What to expect.
Everything I want a new client to know before their first appointment — pulled from years of the same questions in the chair.
1
Before your appointment
- ✓Save 3–5 inspiration photos (Pinterest, Instagram). Photos make consultations 3× faster and 10× more accurate than verbal descriptions.
- ✓Don't wash your hair the morning of color or balayage — day-old hair holds color better.
- ✓For men's cuts, come with hair styled how you usually wear it. Sammy needs to see your real growth direction.
- ✓Skip strong perfume — small studio, long appointment.
2
When you arrive
- ✓Park in the free covered lot directly in front of Salon Lofts at 10965 State St.
- ✓Head inside, take the stairs or elevator to suite 217. Sammy will greet you at the door.
- ✓If you're new, the consultation is 5–10 minutes. We'll talk about your face shape, texture, lifestyle, and what you actually want — not just what's in the photos.
3
During your service
- ✓Wash and condition with products selected for your hair type.
- ✓For color and balayage: strand test, porosity check, mix custom formula, then paint or apply.
- ✓For cuts: section, scissor work, point-cutting where the shape calls for it, blowout finish.
- ✓You'll always have a check-in point during the service — speak up if something needs to shift. Adjustments mid-appointment are easy; calling 3 days later is harder.
4
At checkout
- ✓Pay how you like — all major cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Affirm (over $250), cash.
- ✓Tip if you want to (15–20% standard, never required).
- ✓Book your next appointment while you're there. Most balayage clients pre-book 12 weeks out; men's cuts 3 weeks.
- ✓Take home product if you want — Sammy will recommend exactly what fits your hair and routine, no upsell pressure.
What NOT to do
- ✕Don't pre-wash your hair on the morning of color (day-old holds toner better).
- ✕Don't wear a tight ponytail or pull-back to color appointments — band marks show as uneven painted lines.
- ✕Don't agree to a service you didn't book during the consultation. If something feels off, say so.
- ✕Don't skip the consultation, even if you've been to me before. Your hair changes; the conversation should too.
- ✕Don't show up with damp hair to a men's cut — damp hair stretches and the cut ends up wrong when it dries.
- ✕Don't bring expectations of going from black to platinum in one session. Real transformations take time and your hair's safety first.
Ready when you are.
Online booking takes 90 seconds. Same Sammy, same chair, same care.