Super positive hairdresser experience!!

[katelyn123]

Hi everyone... first time poster, long time lurker. Just thought I would share my awesome experience at the hairdresser today.

First off, we all know when we tell hairdressers just to trim the damage off they cut off how much they see fit and not what you want. Sigh. And it usually ends up being way more than what you wanted.

Well, the lovely lady I went to see ACTUALLY listened. I have a ton of bleach damage from past uninformed experiences with an old hairdresser, I expressed to the new one I was trying to grow my hair out healthy but not cut off all the damage at once. I haven't had any sort of trim/cut in a year. She said "alright, sounds good" and started going at my APL length hair with her scissors. After she was done, I could BARELY tell any length had been snipped. Whaaaat?! But my ends looked and felt great. She did use some heat (blow dryer on cool, my request) but that was it. She happily complied when I asked her not to run the flat iron through my hair, meanwhile ladies to my left and right were getting flat irons ran through their freshly bleached hair (cringe). Lastly, I expressed my desire to one day have waist length hair at all one length, no layers and she replied: "YES! good for you. That makes me so happy to hear. I love long, all length one hair. All there is these days is layered hair styles". Ahh! so yes, best hair dresser experience ever. I have never found a hair dresser until today that I found actually respected what I wanted and did what I asked. Oh and! Complimentary dusting within the next 8 weeks. Couldn't ask for more. When I got home the bf said "I thought you were getting your hair cut?".. I did. Mission accomplished!

Sorry for the rambling post, I'm just very excited about finding this girl. I feel super fortunate. Looking forward to posting more on LHC and learning more hair care tips from you lovely ladies (and gents) :)

[kaydana]

Sounds like you've found a keeper there! I'm glad you had such a positive experience.

[Suze2012]

So so so pleased for you!!! :)

...I have a superb hairdresser too!

I hadn't had my hair trimmed or anything for about 3 years and went to a local salon about 2/3 years ago...I 'upped' the acting and asked reception if there was a hair dresser who wouldn't chop it all off and be scissor happy - who wouldn't talk the whole way through and lose concentration and who would listen to me.
I also said that I would come in with a knife if necessary (joking) and hold it to her throat while she did her job..and that it was a scary for me as the dentist.

Three of them shouted a name out 'Amy!' - so hesitantly I booked a wet trim with her.

So..I went along for a first trim. My hair was a damaged mess with dye growing out and curly so more dry probably due to that.
She trimmed just what I wanted and I was very happy.:)

I went back about a ear later for another trim and she remembered me...again she only cut what I asked.
I then started going twice a year - always the same great result.

I went for another smallish trim in May last year before I started co-washing just to get the best results out of co washing that I could. Again, she did well.

My hair began growing at a higher rate with quitting shampoo and I needed a tidy up in December - I asked for 3 inches off and she almost fainted...haha!
Along with that I gave strict instructions not to wash m hair and took my own conditioner in so they could wet my hair and just put co through it....

The past few weeks it's been getting a bit too long and flat for me so I went to see if she had any appointments this week as I am off work.
I got stared at somewhat when I popped in - almost wondered whether my skirt was trapped in my knickers...

Anyway. I went for my chop yesterday armed with my conditioner again...
This time I asked for my layers to be cut shorter and for some face framing (ish) layers too to lift the curl up a bit.
I got the same strange stares from a few of the staff so double checked on the skirt versus knickers front...haha!

My HD and I argued slightly yesterday though...I was asking for more of my top layer to be cut off and she wouldn't do it..she said she would if I really wanted but we disagreed buy about an inch..

I let her do what she wanted...and then as usual I refused politely all the offers of blow drying and sprays etc...
I did confess that I always hate day one hair - just because they have to comb it and play with it too much.
I also said I was having a bad hair day anyway but that it went so nicely the day before...this was when she mentioned that several staff had asked her who I was, what did I do with my hair, was it natural and all mine as the commented it was beautifully long, & curly (wow! I was chuffed!!!).

I hope she never leaves that salon..she is brilliant and I totally trust her.

...and for the record she was right about the length to cut off - if I had had my way it would have been that bit too short.

I have to confess though that years back I never stipulated enough what I wanted - but also looking around hair salons they don't seem to have many curly customers and I think that makes them forget that curly bounces right back up. I could have and should have been much more specific in years gone by so part of that responsibility I take.

So glad though that you found someone who listens - it makes all the difference.
Even though it's still damaged and dry it will feel a whole lot better - mine does and mine is still growing ancient blonde highlights out - but they've almost almost gone now...

[FireFromWithin]

I went to hairdresser the other day to have 4 inches of bleach damage off. She only took off enough to get rid of the worst of the damage and cut it dry so that it didn't have to be washed or damaged by the blowdryer and I didn't have to leave with wet hair. She cut it straight across automatically since I'm growing it out and didn't try to talk me into layers to 'get more body' as ever other hairdresser seems to.

The funniest part was the lady next to me who leaned around the lady cutting her hair to get a look at mine when I took the stick out and let it down. The hairdresser actually said that my hair was in really good condition apart from the ends with the bleach and what did I do to it. I told her no heat and daily oiling and she said that was really good. But I've never seen anyone so enraptured with my hair as the woman next to me, it was only waist length when I went in so I wasn't expecting it. This website has definitely skewed my idea of long hair. I feel like BSL is sooo short on me now.

It's always good to find a hairdresser who knows what they are doing and actually listens to you.

You'll get all the damage out eventually, I've still got 4 inches of bleach in mine. Just look after it as best as you can and keep going to hairdressers you trust.

[imaroo]

I let her do what she wanted...and then as usual I refused politely all the offers of blow drying and sprays etc...
I did confess that I always hate day one hair - just because they have to comb it and play with it too much.
I also said I was having a bad hair day anyway but that it went so nicely the day before...this was when she mentioned that several staff had asked her who I was, what did I do with my hair, was it natural and all mine as the commented it was beautifully long, & curly (wow! I was chuffed!!!).



Any pictures you can post of it? I'd love to see your curls!

I also lucked upon someone the last time I went in for a trim who completely understood my goals and hair care routine. She cut off even less than I asked for because she didn't think I needed that much trimmed. She didn't wet it down and she didn't tear the comb through my hair (I HATE that!!)

I really don't think good hairdressers are all that rare. The bad ones get the most attention and distract from the good ones so it feels like there are more bad ones than there actually are. I also think a lot of us (women in general - not LHCers) just have trouble articulating exactly what we want and being firm about it. A lot of us shy away from confrontation. The best advice I ever had about getting my hair cut was to have the hairdressers show me what they think a 1/2" looks like when I ask for a 1/2" trim. I haven't had a bad trim since doing that.

Of course that's all just my experience. In reality I've only ever had two haircuts that had me completely dismayed and crying. One was due to my own poor communication, and the other was from the hairdresser not listening to what I asked for.

[browneyedsusan]

I love my hairdresser too!

She kept my pixie neat for many years, and I know I hurt her pocketbook when I announced I was going to grow and started with henna. She cut my last pixie in March 2012. I loved her "tail-ectomy" up to my hairline in April (May siggy is about 6 weeks after.) I haven't seen her again until this February (siggy is right after the trim) to even up the crazy ends. When she finished, I couldn't see that my length was any different, but when I put it up later, it was much more cooperative. The ends all fell into nice, neat lines. I have no idea how she did it. Some kind of hairdresser magic!:magic:

[MeganE]

I am so glad to see the positive hair dresser experiences!!! I think at least some of the hype about how much the hairdresser sucks has really been due to us not knowing exactly what we want with our hair, and/or not being able to verbalize it to the other person. In my case, it's more about being able to verbalize what I don't want, which I guess wouldn't be necessary if hairdressers always did exactly what I asked for but anyway....

I have a story too! I went to a salon that I had been in several times to try to find a replacement GFTN conditioner. I'd had a positive experience with one of the staff, as she was trying to help me find something and seemed receptive to my ingredient needs. I also felt that her having a prior experience with me being extremely picky about my hair would work in my favor.

So when I went in again, I asked her if the salon was long-hair friendly. She said, "Do you mean not cutting off more than you want?" With that one statement I knew I would let her cut my hair. I said yes, but that I also had specifics about washing and detangling, etc. I did tell her I haven't been to a salon in years, that I'd been managing my cuts for myself, and that I didn't want anything done to my ends, but that I wanted some face framing layers in the front. I told her I'd been trying to figure out a strategy for doing my own layers, but I wanted someone else to basically fix what I'd done before, so that I could then try to follow that afterwards.

The first thing we did, was take a long look at my hair and we both talked about it together. Then she cut the layers well. But she did cut my layers with a razor cut, which was not what I wanted. I really don't know if there's any other way to cut layers, and I didn't know how to bring the type of scissors and the angle of the cut into the dialog, especially since I don't know very much about it. She also put some smoothing serum in my hair, and while she did ask if she could put it in, it actually went in my hair before I had a chance to look at the ingredients as I'd asked. She did apologize, though.

Overall, it was a better experience that I feared, but not as good as I'd hoped. But I haven't decided yet if I'll go back to her. I might use what I learned in this case to try to find someone I trust even more.

[Suze2012]

Any pictures you can post of it? I'd love to see your curls!

I also lucked upon someone the last time I went in for a trim who completely understood my goals and hair care routine. She cut off even less than I asked for because she didn't think I needed that much trimmed. She didn't wet it down and she didn't tear the comb through my hair (I HATE that!!)

I really don't think good hairdressers are all that rare. The bad ones get the most attention and distract from the good ones so it feels like there are more bad ones than there actually are. I also think a lot of us (women in general - not LHCers) just have trouble articulating exactly what we want and being firm about it. A lot of us shy away from confrontation. The best advice I ever had about getting my hair cut was to have the hairdressers show me what they think a 1/2" looks like when I ask for a 1/2" trim. I haven't had a bad trim since doing that.

Of course that's all just my experience. In reality I've only ever had two haircuts that had me completely dismayed and crying. One was due to my own poor communication, and the other was from the hairdresser not listening to what I asked for.

That 'what is a half inch question is vital!!!!!

I have a pic from before cutting on my pc but it needs a url to get on here..I just posted a help me question up as to how to post up pics.

I am having a clear out at home this week.am flilthy and in a pickle...I just poppedin the bathroom and saw not my usual one but..two, three,four gorgeous ringlets...whoop!
I er...danced a bit! Haha!

My hair isn't perfect, nor is it damage free (nothing like some of the absolutely beautiful hair I see on here) and it's that mousey verging on straw kinda colour where the sun gets it....but..I'm so pleased with the cut..love it! Will try to get some pics up as I am nigh on desperate to! Lol!

[jacqueline101]

I'm glad you like yours. I found mine when I started my growth journey. She did my pixie bangs and my bling strand.