Tears well in your eyes as you stare at the hairdresser in the salon mirror and lie through an oversized smile, “I love it.” What went wrong? Was it the picture? The description? Are you doomed to find a haircut that you will never love and will never suit you?
A mistake only a hat can fix
A good haircut can’t do all the work. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when getting a haircut is not considering how the desired look will need to be maintained and styled.
Stanimir Hristov, salon owner and senior stylist at Your Hairdresser, points out that “in the salon, the hair is not only cut, but also styled properly to achieve the desired look.” You can’t expect your hair to look like it did in the salon every time you wash it.
So, you’ve got to be honest with yourself. Am I going to style and maintain this hair (almost) every day? If you’re someone who likes to get up, run a brush through your hair, and leave – ask for something low-key. If you hate washing, blow-drying, and styling your hair – maybe don’t ask for bangs.
“If the correct type of styling is not used at home,” Stanimir warns, “the salon-sleek appearance of the cut will not be preserved.”
What’s what?
An image in your mind is fine until you need to actually describe it to a hairdresser. “Just a little off here” and a “like steps in the hair”, “layers”, “a trim”, just spurting out words, terms, and similies hoping to telepathically transport the dream look.
You often learn the hard way that some words don’t mean what you thought they did.
Stanimir Hristov acknowledges that (often) the terms “length”, “layers”, and “graduation” are used interchangeably by clients. But they all mean totally different things.
As expected, length is how long or short the hair is. However, “layers,” Stanimir explains, “are shorter pieces of the hair strategically cut to create the effect of enhanced volume and movement.”
In contrast, graduation refers to the overall transition from longer to shorter or shorter to longer.
Other common terms (that might be useful to know) can include: texturizing, feathering, blunt cut, and blending.
Texturizing, for example, refers to thinning out hair to reduce weight but maintaining length. Useful for thicker hair. While feathering softens the lines in the haircut, in contrast to choppy layers.
And, now popular haircut styles (that you may or may not have heard of on the internet)
A shag haircut features choppy layers with bangs, which can be customized to taste.
Wolfcuts (a more modern hairstyle) is a mixture between a mullet and shag with short choppy layers, where the hair at the top and crown is cut shorter, and the bottom is left longer. It’s popular among many celebrities, including Jenna Ortega and Miley Cyrus.
Can’t decide between two styles? Why not try a bixie? The lovechild of a bob and pixie, it’s slightly longer than a pixie with choppy layers, and short face-framing hair at the front.
To picture or not to picture?
It can be hard to describe the type of style you want – especially if you don’t know all the terms. So, do you bring in a screenshot from Pinterest?
“Bringing pictures for inspiration can be quite helpful and give a visual guide for what the client is looking to achieve,” Stanimir guides, “but sometimes they can be more of a pain point – especially if the expectations are unrealistic.”
Face structure, hair type, and texture – all these impact how the cut looks, so you can’t always expect to look exactly like your picture. It may be useful to inquire about what would work best for your hair type and face structure. By working together, you can figure out the best look for you.
If you are someone who prefers a visual aid, you can search hair inspo online using many professional hair-dressing sites. You can also search via hair texture, type, and face shape.
While you’re doing research, you may come across trending or popular haircuts, displayed by the hottest celebrities and influencers. Should you bite the bullet and jump on the bandwagon?
“If a trending haircut genuinely suits the given client,” Stanimir states, “then I’m all for it.
“But if it doesn’t and the client wants it because it’s the new hype, I would advise against it to prevent disappointment.”
A haircut won’t magically make you look like someone else. A good haircut will amplify your best features. A good haircut makes you look like the best you.
“Just because something is popular doesn’t mean it will suit everyone -haircuts are not a one-size-fits-all approach.”
Stanimir Hristov
Consider this
You need to consider more than just style and length when you get a haircut. Believe it or not, a lot more goes into achieving that dream look.
“Styles can vary greatly between curly, straight, fine and thick hair due to the differences in textures, volume and moisture levels,” Stanimir explains, “for example, cuts like sharp layers and blunt bobs work well for straight hair…while curly hair generally benefits from layered cuts that complement their natural curl pattern and prevent the dreaded triangle shape (where the bottom of the hair is a lot wider than the top).”
Face shape and haircuts also influence each other due to propositions. People with oblong face shapes, for example, may prefer fringes as they can shorten the face.
You should also consider face shape, as it can affect how haircuts look due to proportions.
SPEAK UP!
Be clear about what you want. Tell your hairdresser. They want you to love your haircut just as much as you. Now, don’t get me wrong, they will have professional knowledge and understanding of hair behavior, but if you ask, maybe you can work together to find exactly what you want. If you want to go shorter – say that. If you want more layers – ask. A haircut is a two-way relationship. Unless you’re doing it yourself, but that’s rarely recommended.
Speaking with your hairdresser is the best way to get what you want. Ask what they’d recommend, say what you would prefer. Share your daily hair routine (and even lifestyle), to ensure you can get a haircut that works for everyday – not just for leaving the salon.
For example, if you know you are someone who likes to do very little with your hair, share that. Your hairstylist can recommend low-maintenance haircuts suited to you, such as a pixie crop or a blunt cut.
At the end of the day, you can read thousands of articles, save a dozen pictures, look at celebs, and ask about your hair and face type – but in the end, what truly matters is how you feel. The right haircut will make you feel good. The right haircut will represent you. And, if you hate it, don’t worry, it’s not forever.
