You desperately want to dump him, but your beloved colorist is at the same salon, and you can't bear to divorce her, too.

ALSO WORKS FOR:
Manicurists, masseurs, facialists, colorists, personal trainers.

PASSIVE
Stop making appointments with the sorry stylist. "The next time you run into him or her at the salon, say, `I just couldn't get my appointments all together — I had a problem with time. I was in a rush.' After this happens once or twice, he or she will get the message," says Charlotte Ford, author of 21st-Century Etiquette ($14, www.amazon.com).

If fibbing makes you flustered, avoid a confrontation altogether. A hairstylist in Michigan suggests asking the receptionist to book your appointments on your ex-stylist's day off.

AGGRESSIVE
Stop by her chair, "Most people go with `I'm leaving you because you're too expensive' or `You're too busy," says the stylist in Michigan. Peggy Post, author of Emily Post's Etiquette ($38, www.amazon.com), suggests an even more direct approach: "This just isn't working out. I'm very particular about my hair, and I'm going to try someone else."

PREFERRED
Stylists want you to be happy with your cut, so they welcome feedback while you're a client. But if you decide to flee, just part with a polite adieu ("Thanks for all the cuts. I've decided to make a change, Good luck!").

"Why get into a critique when there's no way to rectify the situation?" says the stylist in Michigan. "Hair is a very personal thing. If you don't like the way they cut, you don't like the way they cut." Overbooked stylists may even welcome having one less client.