We Tell All: Get the most out of every appointment at the AE

October 6, 2026

Step One? Let's start by calling it a reservation.

Hello AE Friends!

It's officially spooky season at the AE and before you jump to any conclusions, let me just say it was not me this time. I know it's hard to believe. Can you guess who it was? Who at the AE do you know is the most spookiest, Halloween-loving human in all the land? I'll give you a hint. She had her firstborn, a daughter, in October last year and named her Salem.

That's right, our very own Mariah Woods gets the season rolling early every year so that we can get in our spooky kicks before we decorate for the Holidaze Party, which always happens at the end of October.

In other news, 'tis the season for career fairs and gatherings at many local cosmetology schools...

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In other news, 'tis the season for career fairs and gatherings at many of our local cosmetology schools. Last week on Monday, Dani, Rebecca, and I took a field trip to Collectiv Academy in Addison to represent the AE and to show some support for great education, too.

Tomorrow we're going to take another field trip, but this time it will be me and Mary Kate and Dani (all members of our AE Social Media Team).Together, we will be headed to the Aveda Institute in the Shops at Park Lane.

We try to visit the Aveda school at least once a year! However, this will mark our second visit this year; Rebecca and I dropped by one day in the spring to check out their Smashbox displays and testers before we got ours.

Tomorrow isn't just the Aveda Career Fair, and it's not just a Thursday. Tomorrow is October 1st! Aside from a hearty "Happy October!" from us to you, that means a few Subscribe to our email list. important things at the AE.

October 1st marks the opening of our books for all stylists for the year 2027! On this date and after, you will be able to book reservations up to December 31, 2027.
We will also be offering entry into our pre-booking raffle. The rules for the raffle are: Book 3 or more reservations to get your name in the raffle for one of two $200 gift cards that will be drawn at our Holidaze Party on November 14th. You get to be in the raffle one time unless... If you book out the entire year of 2027, you get an extra ticket. **If you have 3 or more reservations already booked, that counts, too.

And this goes without saying, but if you still haven't booked your holiday reservations, please get on it, y'all. We love you too much to say no to you, but we might not have a choice if you don't get moving.

Oh yeah, and last week we hopped on the social trend of bedazzling random things in the studio.

This lightener got some special treatment, and when you get to the bottom of this email, you won't be able to miss the phone at the front desk. Concierge got real clever with those gemstones and had a good time doing it.

And now... our officially unofficial guide

Now, let us help you get the most of your reservation at the AE. What follows here is our very unofficial guide to having a really great hair appointment. Oops. I didn't mean appointment. I meant reservation.

Why reservation? I'm so glad you asked.

You may have noticed over the past year our staff at the AE are changing some of the words we use to describe our business and our purpose. "Tips" are gratuity. "Tuesday Subscribe to our email list. and Thursday afternoons" are happy hour. "Appointments" are reservations. "The front" or "the desk" is now Concierge...

Words have power.

I don't need to tell anyone that, but at the AE we have decided as a team to represent both ourselves and our guest's expectations with intention.

With these words, we are committing to work smarter for you and to explore what it means to provide an elevated experience that adds value and service to every reservation.

We chose the word "reservation" because of how we want you to feel about coming to see us for your beauty needs. We don't want it to be just another appointment. We want it to be a time that you set aside, read: reserve, for yourself.

Whether it's for your mental health, for self-care, for "that look" that makes you feel a certain kind of way for whatever reason, or for your beauty goals, you deserve that time, that lifestyle of care. We cheer for your choice to take care of you, especially when that choice includes the words, "I have a reservation at the AE."

Prep for the conversation

Defining the AE Consultation: What you need to know about the first 5 minutes

We're starting off with a little bit of hair jargon. The first 5 minutes of your reservation? Hair professionals call it "the consultation". And we take it very seriously.

The AE Consultation is for communicating about you and your hair.

We at the AE believe:

· Every guest deserves a thorough consultation-even and especially returning guests. A good consultation creates clarity, builds trust, protects the integrity of the service, and sets realistic expectations before the work begins.

It's a time to connect. The consultation is face-to-face and full attention.
It's a time to listen. By listening, we create an environment where guests feel heard.
It's a time for visuals. We invite guests to share photos of what they like-and what they don't like-when helpful.
It's a time to be thorough. We are aware of and continue to collect relevant information, including hair history, formulas, goals, and service notes.
It's a time to make a plan. We repeat back what we understand our guest wants and make sure we both agree on the plan before beginning.
It's a time to set expectations. We discuss the service, investment, maintenance, and a realistic outcome before starting.
It's a time to prescribe. We recommend products, a maintenance schedule, styling tips, and schedule the next visit in line with our plan, both during the consultation and throughout the reservation.

We consult, confirm, and create with intention.

Bring the PHOTO

Your visual inspiration helps us see what you want - and what you don't.

We love an inspiration photo. Bring it.

But here's the thing: before you bring it, look at it. Take a moment to think about why you picked it so that when you sit in our chair, you can tell us what you love about it.

Is it the color? The brightness around the face? The layers? The movement? The fact that it looks like you could roll out of bed and somehow look that good? The more specific the better.

Knowing why you saved a photo helps your stylist translate the inspiration into something that works for your hair.

That said, keep in mind an inspo is an inspo. The pictures you bring are inspiration and are a simple starting point for your new signature look.

Tell us what you DON'T like

We want to know. Seriously.

This might be even more important than telling us what you do like.

Hate how your hair flips out at your shoulders? Can't stand seeing a hard line when your roots grow in? Don't want to spend 45 minutes styling every morning?

Tell us.

Tell us what you hate. Not just "I don't love it." Tell us why. Too brassy? Too flat? Too much maintenance? Doesn't feel like you?

Your stylist isn't going to be offended. We'd much rather know what you don't like so we can figure out how to avoid it.

Your HAIR-story matters

If we don't know the history of your hair, we need to know ASAP.

Previous color, box dye, highlights, extensions, keratin treatments, perms, at-home experiments (including cutting your own bangs)... we want to know about all of it.

Even if that experiment happened two years ago. Hair remembers.

Your stylist needs a full hair history to make the safest and smartest plan for where you want to go next.

Be honest about MAINTENANCE

Don't let us give you a color, cut, or style that doesn't match your lifestyle.

"I want low maintenance" can mean a lot of things.

Does that mean you want to come in every 12 weeks? You don't want to style your hair every day? You don't mind a little grow-out? You want something that looks good air-dried?

Tell us what low maintenance means to you.

Tell us what you actually do at home. If you wash once a week, say so. If you heat-style every day, we need to know. If you never used the products you bought last time... that's okay. Just tell us.

Tell us how much time you really want to spend on your hair.

Your dream hair and your Tuesday-morning hair need to be able to coexist.

The best hair plan isn't just about what looks amazing when you leave the salon. It's about what still works for you three, six, or twelve weeks later.

TRUST the process

What to do when the plan sounds like what you wanted might not happen today.

Sometimes your stylist will say yes.

Sometimes they'll say, "That's going to be a process."

Sometimes they'll suggest something you hadn't considered that might actually get you closer to what you're after.

We're not trying to talk you out of your dream hair. We're trying to figure out how to get you there-and keep your hair healthy along the way.

As much as we want to believe it, many of the best hair transformations don't happen in a single day.

There may be a few steps, a little patience, or a plan that looks different than what you pictured when you first sat in the chair. That's not a bad thing. That's your stylist doing their job.

Trust the plan, ask questions, and let your stylist work their magic. The end result is always worth taking the right steps to get there.

ASK the questions

Got a question? We've got an answer for you.

What will this look like as it grows out? How often will I need to come back? What should I use at home? Can I recreate this myself? How do I recreate this myself?

Ask.

There are no dumb hair questions. And if you're not sure what your stylist is doing or why, say something.

The more you understand your hair, the easier it is to take care of it between reservations.

Be kind & GIVE yourself time

Great hair takes time. Period.

Hair appointments aren't always predictable. Color can take time. Consultations take time. Big changes definitely take time.

Make sure you book enough time. Talk to one of our Concierge members with your early questions. If they suggest a separate consultation before you book your transformation, take advantage of it.

Schedule your free consultation and use that time for everything we've talked about.

Then schedule your next reservation for the amount of time your stylist recommends in the coming days or weeks.

Your hair deserves a little breathing room.

And lastly, be kind to yourself. Tell us if you're not okay. Tell us if you're nervous. Big change? Bad experience somewhere else? Not sure what you want? We'd rather know.

That's how we can make the experience feel comfortable and create a plan together.

There is no judgment in our chairs. Your openness helps us do better hair.

The newest in hair products at the AE is BIG: NOW YOU CAN SHOP ONLINE

We've been meaning to do this for y'all for a long time. Sometimes it takes waiting until the right opportunity presents itself to make the leap. We're happy to say that when that opportunity came about, we were ready to say, YES.

And we did.

Click here to check it out!

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In conclusion...

Use your consultation: Prepare for the chair. Show up. Then, trust the process.

We hope this email gave you some great information that will make your next reservation the best you've ever had.

We'd love to see you soon! Whether it's for that elevated, effortless fall look, therapy, color, a refresh on those layers, a smoothing treatment with our new Keratin Alpha Sleek line by Loreal, your birthday blowout, a brow wax, stylist convos, or simply to get out of the heat (or the rain), we see you! And we appreciate you.

P.S. If you haven't already. GET BOOKED FOR THE HOLIDAYS TODAY.

Always, always, always. Thank you for supporting us at the AE.

With love and vision for your best hair yet,
BJ & The AE Team