7 Etiquette Tips to Know Before Booking an At-Home Beauty Service
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Inviting a stranger into your home can be awkward — no matter who it is. But if you want to take advantage of all of the new on-demand beauty apps that offer to send hair, makeup, nail, and spa pros into your home, then you need to drop your guard. These "über" grooming services are awesome, and as someone who has tested many of them, I can say that nothing beats getting to snooze for 20 extra minutes instead of trekking to the salon for an early-morning blowout or passing out in your bed after a Sunday evening massage in your room.
That said, there are some things you need to know before you press the "book" button on your phone. To help explain the rules of at-home beauty service etiquette, I chatted with Brittany Lo, the founder of Beautini. She worked with brands like L'Oréal USA and Redken before launching Beautini with a team of hair and makeup pros who specialize in doing wedding parties. Keep reading to discover Brittany's top tips for having a comfortable at-home beauty service.
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Be Clear About House Rules
"Shoes on or off? We don't care either way, just don't keep us guessing!" says Brittany.
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Be a Polite Host
"Offer the stylist water and the bathroom when they arrive," notes Brittany. "Stylists hate feeling needy, but traveling throughout the city all day sure can be a workout!"
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Do Your Homework
"Be ready for your appointment!" Brittany advises. "You are the one who booked the time, not us. We know that life is hectic but make sure your hair is wet and your face is moisturized (ideally with no makeup on) prior to when we show up."
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Scout a Location
"Pick a spot in your apartment near an outlet for hair or table for makeup," Brittany says. "Having an outlet for hair tools and a place to set the tools up is essential. For makeup services, lots of light is ideal."
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Have a Game Plan
"Tell us what you want or don't want, but provide us with some kind of idea," suggests Brittany. "Pictures are great. Nothing is worse than not having an idea of what the client wants and having to guess throughout the process. Granted, a great pro will ask the right questions to understand the look the client desires, but please help us out!"
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Express Yo Self!
"Tell us how you really feel," requests Brittany. "We have chosen to be stylists for a reason — we want to make you look and feel beautiful! If the look is different than what you wanted or anticipated, tell us! Nothing is worst than pretending you like it and then wiping it off the moment we leave. Have faith in us that we will execute the look you desired and communicate to us. The more honest you are with us, the better we can understand how to perfect the look."
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Don't Be a Stranger, Dah-ling!
"During the appointments, we become besties with you," Brittany enthuses. "We learn about your personal life, job, and love life, in most cases. We love connecting with people, so don't feel like you have to shake our hands if you really just want to hug us. We hope to see you again soon."