With so many services available at the salon, how can we keep track of when we’re supposed to be doing what?!  Here is a handy guide and some general rules that will help you schedule out your pampering services.

If your stylist is anything like me, she’ll want you to space out your appointments, but that’s just my personal preference.  Of course some of my clients don’t have several days in their schedule so we do the works when they come in.

Haircuts

Depending on your growth and style, you’ll want to come in every 3-8 weeks for a cut to keep it healthy.  I could go on and on about why it is so important to stay on a regimen with this.  People think I’m making things up when I tell them they need to see me every month or two for a trim.  The longer you wait the more out of shape your style will be.  Hair grows at different rates all around the head so after a month when your hair just looks weird or won’t style the same this is usually the reason, don’t blame your stylist.  Another reason, hair begins to split at the ends especially if you heat style.  The hair on the ends is farthest away from nourishment (your scalp) so it dries out a lot faster.  Periodically trimming the ends mean the splits won’t get all the way up creating flyaways and frizz.

Color

This also comes down to your growth rate, but generally 4-6 weeks for a retouch.  Really it’s when the regrowth is about 1/2″.  Any more than that and you may end up with an uneven color.  When the regrowth gets beyond that you run the risk of an uneven color, or a more involved color process.  The stylist may end up needing two formulas to get an even result.  This is because as hair grows away from the scalp it hardens and reacts to color differently.  Another reason is that the temperature varies, so closer to the scalp it is warmer and therefore processes color differently.  You can end up with banding or blotchy color which is pretty expensive to fix.

Highlights

This is where it gets tricky.  Highlights can be done in a variety of ways now that don’t require as much maintenance as it used to.  Once upon a time you would have a harsh line and about every month you’d be in getting your highlights retouched.  Now with balayage and hair painting it isn’t necessary.  Sometimes it just looks better and better as it grows.  So in the case of highlights I would say refer to your stylist.  They will know best.  I tell my clients to come in when they can’t stand their hair anymore.  If they get traditional foil highlights, I try to soften the regrowth line so it isn’t as obvious.

Keratin and smoothing treatments

I highly recommend pre-booking this service for the exact time it would be due.  I am a certified Brazilian Blowout Stylist and the life on that is about 12 weeks.  It’s best to do the next treatment before the previous one has completely faded out of the hair.  This is so you’ll have stronger healthier hair each time.  Every subsequent treatment builds on the last one.  So when you get your treatment done, go ahead and book 12 weeks out for your next one.  Another reason to do this is that the service is lengthy so you will have a harder time getting in on the schedule if you wait until the last minute.  Your stylist will be compelled to squeeze you in because they love you, but don’t you want an unrushed service?

Perms/Relaxers

This is along the lines of the Smoothing treatments or relaxers.  Refer to your stylist about when they need you back for a retouch and pre-book the service.  This is a lengthy service so you want to make sure your stylist has enough time on their books to complete you.

Staggering appointments

Your stylist will thank you for staggering your appointments.  This allows them to keep everyone on track for their appointments and opens up availability for others.  I have several clients with a TON of hair and usually have to reserve several hours.  In this case, if every one of my clients was getting highlights, a cut, and threading done, I would never have time for everyone to look fabulous all the time.  Someone would be roughing it for a week or so.  I recommend getting hair cut first.  This way color/highlights can be placed according to your style.  If your hair is really short, it may help to do the color first because it’ll be easier on your stylist to work with your hair.  Not all stylists are the same so make sure you ask your stylist what they prefer.  Some like to do an entire look in one day and some salons split up the task so it doesn’t really matter.