The early days of the Instagram hairstylist (circa 2018 to 2021) were, by all accounts, great for both stylists and clients. Stylists with talent and genuine love for their craft had a new means of turning their passion into a livelihood. Clients also benefited: You could view a stylist’s work on their profile, then pop over to their DMs to book an appointment for braids, wigs, sew-ins, or a wash and blowout. Back then, there was an ease to it in the sense that there weren’t as many Instagram stylists to choose from, the policies were minimal, and the prices were cheaper than traditional salons: Charles and St. Cyr both charged $150 for medium-sized box braids in 2020. (Back then, neither of those stylists were licensed either. Both stylists got their license within two years of when they started their business and have raised their prices since to reflect that additional training.)
The stylists and clients interviewed for this story believe that, as more people saw how easy it was to monetize hairstyling skills online, the pool of Instagram hairstylists became polluted with stylists who seemed to put more of an emphasis on their social media presence than building a client-focused business — though there are still those who strike a good balance, like Charles and St. Cyr, who both have loyal clientele that can attest to their professionalism and craft.
“Ultimately we as hairstylists want the client to be happy,” says Michaella Blissett Williams, a hairstylist and owner of [Salon] 718 in Brooklyn who has been doing hair for over 30 years. To Blissett Williams, who is what some would call an “old school” hairstylist, customer service is at the heart of hairstyling.
So one has to wonder, if people aren’t happy with these Instagram hairstylists, how are they staying booked? Most likely because they’re the ones advertising their ability to keep up with social media trends. Many independent hairstylists gain a huge social following based on their in-demand ability to both create and execute viral hairstyles like boho braids, freestyle cornrows, and traditional sew-ins that look great in their clients’ vacation photos.
When she went to that stylist in Jersey City, Georges wanted Fulani flip-over braids. The intricate braid style features cornrows, box braids, and loose boho curls, so Georges knew she had to find someone who specializes in the look. “I wanted to be trendy with everybody else [so] I wanted to make sure whoever I went to could do that in the way that I want it to look,” says Georges.
Strict policies and astronomical deposits
Those trendy styles seem to come with a cost, both in their literal higher prices and the mental gymnastics clients often have to do to navigate some of these Instagram stylists’ extensive policies on their booking sites. These rules or warnings will often include statements like, “A non-refundable deposit is required to book, showing up with hair extensions different than the specified type on the site will result in automatic cancellation, and a fee will be charged for every minute you are late.”