5 steps to getting the right cut & color

We've all left the salon with a cut that's too short or a color that's just a bit off. Here are some tips to getting the perfect cut & color out of a stylist -- including annoying traits stylists hate in their customers.

Tip #1: Pick the right stylist for you. If you have curly hair, for example, find someone who specializes in super-curly cuts. Curly hair is tricky to cut so it's best to call ahead to a large salon & ask for their specialist. Keep in mind that a stylist WITH curly hair will know exactly where you're coming from. The same goes for getting your brown hair colored red (ask for someone who does lots of new redheads), getting your boring hair cut 'funky' & getting a perm (you want someone who does a lot of them).

Tip #2: Do your homework Nothing annoys a stylist more than when someone sits down in their chair & tries to explain the cut they want without a picture. (Yes, I can be accused of doing this on my last haircut. Even beauty editors never learn). Imagine if someone said, "I want to look like Cameron Diaz." Cameron Diaz blonde or brunette? Cameron circa 2001 or 2005? And what does she look like these days anyway? Bring a picture or 2 or 3. And make sure the look will suit you. See my article 'Flattering cuts for every face shape.

Tip #3: Never say, 'Do whatever you want.' The beauty editor of 'O' magazine tells of the time a world-renowned hairstylist offered to do her hair & she let him do whatever he wanted since the cut was free. Oops. Big mistake. The lesson in this is that it's rarely a good idea to give your hair completely over to a stylist. After all, you don't want to be the practice mannequin for a new look the stylist is dying to try out. Do you?

Tip #4: When talking length, show with your hands. One of the most common disappointments I hear about from those with 'Hair Horror Stories,' is the 'I Told Her Three Inches & She Lopped Off Eight' stories. A stylist once taught me a great trick, never say you want 3 inches off, actually take your hand & karate chop it right where you want her/him to go. And feel free to say, 'No higher, please.' My advice: Keep your hand there & have the stylist stand back & soak in just where you want your hair cut to.

Tip #5: Schedule in 10 minutes for a consultation. If you're doing your own version of 'Extreme Makeover' & have plans to drastically realign your looks, for heaven's sake do plan a good 10-15 minute consultation with the colorist & stylist. They need to see what your hair looks like dry & styled as you typically style it. This tells them a lot: How much time you really put into your hair each day, how your hair dries & how healthy your ends are.

Tip #6: Listen to your stylist. If the woman in your picture has ash blonde hair & you'd make a much better butter blonde, chances you won't know this, but your stylist will. Be sure & ask questions: 'What type of color best suits me?' 'Do you think my hair can look like this picture of Cameron circa 2001?' 'How long will this haircut take me to style in the morning?' And if your stylist says, 'No, I'm sorry, but there's no way I can make you look like Cameron circa 2001,' you'd better listen, because chances are you won't.

Tip #7: Be honest with your stylist. Yes, you'd love your stylist to think you'll love your new hairstyle enough to baby it every morning with 10 products, 20 minutes drying time & 15 minutes styling time. However, the truth is, if your morning routine for the past 20 years includes a quick wash followed by a towel dry & ending with a soppy wet ponytail, you'd better tell you're stylist so or you'll end up with a fancy, layered, curling ironed & hairsprayed 'do that takes hours to replicate. Trust me, I've been there.

Tip #8: Tip appropriately or beware the bad haircut next time. Proper tip is 15% for your stylist & $5 for the person who washes your hair.