Many of us with standing salon appointments have a similar drill—we pick up our coffee, sit in our stylist’s chair, and unleash all our latest drama while they mix up our bleach. It’s often an inside joke that salon visits double as therapy sessions, but they can come at a surprisingly high cost to hair pros: A 2023 L’Oréal Professionnel survey revealed that 65% of hairdressers have experienced anxiety, burnout, or depression during their professional careers. To ease the burden, L’Oréal Professionnel helped launch Head Up, a program designed to support hairstylists on their mental health journey.
Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Day on October 10, we chatted with L’Oréal Professionnel hairstylist and Head Up co-developer, Daniel Mason-Jones to learn more about the initiative. Keep scrolling to discover what it is and how clients can be essential in championing mental health in the hair industry.
What Is the L’Oréal Head Up Program?
Head Up is a free mental health training program by hair pros, for hair pros. It was created in partnership with hairstylists, L’Oréal Professionnel, and the non-profit organization NAMI, to help raise awareness of the mental health challenges that stylists face and provide them with accessible resources.
“Living with anxiety and OCD myself, I know firsthand how important it is to learn to manage mental health and set healthy boundaries,” says Mason-Jones. “This program is a powerful start toward helping industry professionals not only cope with the daily pressures but also break down the stigma surrounding mental health.”
What Does Head Up Offer?
The crux of this powerful initiative is Head Up Keys, a series of both live and recorded sessions hosted by Mason-Jones and L’Oréal Professionnel education ambassador Hayley Jepson.
“Head Up Keys is a class that provides an outline of helpful tips to create a healthy balance behind the chair,” says Mason-Jones. “We discuss everything from body movement, proper nourishment, effective journaling, and boundary setting. This program is really incredible in person and is already having a powerful outcome for our industry.”
Through sharing the right tools and strategies, the hope is that Head Up Keys will reach and positively impact 200,000 hairstyling professionals by the end of 2025.
The stylist adds, “Together, we can support each other in navigating our careers with greater resilience and understanding.”
How Can Clients Better Support Their Stylists’ Mental Health?
Mason-Jones says that open communication between clients and hair pros is key to fostering a healthier environment for everyone. It’s important for both parties to discuss their needs and expectations before an appointment—whether that’s an honest chat about the look you’re going for, or a conversational boundary your stylist wants to maintain.
“I personally believe that powerful conversations can change everything in our world when you have the tools to have them correctly,” he shares. “Helping create boundaries and outlines for tough conversations is a passion of mine.”
3 Tips for Fostering Healthy Communication With Your Stylist
Here are three easy ways to create an open dialogue with your hairdresser at your next appointment.
Bring inspiration
Showing your stylist 2-3 photos of your desired cut, color, or style is the best way to ensure you leave the salon feeling happy. Miscommunications can happen when clients and stylists use different terminology to describe what they believe to be the same look or technique. Having a visual allows you both to get on the same page and avoid any misunderstandings.
Be open-minded
Your stylist has the expertise to assess your hair's condition and inform you of any limitations. If they tell you that a certain look isn’t realistic based on your hair’s texture, color, or damage level, try not to become discouraged. Instead, trust their judgment and then work together to create a new game plan for your strands.
Speak up
If you’re not totally satisfied with your hair service, speak up confidently yet kindly. Your stylist would much rather spend extra time fixing imperfections than watch you leave the salon in tears. And, if there’s something you didn’t immediately notice at the salon, call the receptionist and book a new appointment within two weeks.
Next Up: How to Speak Up at the Salon and Get Exactly What You Want
Header photo credits: @lorealpro and @danielmasonjones
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