Choosing a hairdresser or barber you will go back to

A good haircut depends less on the salon's decor than on whether the person holding the scissors understands what you want. Here is how to find that person without a run of bad haircuts along the way.

Decide what you are looking for

• A barber typically focuses on short cuts, fades, clipper work and beard trimming, often without an appointment.
• A hairdresser or salon usually offers cutting, colouring, styling and treatments, and generally works by appointment.
• Some salons specialise in particular hair types, textures or techniques, such as curly hair, afro hair, colour correction or extensions. If your hair needs specialist handling, looking for that specialism first saves time.

Be realistic about price and time. A cut with a senior stylist in a city-centre salon will cost more than the same cut with a junior, and a full colour service takes several hours.

Regulation in the UK

Hairdressing and barbering in the UK are not licensed professions in the way that, say, dentistry is: anyone can open a salon. There is a voluntary state register run by the Hair and Barber Council, and stylists may hold recognised qualifications, but neither is compulsory. That makes your own checks more important.

What you can look for:

• Qualifications and training displayed in the salon or mentioned on its website.
• Public liability insurance, which any professional business should hold.
• Evidence of ongoing training, particularly for colour and chemical services.
• For salons offering treatments such as piercing or semi-permanent make-up, check whether the local council requires registration for those activities; many do.

Look at their actual work

Most salons and barbers now post photographs of cuts and colours they have done. Look for:

• Hair like yours, in style, length and texture.
• Consistent results across many clients, not just one striking example.
• Recent work, which shows the stylist is still doing that kind of cut.

If the feed is all one style and it is not yours, that is useful to know before you sit down.

Book a consultation or a small service first

You do not need to commit to a restyle on day one.

• Ask for a consultation. Good stylists will happily spend a few minutes discussing what you want, what will suit your face shape and hair type, and how much upkeep it needs.
• Bring photographs. Describing a haircut in words is unreliable.
• Start with a trim or a dry cut before booking colour or a major change.
• For colour, ask about a skin patch test. Salons should carry these out before certain colour services, particularly for new clients, and a salon that skips it is cutting a corner that matters.

Listen to how the stylist responds. Someone who asks about your routine, how often you wash your hair and how much time you spend styling it is thinking about you rather than the next chair.

Practicalities that make you go back

• Opening hours and whether they fit your week.
• How easy it is to book: online, by phone, or walk-in only.
• Cancellation policy, and whether a deposit is taken for long appointments.
• A price list on display or online, with senior and junior rates clearly shown.
• Cleanliness: fresh towels, clean tools, tidy stations.
• Parking or public transport nearby.

A salon that is perfect but impossible to book at the times you are free will not become your regular.

Ask about the price before the cut starts

Prices for the same service can vary within a salon depending on the stylist's level, and extras such as toner, treatments or blow-drying may be charged separately. Ask for the total for the service you are having before it begins, and ask again if the stylist recommends something additional partway through. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill; if a cut or colour is clearly not what was agreed, raise it with the salon straight away and give them the chance to put it right.

Next steps

Decide whether you need a barber, a general salon or a specialist, look at their recent work, and book a consultation or a small service first. You can find hairdressers and barbers near you on Annuvell Local, and browse the wider health and beauty category for salons offering related services. Each listing shows checked contact details so you can call and ask about availability and prices.