best hair!

Are you ready to book your next service or take advantage of our complimentary consultation offer?

10 Questions You’re Too Afraid to Ask Your Hairstylist: Hair Salon Etiquette Explained