Hair Consultation Questions

The Top 10 Hair Consultation Questions 

You Need to Ask Your Clients ASAP

Looking for the right hair consultation questions to get to know your clients’ needs? A good consultation is the first step to providing a great experience and achieving results your clients will love. This guide shares simple, effective questions to help you understand their hair goals, preferences, and concerns, so you can provide the best personalized service every time.

A hair consultation appointment is sort of like a fun, quirky detective game—but like, for hair. That sounds super weird but hear us out. A lot of stylists think that a consultation appointment is mostly for the client to get all of their questions out at one time, to figure out if you’re an ideal stylist for them, and to go over specific style questions.

But here’s the thing—this is as much an opportunity for you as it is for them.

As a talented stylist, you know how powerful you are. You can make a huge difference in a person’s life just by being their go-to-hair-guru. But honestly, it’s impossible to really be that person’s ideal stylist if you don’t know anything about them, their life, and their hair habits.

Using the consultation appointment to really break down those barriers and ask the questions that need answers is going to be the key to becoming a new client’s hair hero. The more you know about a person’s lifestyle, routines, likes, dislikes, and more, the better style you’ll be able to provide them with (and of course, the healthier you can keep their hair, too).

So, we’ve laid out a few of the absolute must-ask questions for your next hair consultation. Give them a try and watch a totally amazing sequence unfold.

The Top 10 Hair Consultation Questions to Ask Your Clients

What’s Your Day-to-Day Styling Ritual Look Like?

It’s important to get a feel for a client’s real desire for how they’d like their hair styled. In theory, they may love the idea of super adorable bang and platinum hair, but the amount of maintenance to maintain a healthy head of hair for those styles might not be feasible or realistic for certain clients.

Are You Looking for Something Lax or Are You Really Into a Routine?

Some people absolutely love a get-ready-morning-ritual where they style their hair. Other people can’t stand it and want their hair to be lookin’ good with little-to-no maintenance.

Understanding this trait for each client is huge because it’s going to determine the style, cut, color, and more that you’ll recommend for them.

Do You Use Heat on Your Hair?

Always an important question. Also, ask what other tools and products they use, too. If they’re consistently using a straightener or a curler, you’ll want to keep an eye out for damaged hair and you’ll certainly want to recommend protective serums and products to keep their hair safe with high-heat styling.

What’s Been Done to Your Hair in the Past That You Definitely Don’t Want to Repeat?

This might seem intrusive, but it’s actually a really important question. People are all very different—something that you think might be a positive experience for them (because you have good intentions) might actually be something they already know they hate.

Maybe you think your client would look great with a stylish bob—but if they’ve had a horrendous experience with a bob-length cut that they never want to repeat, it’s likely they’re not going to be on board with your bob suggestion. Open communication can get you and your client where you need to be.

What’s Been One of Your Favorite Hair Stylist Experiences and Why?

Understanding what your clients love about their past hair experiences is just as helpful. That way, you can build a strong bond with them while guaranteeing the customized, personalized service they’ve been looking for.

What Are Your Long-Term Hair Goals?

Whether they know this or not, it’s always important to ask. If someone is looking to let their hair grow out to be strong and beautiful, then chopping it into a pixie cut likely isn’t the priority move.

Be sure your clients are being open with you about what they want, and make sure there’s a non-judgmental space for them to share their thoughts and ideas with you.

Do you Spend a Ton of Time Outside?

The elements can be really damaging, and if your clients spend a ton of time outside, you need to know about it so you can help them strategize ways to keep their hair healthy. Further, you can brainstorm ideal cuts and styles for your clients to keep their hair beautiful while protecting it from further damage, too.

What’s Your Favorite Thing About Your Hair?

This is a great question—make sure your clients really talk themselves up here. Even if their hair has some issues, there’s undoubtedly something totally great about it (the color, the length, the texture, etc.)—make sure they know you think so, and make sure they’re telling you what they love so that you don’t accidentally change something they’re fond of.

How Would You Like to Improve Your Hair?

It’s okay to talk about your client’s less-than-favorite features of their hair, but we recommend you do this gently. Yes, be honest and direct (your clients need to know if they’re doing something that’s damaging their hair), but don’t be too harsh about it. Create a safe space for your client that makes them feel comfortable enough to discuss these insecurities with you.

What’s Something You Love to Do But Know It’s Damaging to Your Hair?

Whether your client loves to swim laps in a chlorine pool or feels the need to temp-dye their hair with boxed color, it’s vital that you ask your clients to be honest about some of the things they love to do that also could be damaging to their hair.

We’re not saying you should advise them to stop doing the things they love, but knowing about their passions and hobbies can help you figure out an ideal regimen for their haircare that’ll keep their strands sexy and their locks luscious.

Those top ten questions are bound to get you the answers you need to draw in new clients and really get to know them.

Do you have specific hair consultation questions that get you great results that we didn’t include in this list?

Good! Tell us all about them in the comment section—we love sharing with the beauty community! 

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