Doing hair for 9 years has taught me one valuable lesson, if nothing else: hairstylists are great bullshitters. That’s not to say that everything they tell you is a lie, and most of them even believe what they tell you, but here are some hairstylist secrets that I have learned over the years…
1. Cutting your hair every 6 weeks will not make it grow faster..
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t get your hair cut every 6 weeks… Having your hair cut more often will keep your style’s shape and will really help keep the split ends at bay, but it will NOT… I repeat, will NOT make it grow faster. Hair grows at an average of 1/2 inch per month, and there isn’t a lot that can change that. It is predetermined in your genetic makeup. Trimming split ends will, however, prevent your hair from fraying further up the hair shaft, which would cause breakage, which would make the hair appear to grow slower. This is where the misconception comes from. However, hairstylists make their living off of your business, therefore having you come in more often means a better paycheck for them. If you have minimal heat or color damage to your hair, you can probably go 5-6 months without a trim.
2. Washing your hair every day is not bad..
Some shampoo’s have pretty harsh ingredients that can seriously dry out your hair. I would definitely try to stay away from any of those shampoos. The misconception in this “rule” is that washing your hair does very little damage compared to any styling that would come along with washing your hair. If you wash, blow-dry and straighten your hair, it is probably better to not wash it everyday. However, if you just wash and air-dry your hair, you really have nothing to worry about.
3. There is not a single product in the world that can repair split ends..
One of the funniest things I have ever witnessed as a hairstylist, was how much BS people ate up from their hairstylist about hair products. I’ve literally seen different stylists lie to their customer’s faces about what hair products could do, just so they could sell it. Once again, I’m not saying that there are not miracle products out there or that you shouldn’t trust your hairstylist, because a lot of what they tell you is probably very beneficial… just take what they say with a grain of salt. With that being said, science has absolutely no cure for split ends. Nothing. The only way to get rid of split ends, is to cut them off. Different products could help strengthen your hair to prevent split ends, but not a single product will make them go away.
4. Your hair does not become immune to products…
Hairstylists will sometimes say that you need to change products every once in a while to prevent your hair from getting “used to” products. Your hair will never become immune to a hair product. Ever. As women, we like to try new things, and it is exciting to buy new products like they will fix the gaping void in our soul (believe me, I know), and hairstylists like to bank off this idea.
5. Layers do not make hair thicker….
Layers, in fact, can drastically thin your hair, depending on how many layers are cut and how short they are. They will add more volume up top, to the crown area, but will thin out the rest of your hair. Celebrities with super thick, super layered hair are most likely wearing hair extensions for added thickness. When done correctly, layers can add fullness to the hair by creating an illusion of more space between each individual hair. However, layering your hair technically thins it, not the other way around.
6. Drugstore products are not the end of the world…
Ah. The age-old debate about whether to use professional, expensive products or affordable, yet comparable drug-store products. I’d say that if you love what you are using, whether it is Redken, Pureology, or Suave, stick to it. If it works for you, why change it? Once again, I am not saying that professional products aren’t amazing, because some of them really are. However, I have seen some professional products with HORRIBLE ingredients that can severely dry out your hair (like this one designed to help repair damaged hair).
I have also seen some cheaper drug-store products contain really good ingredients. Your hairstylist wants you to buy the product that they sell at their salon, so they money from your purchase. Most hairstylists will even sell you the products they truly swear by. All I am saying is that it won’t kill you to keep using drug store products if that’s what you like.
Are there any industry secrets I left out that anyone wants to share? What do you think about these hairstylist secrets? I’d love to read your feedback in the comments section below!