Plus, 5 tips for surviving (and thriving) through the busiest time of year
It’s hour 7 on your feet. Your only fuel? Half an apple you ate 3 clients ago. Your arms are almost numb from back-to-back blowouts and just as you are finishing up with your last client of the day you turn to see two smiling faces approaching the salon. A cold sweat comes over you as you realize: you must have doublebooked…so what do you do?
Such is a day in the life of a stylist around the holiday season. Chaotic does not even begin to cover it. Clients are often reaching out in droves to book pre-holiday-party blowouts or root touchups before they hit the road. “People want to look their best for the holidays,” says Alifia Young, Sr. Manager, Education + Training at K18. “They are seeing family, going to holiday parties, New Year parties—people are more inclined to indulge themselves, they want new hair, they want to feel good and look good.”
So how do you balance a never-ending stream of appointments with your own holiday plans?
We’ve asked Alifia Young, stylist and Sr. Manager, Education + Training at K18, to help you survive the busy season ahead with expert tips for how the K18REPAIR™ service can do the most for you this time of year.
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use products you trust
“When you are really busy, you don't have time to fix things, to color correct, to repair later,” says Young. So you need products you trust to deliver no. matter. what.
The K18REPAIR™ service protects and preserves hair through even extreme bleach, color + chemical services, which means you don’t have to worry about how this appointment is going to turn out, you can just focus on having some fun with it.
faster services = more clients
One of the biggest benefits of K18REPAIR™? It’s 2 steps, 4 minutes each (with no extra rinse).
“If you are stacking clients, you can really utilize that quick 4-minute turnaround to make it work for you.” Faster services mean you can see more clients and make more at the same time. You can breathe easily knowing you’ll be delivering healthier hair through every transformation with the PRO mist + PRO mask.
made a mistake? don’t panic
Instead of beating yourself up for making a human error (double-booking happens to us all, no matter how organized or responsible we are), do something a little something to make it right.
When disaster strikes, “I will throw in a take-home product to smooth it over,” says Young. “Or I’ll offer a complimentary hair treatment and use that leverage to make amends for a schedule that was crazy.”
Who doesn’t love a free gift around the holidays? Especially when that gift keeps their results vibrant + shiny all year round?
make gifting easy for clients with kits
Odds are your client is running around frantically trying to get something for everyone on their holiday gift list. This is where you can come in to save the day with product recs that turn self-care into checking something off their to-do list, too.
HeatBounce conditioning heat protectant to go with that fancy hairdryer they’re buying for their daughter. AirWash™ dry shampoo for their hot yoga-obsessed bestie. A leave-in molecular hair repair mask for mom. “Kits are perfect for quick gifts,” says Young. “They can tack it onto their bill with me really easily.” This year’s salon-exclusive, limited-edition trio repairs + lifts for strong, voluminous results for all hair types (also great as a little treat for themselves).
make time for your people (even if it feels impossible)
If you find yourself putting in endless hours at the salon and are still debating whether or not to fill up your Christmas Eve with overflow clients, take a step back.
Repeat after us: you deserve to have a break and enjoy time with your loved ones! “My mom is a hairdresser, too. I grew up in the salon. She would always work until the last minute, on Christmas Eve sometimes, and I remember how stressful that was for her,” says Young. “Now, I readjust my schedule—I’ll take an early morning so that I can have that time with my family in the evening.”
No matter how busy things get, you should still be able to enjoy your favorite holiday traditions surrounded by people you love. Take a day! Turn your phone off! Rest easy knowing that K18REPAIR™ strengthens + reverses damage for better, longer-lasting salon results long after the holiday hustle ends.
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