Happy National Hairstylist Appreciation Day!

We mean that literally…like, all day long. And it’s hard-as-heck on the body. (Which makes a good case for gifting your hairdresser with a massage certificate now and then.)

Good hair days and self-confidence are inextricably connected – and hairdressers literally spend their days working to drum up all the feels.

Like your own personal Rolodex, hairdressers are the ultimate referral service. Where can I grab the best salad? What’s the hottest new fitness studio? Which songs are playing in salons? Chances are, a hairdresser knows the answers.

Let’s face it: Hairdressers gave free haircuts to healthcare workers, risked their own well-being for the sake of our grow-out (and sanity), and did the ultimate pivot – with masks, thermometers, and endless sanitizing procedures—just to keep us coiffed.

Maybe it’s because they’re touching you. Or maybe it’s because you see them every eight weeks like clockwork. But there’s good reason hairdressers are often referred to as therapists…clients historically use that time in the hair chair to offload life stressors.

Hairdressers are dedicated to making clients look and feel their absolute best. And that’s the mission at the start of EVERY. SINGLE. WORKDAY.

There’s a lot more to hairdressing than chopping length and saturating with color. A brilliant stylist is like a sculptor, studying head-shape, angles, face contours, even the slope of the neck. A colorist morphs between a painter and a chemist, working with formulas and skin-tone to create that perfect lightness and depth, shading and highlights; even delivering the emotional lift of dramatic change.

If you want to know which Shake Series texturizer will produce the perfect piecey look; or what hairspray to grab before that big, all-day event, look no further than your hairdresser. They test-run and trial the goods day in and day out – and if anyone knows what’s right for a client’s hair, it’s them!

Despite the focus on artistry, hairdressers actually build intimate relationships with their clients; fostering a comfort with vulnerability that allows them to put their hands on you, and draw out people’s innermost feelings in order to create big self-esteem boosts.

‘Nuff said.