The perfect haircut from Mr. or Ms. Right can mean the difference between a dreaded morning battle and, let's be honest, a less-dreaded morning routine at worst. Four South Sound hair stylists ­­– from upscale to punk salons – give advice on how to find your match.

Ask around: “Look for people out in the public who look like you, who have hair like you, and ask them where they get their hair done,” said Aura Mae, owner and stylist at Azarra Salon downtown. Sure, it takes some courage, but it's a win-win: The stranger gets a compliment and you get a lead on a good hairdresser.

“If you can't go on a referral, be sure to choose a stylist with strong communication skills,” said Jana Lencioni, co-owner and stylist at Super Nova Hair and Tattoo in the Stadium District.

Drop in: Stop in to buy a bottle of shampoo, Mae said, and you can get a feel for the place. Is it spalike? Punk? Best to find out before you make an appointment.

Chat 'em up: Once you've visited the salon and are willing to give it a shot, call the receptionist and ask her (nicely) about the stylists. She'll know who does the best trendy cuts or who specializes in curly hair.

He or she might have some questions for you: “We ask, ‘Do you like someone who'll do what you tell them or who has a lot of their own ideas?'” Mae said. Some clients know exactly what they want; others are willing to give artistic reins over to someone else. Either way, the receptionist, if you're nice, can be your in.

Do a dry run: Although it's not commonly advertised, most salons offer free consultations, which can be booked with the receptionist. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes, and it will allow you to find out beforehand if you've met your match.

The consultation can be especially important for hard-to-manage or ethnic hair.

“I would definitely make a couple of trips for the consultation to analyze the hair,” said Willie Smith, manager and stylist at J. Kinlows in East Tacoma, which specializes in ethnic hair. The more people you visit, the more you'll get a feel for whether they understand your needs.

Bring an arsenal: Plan to bring pictures, realistic expectations and questions to the consultation.

Bring in old pictures of yourself with good haircuts or pictures from magazines and tell the stylist what you like and dislike.

“It's better to talk in general terms about feelings and ideas than it is to throw technical terms in,” Mae said. “Even in the industry, we don't necessarily agree” on terms.

“Ask them how many years in the industry they have behind a chair,” said Susie Powers, director of the color department at Gene Juarez. Powers said the stylist might have experience working at a salon, but time cutting hair is what counts.

If you're looking for a drastic change, ask if they're willing to take the leap, Powers said. “When I'm meeting someone, I'm not really one of those people to come in and take somebody from black hair to blond hair today,” she said, but ease into it over time.

Also to ask: What styles they love, what inspires them, and what certification they have if you're planning to color your hair.

When you talk about the cut, the stylist should be able to tell you what would work with both your hair texture and bone structure, Powers said. Color should take skin tone and eye color into consideration.

But be realistic about haircuts. “No matter what picture I bring in of Kate Moss, I'm never going to look like that,” Powers said. But a skilled hairdresser can take an idea and tailor it to your hair.

Mae said this is also a good time to discuss the price and determine how often you'll need to come in to keep the style.

Lather, rinse, repeat: Do as many consultations as it takes to find the right person.

How do you know? “When you feel comfortable enough to say (anything) to them, then I think you've found the right one,” Lencioni said.

And … cut: Be patient when making an appointment – some stylists have cult followings, meaning it can be weeks before there's an opening.

After the cut, don't forget to ask your hairdresser how to style your new do, Mae said. Otherwise, you could end up right back in the same rut you came in with.

Reap the benefits: “When you feel good about yourself, you project a completely different face to the world. (Your hair) should feel like part of you, not like a costume,” Mae said.

“It'll be something that'll be low-maintenance. The less maintenance that you have to do, the better it is. Plus, it makes you feel good when you look good,” Smith said.

He said it's important to stick with someone once you've found them because they can grow to understand your hair over the years. “They will know your hair. You build a relationship with that operator and he or she will be able to do your hair almost with their eyes closed.”

If it doesn't work out: Even with all that work, you can still come away with hair that looks like the Flowbee malfunctioned. But don't give up.

“Give your current hairdresser the opportunity to evolve with you,” Mae said. In other words, tell them what's wrong.

“If they just don't seem to get it, see if there's someone else in the salon,” she said. After all, you had a good feeling about the place – maybe someone else there is better suited for the job.

Finally – after you've done due diligence – shop for another salon.

You'll find that special someone soon and, when you do, do not let them go.

Niki Sullivan: 253-597-8658

niki.sullivan@thenewstribune.com

You want a feathered mullet?

To get an idea of how different hairdressers can be (and because we're curious about this one), we asked four local hair stylists the same question: If someone asks for an outrageous or ugly haircut (or both, yikes), what do you do?

Aura Mae: “A hairdresser who won't tell you no can't be trusted. Not everything is possible, not everything is reasonable and not everything is pretty. No is not a bad word.”

Jana Lencioni: “It would have to be something really silly in order for me to say no. I'll give advice and then do it … If someone walks in with something that's not cute, I would try to talk them out of it.”

Willie Smith: “I would say no, and then if they insist, we'd have to find some type of release to get me out of the mix. Anything that's going to damage the hair, I don't want to do.”

Susie Powers: “You're in the service industry. You have to understand that you're here to offer a service … As much as you want to be the Picasso behind your chair, our job here is to service the guest.”