For many men and women, the style we choose for our hair is more than just a fashion choice—it’s a personality statement. The cut, color and style represent something elemental within us all, and when the time comes to make the decision of where to get those split ends trimmed, or that perfect color touched up, the choice between professional salons and cookie cutter chains can weigh heavy on the mind. What, exactly, is the difference between the two, and is it worth it to pay the extra expense that comes with the high-end location? From experience of the stylists to the types of products to the range and quality of the service, professional beauty salons are definitely worth it.
Expertise and Working Experience
More often than not, professional styling salons select stylists who have had extensive experience and training under their belt rather than someone who is fresh out of school. For clients, this means that the person trimming the ends, touching up the color, or styling those pretty locks has been at the job for quite some time and knows the tricks of the trade. In addition to extensive experience, professional salons will often require their beauticians to attend workshops, training sessions, and shows to get a handle on all the most current trends. Professional salons make it a point to go the extra mile to provide clients with the most up-to-date services and fashion.
Quality Products
In many chain salons, each beautician’s station is a standard, cookie cutter space. Stylists are provided with the same equipment, uniform site wide. Professional salons, on the other hand, offer a wider variety of tools, products, and equipment to ensure that each stylist has everything on hand to provide their clients with avid attention to the little details, as well as the overall picture. By ensuring each employee has the tools that best suit their needs and personality, beauticians can focus on giving each and every customer the best possible experience.
Variety of Services
In addition to the equipment and the expertise and experience of the stylists, professional salons also offer a wide variety of specialty and high quality service to their clients. It is most certainly possible, even likely, to get a good haircut at a chain salon, but professional venues take great pride in providing an array of different selections. If you have special needs in a stylist, such as one with specific training in a particular area such as curly hair, nontraditional color services, up-dos, ethnic hair, and layered colors, you will find more benefit in privately owned salons and spas.
Whether you are simply looking for a trim to take care of split ends, or searching for a stylist to do an elegant style for a special occasion, special handling for unique types of hair or a little extra attention for some over the top coloring, privately owned professional salons can offer more detailed and specialized care and options than many of the chains that stretch from coast to coast. Next time some pampering and maintenance is in order, keep professional salons and spas in mind to get exactly the kind of care you deserve.