Who knows best: You or your stylist?

[snoop]

So I read the following article earlier this summer and immediately thought about the infighting between influencers/others vs stylists that has gone on over the past few years: Why Are People Fighting About At-Home Gel Nail Kits on TikTok?

The biggest online beauty discourse of the past two weeks may be known on TikTok as mere “OPI nail drama,” but it’s brought about some pretty philosophical questions about the nail industry. Is it fair for nail technicians to charge upwards of $150 for a set? Is it OK for an untrained person to do their own gel nail polish or extensions at home? What’s worth risking for a free manicure? I’m sorry to say that not all of these questions have definitive answers—but I’m glad we’re talking about it for that exact reason.

So it seems as though there were/are similar in-fighting between the professionals and the home/DIYers. In this case, I find it interesting that the industry is saying it's just nails...these guys can manage to do it at home...buy our product. I guess the same thing happened with hair in that you can buy a lot of supposed "salon quality" products without a license.

So I beg to question: Is it really that serious? I've always taken the position that hair "health" is a bit of a gimmick. In my ignorance, I'm not sure that there are any MDs or other doctors that are concerned about hair health in the way that stylists try to push it. As in, no one is going to med school to learn about split ends, how to colour and relax hair in a way that isn't damaging, how much hair to cut off to make it "healthier", which protein treatments provide better elasticity, etc.

A lot of what people talk about as hair "health" can't even be seen with a naked eye... worse yet, via a photograph. Even just touching hair isn't enough of a test.

So my question is: How much of hair "health" is a gimmick? How much of stylists know best is a sales tactic?

 

[Lylddlebit]

They will have to get over it. When the quality declined while prices increased, it caused significant damage to the industry. No one has time to deal with that and good sense won't tolerate it.

That said, good stylists and nail techs still exist, but they are hard to find and usually don't trend on social media.

My sister LOVES this 60-something Vietnamese woman who did her nails for decades. She is retired now, but she still has a full setup at her house and tells my sis to come over to get her nails done anytime. My sis tells her to enjoy her retirement and takes her to lunch instead. Does she know my sister's nails all these years later better than anyone including my sister...you betcha. My sister knows how to do her own nails now, but she can still call her for advice and to keep their relationship going.

My hairdresser from high school knew my hair better than I did, cared about me, and knew my family for her lifetime. She was the daughter of my auntie's best friend. She gave me my big chop when I transitioned to natural, and the only reason I don't go to her now is that I no longer live in my home state, and she is retired too. Heck, even my hairdresser in college knew my hair better than I did. He would open up his shop at 6 am on my birthday so I could walk into my 8 am class smelling like Mizani with my hair WHIPPED. Both hairdressers cared about me, we had a friendship and they taught me a lot about things that I do to care for my hair to this day.

What do all three have in common? They are from a generation of days gone by. Already retired or ready to retire now. They aren't on social media or trending. They were just the genuine article, and unfortunately, that has been replaced by social media. There can be trusted professionals who know your hair, skin, nails, and health better than you. I have had fantastic estheticians, hairdressers, nail professionals, but this was in the 1990's and the Y2K decade. I haven't really found anyone that good since then. I am grateful that I expereinced that time. Stylists who know best still exist, but you are unlikely to find them through likes and trending on the internet. They are the ones who have a passion for doing hair and get to KNOW YOU well enough to learn what is best for your hair through years of relationship, trust, and friendship. It takes time to and connection for a stylist to know your hair like that and really care about you though.

 

[snoop]

I love hearing about these positive hair and nail stories. I think another thing that some of the old school stylists and technicians had versus some of the current professionals is that they had more confidence in their skills. The gatekeeping wasn't that strong. I don't know, but maybe that's also because it was much harder to get the products that they used, and use them at home?

 

[Yvette 2.0]

My issue with hair salons today is:

• this new-new pricing,
• some stylists' inflexibiliy to learn something beyond their own philosophy,
• some stylists' inability to imagine that I have a loooooottttt of (scientific) hair knowledge,
• and MOST stylists' non-careful handling of my strands.

Don't let me learn how to healthily trim and color my own hair, 'cause baby, at the point I'm only going to a hair salon for pampering on the RARE occasion. Coins saved will go to massages, facials, pedicures, etc.

I'm so over paying these high prices for damaging detangling and for wngs that I immediately wash out and redo myself. I'm over being told I have to change styling products that give me the results I like.

I'm over it. Lol

That saaaaaiiiiddddd, shout out to the 4 stylists I retain because they are great. I'm not a stylist, don't have their perspective, and don't know what they would have to say in defense of stylists. I just know I'm extreeeeemely grateful for LHCF, Naptural85, Green Beauty on YouTube, etc. for rendering me a person who can handle her hair on her own very well.

 

[Napp]

I have never liked getting my hair done. It never comes out the way I want it. And I don’t like when they wash your hair and they put too much force.