Etiquette re: seeing two different hairdressers

[Judd]

I have curly hair and have been going to the same hairdresser for colour and cut for quite a while now. When she was on maternity leave, I took the opportunity to try out a curl by curl cut at a hairdressers about 30 minutes drive away and I really liked the results! Is it acceptable to carry on going to both - one for colour and one for the cut? And if so, do I just explain to my usual hairdresser that I'm having my hair cut elsewhere? I don't want it to be awkward because of course she'll notice that my hair is shorter. Thanks for your thoughts.

Following! I adore my current hairdresser colour wise but way prefer my old one when it comes to cuts and blow drys. A part of me feels awkward about it but each of them specialises in different things so I don’t think I’m overly unreasonable in wanting to go to both. Hard to know!

Once you have a hairdresser you have to keep seeing the same hairdresser and only that hairdresser for the rest of your life, otherwise you're cheating and you're a terrible person and everyone hates you forever.

🙄

Seriously though. Hairdressing is a service like anything else you pay for. Of course you can go to two different ones or do whatever on earth you want. Why wouldn't you?

If you feel awkward then that's your own people pleasing issue which needs addressing.

Of course you can go to two different hairdressers at two different salons - one for colour - the other for cutting.

At least I know I have done this for two decades and it has never been an issue

Yes, be a blunt "straight talker" like @fritaskeeter and don't care what anyone else thinks about you.

You are entitled to visit another hairdresser, I do this sometimes and my regular hairdresser always understands. In my case it's because of travel time and budget, I've made it clear it's not about his technique!

I have curly hair and go to a different hairdresser for cut and for colour. The colourist knows that I go to a specialist curly hairdresser for cut, and is fine with that. I can't remember how it started..

I recently tried a different curly hairdresser for a cut, and was really happy. I've now had 2 cuts with her, but the second one was awful and I want to go back to my original curly hairdresser for a cut next time. I don't know what to say to her - she'll notice it has been cut (twice!)... but I definitely won't go again to the one I tried out.

My curly hairdresser said from my initial consultation that she can do colour but not very well and to go elsewhere for that.

I don't have it coloured anyway, but appreciate that each salon has their specialities so 'shop' accordingly.

I don’t have curly hair but use a different hairdresser for cut and colour. I’m quite fickle about who cuts my hair but my colourist appts are booked a year in advance and nothing (and I mean nothing) is a good enough reason to cancel them.

I go to a variety of hairdressers.

I would never go into an explanation as to why I got my hair dyed by one and cut by another, I would expect them to be pleased i was giving them business.

I used to have my colour done by one hairdresser and the cut done by a different hairdresser in the same salon. They both left that salon to go to different places and by coincidence during lockdown I grew my hair long so it no longer needs the excellent cutting skills of the second.

The "colour only" stylist knows that if I decide to cut it I'll go back to the second stylist for the cut.

I had/have this exact dilemma - I've been going to the same salon owner for years and years, but out of curiosity booked a curly cut with a specialist, and it was transformational. When I booked into my original stylist for colour she could tell immediately I'd had it cut somewhere else, and had to admit, a bit grudgingly, that it was a really good cut.

I feel disproportionally guilty about going to one for colour and another for the cut, but if specialist curly cuts are going to be A Thing, then I guess there's nothing stopping original salon owner from going on a course and learning some new techniques?

Following! I have one who is excellent at colour. Lovely woman. However the cuts are just ok and very very expensive. My old hairdresser who is an older lady didn't work during Covid plus, but she's back now. She knows zero about colour but the cuts are amazing. Also she's much cheaper and will come to your house. I want to see both. Feel like an asshole!

Say something like 'I'm often at x town and have time to kill so I get it cut there sometimes'.

You're buying a service, not having a relationship. Do you go and explain to Sainsburys when you buy your shopping from Tesco for a change?

Oh I've been wondering this too! I have a mobile hairdresser who is great value and colours my hair brilliantly but doesn't always cut it well (it's curly) and I've been wondering about getting it cut elsewhere. It feels so awkward though as after a few years we've obviously become friendly.

Happy to hear the recommendations please if you don't mind, for the curly hairdressers those of you have been happy with as I might still shop around?...

My friend is a hairdresser, she says she hates people feeling awkward about this and that it’s okay to want to go elsewhere. She prefers certain people doing her hair too, it’s not a big deal.

I do this and just say a white lie that my friend is a hairdresser and cuts it for free.

Why do we do this? It's funny isn't it but I'm the same. I'm happy to say to the salon I'm trying next week that I can't afford their colour but not happy to say I don't like the cut where I got it coloured and loved it

Just say that your niece/ little sister/ best friend has started hairdressing / opened a salon so you're going to them for the cut / colour (whichever) to be supportive but you'll stay coming to them for their service as you love it. The stylist won't really care, but it'll make you feel better 😅

No, but I don't expect the cashier at Sainsburys to remember how I like my basket of food, what I had last time, etc. It's a totally different relationship.