Childrens hair
WHEN it comes to Children’s hair, a good stylist should know it’s not just about the look, it’s about getting them through the door in the first place.
The sights, sounds and smells of your average salon can be as welcoming to your little ones as a visit to the school nurse.
That’s why at Combers, we decided to rise above the average . We’ve made our Taunton salon, family – and kids – friendly. Mum and Dad are welcome to stay for the appointment. We have special seats for the very youngest and we’ll explain to those a little older, what is involved.
During the school holidays, I can’t help notice that Taunton is full of stylish young people They wear the latest fashions and they also know how to shop smart so they don’t end up paying designer prices.
As a stylist, I tend to look at the hair, whether it’s my own children or their friends. Young people are very style conscious and are influenced, in a good way, by pop stars, actors and even footballers.
So, a good salon should be prepared to welcome them and treat them as the salon would treat any other customer.
Forget frightening, sharp scissors or noisy hairdryers. Instead, it’s about safe, child friendly equipment, soft drinks and everyone’s favourite biscuits.
We encourage parents/Grandparents to bring their children in to Combers for a visit, talking to the stylist and seeing what we do. When they return, they tend to be much more relaxed as they realise there is nothing to fear. Why not let them watch you have your hair cut, if you trust the Stylist they will.
A word of caution about walk in salons. Your child may be fine in the morning but after a busy day in town, they may lose their interest in a haircut and become cranky. That’s why I think an appointment is always best, so you can prepare for the visit.
We know kids today are more fashion conscious. We also know parents worry about the cost of meeting Junior’s fashion hopes. That’s why a good salon should tailor its service and prices to suit every pocket and piggy bank. However if you don’t choose a salon on price alone for your hair, as you know only too well how a bad haircut makes you feel then I suggest you take the same approach with Junior. There is not a quick way to cut children’s hair to make it cheaper, in fact it can take longer, so beware if the cost seems too good to be true. Most good salons see children as their future business, so look to discount their first haircuts. In fact in the last 34 years, Combers have been looking after families hair care needs in Taunton and we still see people that still live here that had their first haircut with us.
Like with many early experiences your first haircutting experiences will impact on you as an adult. There are many ladies that experience anxiety visiting a hairdressing salon that can often be traced back to a disaster or being coerced into having a haircut they don’t want by someone that did not care, so give the same thought choosing your children’s hair salon like you would their School or Doctor
Here are my three top tips for making sure that when it comes to great hair, your child has a head start!
1. It’s best to wash children’s hair every to 3 days. If your child isn’t old enough to wash their hair themselves, lather 1 tablespoon of shampoo into her hair and use your fingertips to distribute it and massage the scalp. Rinse out the shampoo with warm water. If your child’s hair is thick, shampoo and rinse the hair again. Speak to your stylist about products as baby shampoo is not as good as you think.
2. Conditioning children’s hair is very important. Make sure you rinse properly to avoid leaving your child with an itchy scalp. Use a Tangle teaser on longer hair when the conditioner is still in (keep one in their swim bag as well)
3. Most children under 6 enjoy having their hair brushed and it’s a great fun, bonding time. As his or her scalp is still very tender, choose a soft bristle brush. There are so many good ones on the market specially designed for young ones and it makes your child feel special that they have their own brush – just like mum.
Many parents tell me they have trouble getting their child to sit still when they are doing their hair at home. Is there a secret way of making them stop fidgeting? No, not really. However, you can use a few tricks.
One little girl who comes to Combers just loves the thought of being a princess (well, who doesn’t). She is not very keen on having her hair washed so the stylist tells her how she will look like a princess.
The little girl wants to be the princess of her own street, so she stops fidgeting and complaining about water splashing on her face as the stylist talks about becoming a beautiful princess.
You can do this at home. Tell a story all the way from washing to combing. It will make hair time a fun time, rather than something to dread.
