Finding the right loctician to care for your hair is kind of a BIG deal. Why? Well because your hair is indeed your crown, and just as you find comfort in having a trustworthy primary care provider, or dentist, you need the hands touching your hair to be worthy of the task. If you are searching for a loctician here are a few things to look for:
1. Referrals
This is a great way to find a hair care provider because you have someone that can vouch for that specific loctician. This will allow you to have a comfortable space to ask questions about the loctician, indirectly. You can ask about their work, their business practices, prices, and anything that crosses your mind without feeling any pressure to commit.
2. Online Presence
If your loctician has an online presence, like an instagram page, website, or booking site (or all three!) this gives you a digital preview of their work and a little bit of their personality. Usually, it will give you some insight into some of their business practices and culture as well. Booking sites are a plus, since it’s convenient for both parties and is a good indication that this loctician is up to date on current technological business practices.
3. Great Communicator
Effective communication is critical when finding a loctician because a misunderstanding about hair can sometimes lead to awful outcomes. I am sure we have all experienced this at some point in our hair journey, to leave the hairdresser unsatisfied…and it’s no fun at ALL.
When there is something you don’t understand, does this provider have the communication skills to help you understand? Are they able to respond in a way that makes you feel confident in their answer? Make sure it is a safe space that allows you to speak freely and comfortably.
4. Kindness
Are they kind? A kind person is someone who is friendly, generous, and can consider your feelings, concerns and empathize with you. This is important because as you visit your loctician regularly, you are beginning a relationship. Sometimes it’s a short-term business relationship and sometimes it’s a long-term one. Either way, when finding a loctician, a kind one will make the time spent much more pleasant.
5. Honesty
Since trust is essential with any service provider, it is much easier to build trust with someone who is honest. It helps to establish a healthy work culture and it creates consistency in that environment. This helps to make you feel secure as a client in that space.
6. Pride in Their Own Hair.
Do they enjoy their own hair? If they have locs, do they look like they are in a healthy condition? You aren’t looking for perfection, because no one has “perfect” hair, but it will give you an idea of what elements of locs are important to them. For example, a loctician with a lot of breakage, or excessive dandruff, or just any evidence of severe neglect, probably should not be trusted to care for others’ locs.
Conclusion
Finding the right loctician can sometimes be difficult, but I promise that when you find your match, it will be a beautiful “hair marriage”. You will be meeting the needs of your provider, and they will be meeting your needs as a client. This is the ultimate goal when it comes to a service provider/client relationship.
How did you find your loctician? On IG? Through a friend. Maybe Facebook? Let me know what worked for you.