How Long Should a Salon Visit Take?
Gandhi said, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” But Gandhi, a famously bald leader, never spent hours in the salon (even when he had hair, he cut it himself).
Still, Gandhi had a point: Speed is not necessarily better–and this is often true in the salon. On other other hand, a good salon shouldn’t waste your time with unnecessarily slow service.
So how much time should you book for your next salon visit?
We asked Barberella Salon’s owner and master stylist Trisha Stewart this question for a variety of her salon’s services.
Timing is dependent on several factors, she noted, including the complexity of the service, the unique needs of your hair, and your stylist’s pace. And, of course, a good salon experience begins with a consultation.
“At Barberella, we emphasize the value of consultations,” Trisha says. “New client consultations take about fifteen minutes. For existing clients, consultations take about five to ten minutes.”
Beyond the consult, Trisha’s answers (below) provide a good baseline for a quality, and timely, salon experience. The times cover the span of each individual service, from the time a client sits in the chair to the service is finished, including (when applicable) prep, wash, and finishing.
How Long Should Your Salon Visit Take?
Haircuts
Women’s Haircut: 1 hour
Men’s Haircut: 30 minutes
Trisha notes: “For a simple bang trim or men’s clean-up (which I often recommend between appointments), count on ten to fifteen minutes.”
Styling
Blowout: 30-45 minutes
Upstyle 45-60 minutes
Formal styling (for weddings and other important occasions) may take longer: “Formal styling times usually depend on the complexity of the style. It’s best to speak directly to your stylist about timing formal styles.”
Treatments
Davines “The Circle Chronicles” conditioning treatment: 10 minutes
Davines “Nourishing, Replumping, or Renewing” treatments: 30 minutes
Keratin Treatment Express: 1-1.5 hours
Cezanne Keratin Treatment: 2-3 hours
“Treatments can take a long time,” Trisha says, so she advises using only healthy, non-toxic treatments. “At Barberella, we use only natural products from Davines or formaldehyde-free keratin treatments.”
Color
Single Process Color: 1 hour
Glaze: 20-30 mins
Face Frame Highlight Foil: 1 hour
Partial Highlight Foil: 2 hours
Full Highlight Foil: 2-2.5 hours
Face Frame Balayage: 1 hour
Partial Balayage: 2 hours
Full Balayage: 2-2.5 hours
“Coloring is usually the longest form or treatment, and all highlights include a glaze,” Trisha says. Her suggestion? “Make sure you have some good reading material!”
Makeup/Waxing
Eyebrow Wax: 15 minutes
Eyebrow Tint: 30 minutes
Massage
Massage 30-90 mins
“Massage times are pretty obvious,” Trisha notes,” though you should plan on an extra ten or twenty minutes for check in/check out and changing.”
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Timely Salon Services at Barberella Salon
All salon appointments note a start time. But few note the length of the visit.
If you are concerned about the length of your visit, ask your salon when you book your next appointment: “How long will my service take?”
For timely services in the Philadelphia suburban area, call Barberella Salon today: 215-643-4066