Tips to Avoiding a Beauty Disaster & Finding the Stylist That's Right for You

 There’s no shortage of stylists out there. In fact, the choice is so plentiful; it can stop you in your tracks. How do you even begin to find the stylist best suited to your precise needs, tastes and budget?

Searching and finding the right stylist is not unlike recruiting – a job I did for nearly 10 years. It’s all about listening carefully to find the right fit, making sure the stylist can fulfill the requirements of the most important job in the world: making you look and feel gorgeous.

Before you spend your time and money searching, know the key questions to ask when meeting a stylist. And learn what to look for during your consultation or trial appointment.

We all know that time is money. Sifting through directories and scouring websites is time-consuming, cumbersome and frustrating. That’s why I created Go Pretty. So please enjoy the secrets shared ahead and then bookmark Go Pretty.com, your simple-to-use online resource for finding the beauty service provider of your dreams.

1.       Speak Up and Be Accountable

Just because you’ve chosen an expert to provide your beauty service, does not mean they can read your mind. That is to say, unless you tell them explicitly your vision throughout the appointment, you should consider yourself accountable if you do not achieve the look you want.

I'm the kind of person who doesn’t like to make waves and who used to believe that I should let the expert take the lead. Time and time again, I’d leave the makeup or hair appointment only to wipe off my eyeshadow and take down my hair. Once, after arriving at a red carpet event, I took my hair down in the restroom the moment I arrived because my updo began falling down on the way to the venue.

The point is, when you don’t speak up during your appointment, the artist is going to think you like what they are doing. Remember celebrity stylists and those who work with magazines or on the runway usually receive direction from the director of photography or the celebrity themselves.

When a celebrity sits down in the chair, they know what they want, and they say it. And you should too. You will not offend the stylist, and if you do, they're not the professional you want to work with.

2.       “Experience” Can Mean Anything

Someone who has twenty years of experience isn’t always better for you than a rising star artist. Because beauty is relative, it’s always about matching your taste to the beauty professional you choose.  I once managed a young rising star artist, Susan, who had the least amount of experience on my team. She had worked with one supermodel and did makeup for a restaurant chain’s tv commercials. Her private clientele list was small, but every time I sent her out, the clients raved about her worked. I often chose her to do my makeup for special events. The look she tended to create was fresh, natural and on trend. She was flexible and a great listener.

On the other hand, I had one makeup who was the most seasoned MUA I had ever come across. Over the years, she worked with the some of the greatest  celebrities, photographers and industry icons in the world.  She was always calm to be around and handled high-pressure situations with ease. But the looked she tended to created was more classic. She had her own style, and one that resonated very well with a more mature audience.

The bottom line is that it’s not always about the years of experience a MUA has, it’s about their signature style and ability to listen.

When discussing your needs with a stylist always ask them to describe their signature style and always  make sure you see a look you like in their portfolio. If you do not it’s probably best to move on to another stylist and save yourself some time.