Whether you've recently relocated or you're bored with your current salon and wishing to try something new, finding a new hair stylist can be one of the most difficult decisions to make. A good hairstylist that can give you the right style you're after is a dime-a-dozen, so how do you find the one for you?

Taking personal recommendations is your best bet to begin your search. Ask your friends who have great hair where they go and if they can recommend someone fabulous. 

One of the best pieces of advice on finding a new stylist I've gotten was from my former stylist who I adored (and unfortunately moved too far from) was to not be afraid to ask random people who have great hair (and similar type hair (texture etc.) to your own) where they go. People love to hear that you like their hair, it's a great compliment and we are a walking billboard for our hair stylists are we not?

Once you've gotten the name of a good salon or stylist, check it out first. Online is a good place to start you can find reviews of the salon and you'll also find pricing    (while avoiding sticker shock) and sometimes even client photos which will really give you an idea of whether or not the salon's particular style jives with the way you would like your hair.

Other things to look for are what kind of services they have offer, what kind of training the stylists have, how much experience they have, and whether or not they are active in keeping up with new trends through ongoing education and hair shows.

I always like to know what brands of products a salon carries and uses, too. Some brands just don't mesh well with my sensitive scalp (read: Aveda) so I, unfortunately, usually try to avoid salons that use mainly those products.

For the first appointment try sticking to something simple like a basic trim just to suss out the place and the stylist. How do they present themselves? What does their own hair look like? You wouldn't want someone with awful damaged hair to do your hair would you? Do they pay attention to what you want and offer suggestions to better style or treat your hair? Do they take their time and really pay attention to details?

Also remember that good communication is important, I always bring magazine cutouts or pictures just to make sure that we're on the same page and it's clear what I want. I was also fortunate to have my former stylist write out what colors to use for my highlights and lowlights and some directions to make explaining it to a new stylist really easy.

Choosing a new hair stylist can be one of the hardest decisions a girl has to make, so take your time and make sure you are being taken care of. You are worth it!