How To Determine If Your Client’s Hair is Dry or Dehydrated

Becoming a great hairstylist isn’t just about sending your client home with the perfect color or blowout, it is also about giving them the tools to take care of their hair between appointments. From product suggestions to home-care tips and recommendations for rebooking times, the extra steps you take in the salon can make a big difference when it comes to long-term hair goals and client retention.

To ensure both, the consultation and improving the overall health of the hair is key. One of the biggest problems many clients present with is unruly hair. To begin, determining the root cause and whether your client’s hair is dry or dehydrated is key.

Dry Hair

Dry hair comes from external causes like sun, wind, excessive color treatments, or lack of proper home-care. These issues can usually be solved with regular trims and gloss appointments, the addition of deep conditioner treatments both in the salon and at home, turning down the temperature on hot tools and introducing heat protectants while styling.

Dehydrated Hair

Dehydrated hair often comes from internal factors like diet or how products enter the hair shaft. No matter the diagnosis, there are several factors clients can include in their daily routine to improve the health of the hair and the look and feel of their strands. Taking a look at the porosity of your client’s hair and recommending a professional treatment is a great first step. From here, suggest incorporating hydration techniques and including mineral and vitamin intake at home.

Consultation Techniques:

Always begin any consultation by asking open-ended questions and encourage clients to share every last detail.

For example:

• What is your current daily hair/lifestyle routine?
• How often do you wash your hair?
• Do you use heat tools? If so, which hair products do you use prior to use?

From here, you should be able to determine whether they need a trim or a treatment and offer a few suggestions for lifestyle changes they can make for overall improvement.

Product Suggestions:

Conditioner before Shampoo

Shampoo is a necessary part of daily life, it cleanses the scalp, rids hair of build-up and debris and is the key to a voluminous blowout. However, depending on the state of their hair, and how often they shampoo, it may be the culprit when it comes to drying out their hair. If this is the case, recommend to your client to add conditioner to their ends prior to shampooing to create a barrier and concentrate shampoo at the new growth area or where cleansing is needed.

Invest in a Silk Pillowcase

Silk pillowcases are an investment, but they’re essential for improving the quality of both hair and skin. Cotton pillowcases tend to soak up oils and are not as soft as silk, therefore leaving the hair with more tangles.

Swap Ceramic for Boar Bristle

Depending on the hair type, using ceramic brushes can sometimes cause a great deal of undue stress on strands, especially if they are not being used properly. While they are a great option for adding volume, ceramic brushes often have metal barrels, which can get extremely hot and lead to excessive damage with repeated use.

To add shine and control texture patterns, consider switching to boar bristle or nylon brushes with wooden or cork barrels that won’t overheat and suggest your clients do the same at home.