Bored Panda reached out to Jurgita once again and she shared her experiences in an exclusive interview. We asked Jurgita where she draws inspiration for a new look for a client.
"I am inspired by the client. The client's first intuition is usually correct, so it's important to hear it and bring that vision to life. I know all the rules and techniques to create it, but the inspiration comes from the client: their emotions and lifestyle," she says.
Every client comes with a unique story that needs to be taken into consideration. The hairstylist says it's important to understand the client's current stage of life and their needs, whether it's a woman who lost her job and wants to attract attention or a female in her 40s who wants to feel more feminine or more playful.
In real life, what clients want doesn't always correlate with what's best for them, so the hairstylist comes to the rescue with all the tools and technical advice to achieve the best possible result. It's never as easy as recreating a look you loved in a magazine or on a celebrity.
Jurgita says that every professional has the task of determining one of four types of people based on their features: Summer, Spring, Winter, or Autumn. Then they analyze the face and body shape, hair texture, and its condition: "Based on this analysis, client's lifestyle and feelings, you can then apply the technique, choose a hair color and a haircut. But the most important is that the client can maintain their hair at home, and after waking up in the morning and seeing themselves would think: 'this is how I'm supposed to look.'"
There are many tools that can help people analyze their features themselves, but they are not always right. "People don't always see themselves the way a professional does," Jurgita says. Other than selecting the wrong hairstyle that will look like you borrowed it from someone else to wear, trying to freshen up your hairstyle yourself can bring serious consequences.
"We can't fix teeth ourselves, we need a professional, so why would we do that to our hair?" Jurgita jokingly says about people who try to experiment with their hair at home. She says that people should experiment with different hair care products such as masks and shampoos that won't seriously damage their hair the way hair dye can.
After over 25 years of experience in this field, Jurgita says she remembers every feedback, feeling, and emotion her clients give her.
"Making other people happy brings me joy. Being able to play a part in people's happiness feels like you just had a 'happy pill.' Making yourself happy is very difficult, so the biggest gift for me is being able to make others happy."
Jurgita remembered recent clients who particularly stuck in her mind.
"I had two women who kept their eyes closed through the whole coloring and cutting processes until they could see the final result. Like in some kind of reality show. These reactions are always the most exciting. Even if it's a temporary change, this inspires women to keep caring about themselves."
"The most challenging for me is administrative tasks with the clients. The most rewarding thing is seeing them happy after a visit," Jurgita says when asked about the most challenging and the most rewarding parts of her job. Jurgita previously told us that her job is more than creating new hairstyles, it's about boosting women's confidence and self-love.
We've all probably heard about nightmare clients in any job where you have to deal with people. But Jurgita says that the relationship with a client often depends on how she approaches them.
Jurgita says that clients who are guarded, closed off, and unhappy are the most challenging to work with. So at the very beginning, it's difficult to break these walls and get a client to trust you and open up. "But you have to understand that this person made the first step and is looking for help," she adds.
A new season of the year, a new job, relationship, a pandemic, or a desperate need for something new—anything can make you feel like you need a change and it's very typical to start with your hair. Jurgita has some advice if you are hesitant to take this step.
"A hairstyle is not separate from the rest of your body, so if you feel like you are not ready for a drastic change, there is no need to hurry. Hair is energy, so you can't just cut it off, you have to be ready and aware of how you want to look and feel after the makeover because you will have to live with the result every day."
People with long hair will probably relate that often an inch cut too short can bring you to tears and it's completely normal—it's a part of your identity. Other times, you will be ready to get rid of all of it without mercy. Long hair sometimes is used as a security blanket you can hide behind, or on the contrary, feel more beautiful. In this case, Jurgita suggests that the safest bet would be changing your hair color because "color gives dynamics to your hair."
So before you buy tons of drugstore supplies and put on a YouTube tutorial on how to cut and color your hair at home that could end in a fail, have in mind that sometimes just a little trim, a more vibrant version of your natural color, and a slightly changed haircut can do wonders if you want to feel fresh, beautiful, and more confident.
