I’ve Always Felt a Subtle Discomfort with the Word “Looks Good on You”

“I think it looks good on you.”

As a hairstylist, I’ve said this phrase countless times. But to be honest, it’s always made me feel a bit uneasy.

Why? Because I’ve always wondered: “By whose standards am I saying it looks good?”

For example, when a client says, “I want this kind of hairstyle,” and from a hairstylist’s perspective it seems a bit unbalanced or difficult to recreate due to their hair texture—

The old me would’ve immediately said, “This one would look better on you.”

But one day, something a client said really hit me.

“Even if you say it suits me, I just don’t like it myself.”

…Ah, I see.

The “looks good” I had been saying was really just based on my own sense—or the standards of the beauty industry, facial shape analysis, those kinds of “external answers.”

Since then, I’ve stopped using the word “looks good” so lightly.

Instead, I started asking, “What kind of hairstyle makes *you* feel like you love it?”

Whether something suits you or not is really just one point of view.

• Can that person feel like they like themselves?
• Does looking in the mirror lift their mood a little?
• Can they confidently make eye contact when talking to someone?

…I think those inner changes are much more essential.

Of course, it’s also important to suggest styles that match their facial features, bone structure, and hair type.

But I believe that’s not about “pushing” something, it’s about “offering more choices.”

Rather than making “looks good” the goal,
I think the real satisfaction comes from the feeling of
“I chose this for myself.”

So during consultations, I always keep this in mind—

I want to explore together whether the client can truly feel, “I’m glad I chose this.”

“Looks good” is a simple phrase, but
the feeling behind it is completely different for each person.

I believe we need hairstylists who are willing to face those differences sincerely.