Had a new assistant ask me a simple question that made me rethink my whole approach

My new assistant Jenny asked me why I always section hair the same way for every client. She said it seemed like I was treating everyone's hair like it was the same texture and density. I stopped and realized she was right - I've been using the same 4-section method since beauty school 12 years ago. That conversation made me go back and actually look at each client's scalp and hair pattern before cutting. Now I'm experimenting with different sectioning based on thickness and growth direction. Has anyone else had a younger stylist point out something obvious you'd been missing?

2 comments

2 Comments

hollym826d ago

Tbh that junior stylist might have just saved you from a lawsuit down the road. I heard about a salon that got sued because a stylist kept using the same sectioning pattern on a client with a very specific crown whorl, ended up cutting way too much weight out of one side and the client had a bald patch for months. Not saying that's super common, but when you section hair the exact same way every time you're basically ignoring the natural growth patterns that could lead to uneven tension and traction alopecia over years of repeated cuts. Your assistant noticing that shows she's actually paying attention to the science behind the hair, not just the technique.

cole_patel416d ago

My coworker from my last salon had a similar wakeup call. She was doing this really specific layering technique on everyone and her new assistant asked why she never checked for cowlicks first. Turns out she'd been cutting against a client's natural growth pattern for like two years and that client always complained about her hair being "bulky" on one side. Once she started adjusting for the cowlick, that client finally loved her haircuts. It's wild how even experienced people can miss the obvious stuff when we're just on autopilot.