If there is one thing I know well, it's a bad haircut. Having thick, coarse, curly hair, I've made many mistakes in order to learn what's right for my head, and even more importantly, what I need to ask for during my hair appointments.
I've had plenty of unsatisfying looks in the past that I'll call "learning experiences" (such as a dreadful pyramid of curls), but I know I'm not alone!
Leaving the salon with a cut you didn't ask for is heartbreaking, but there are certainly ways to stop it from happening ever again.
In this case, hairstylists and hairdressers are the experts. They work with all different hair types every single day and they are aware of the do's and don'ts when it comes to getting a haircut.
Keep scrolling to discover the 10 mistakes stylists say their clients make the most so you can avoid them and end up with a cute, fresh cut you'll love!
Thumbnail Sources: Flickr 1, 2
1. Arriving Unprepared
The best way to avoid a haircut you didn't ask for is to bring along some visuals of what you want. Cristina B of Rita Hazan Salon in New York City tells Yahoo Beauty, “Pictures are the easiest way to communicate to your stylist what you like and don’t like.”
2. Asking For A Drastic Cut When You’re Not Ready
Sometimes, we crave change when we are going through personal stuff or just want to mix things up. However, it's not the best idea to ask for a drastically different style without thinking it through first. Hairstylist Anthony King explains to Romper, "Think hard about whether or not you're ready to make a huge change." He adds, "Hair grows back, but it takes time." Think before you snip!
3. Showing Up Dirty
Entering the salon with really dirty hair isn't good for you, your hairdresser, or your hair itself — especially if you're getting a cut and color combo. "When it's clean, color doesn't have to penetrate through anything in roots, mid-shaft, and ends," Allen Ruiz of Aveda tells Good Housekeeping. Having clean hair makes the coloring process easier, and having less greasy hair eases the cutting.
4. Hiding Your Hair History
Kyle White of Oscar Blandi in New York tells Glamour, "If there's already color in your hair or it has been chemically straightened, we need to know… It could be the difference between beautiful hair and a head of straw." Telling your hairdresser about your hair's past will give them a better idea of the proper way to cut and treat it during your appointment.
5. Not Embracing What You Naturally Have
When we see a beautiful cut or color on someone else, we don't realize how different it will end up looking on us. This is what makes it hard to accept our own natural textures, shapes, and colors, but it is definitely possible!
"You are you exactly as you are and that’s perfection in itself," Kate Allen tells tells Hello Giggles. "So let me work my magic and make your hair look as full, shiny, and bouncy as it can look. Let me show you how to style your hair so that it can look its best when you aren’t in my chair."
6. Assuming Your Stylist Remembers Your Hair From Last Time
If your hair is a little special, you need to let your hairdresser know! "If you've got a cowlick hiding in that mane, please remind your stylist," Anthony King tells Romper. He continues, "It's always better to be vocal and safe than silent and sorry." Hairdressers have so many different clients they work with that reminding them of your personal hair concerns will help in the long run.
7. Over Or Underestimating Inches
Ever get a haircut and ask for two inches off and leave with a bob? It's easy to overestimate or underestimate the length that we want taken off. “An inch is an inch,” hairstylist James Pecis explains to Into the Gloss. “Sometimes a few inches in the real world is a foot in the the client world. Refresh yourself with a ruler before you say 'a few inches.''' It's best to visually show our hairdressers the amount we want taken off instead of talking inches.
8. Not Knowing Your Face Shape
This is such a crucial tip to avoid getting an unflattering haircut! Mark Townsend suggests examining your jawline to see if it's round, square, pointed, or oval. From there, draw the shape and sketch out the hairstyle you want to see if it makes the shape you first drew appear more oval. "Your goal is for your face to look more oval, the most flattering shape, so after you've drawn a circle, heart, or square, draw the hairstyle you want inside of the shape, and see if it leaves you with an oval in the center. If it does, then it will suit your face," he explains to Cosmopolitan.
9. Focusing On Your Phone
Your cell phone can be your worst enemy during a haircut.
Brittany Molina, owner of Brittany's Spa Salon tells Women's Day, "Not only is your conversation distracting to other customers, your hairstylist can't do her job if you're reaching for your phone or moving your head from side to side." Not to mention that it can take your attention away from the cut itself, not allowing you to catch your hairdresser before she snips a style you don't want!
10. Not Speaking Up
Nick Stenson tells Byrdie, "If clients aren’t happy, I’d advise them to speak up immediately so the issue can be resolved. Clients should never leave the salon unhappy." Hairstylists would rather try to fix the style than have you leave their salon with a bad experience.
Please SHARE these common mistakes so you and your friends will never have to deal with a bad haircut again!
