Nervous to get my hair cut at the salon.

[nikittyy]

I'm sure everyone here has felt this at one time or another. I've always gone to the salon at JC Penny and asked for a trim, and they end up cutting my hair to CBL. Four months ago I decided to try a local salon, and the lady actually listened to me and only cut an inch off, and now I am at BSL!

I am going back to that same salon, but I forgot the name of the stylist so I basically had to do guesswork when it came to asking for a certain stylist. I'm very nervous that I'm going to get a different girl, or she will end up cutting too much off even though she did a beautiful job last time. I only want an inch trim again, but I'm already nervous. My appointment is on Wednesday.

Do you guys have any words of encouragement or stories for me?

[EdG]

Feye's self-trim (https://feyeselftrim.livejournal.com) is your friend. I did that for years before going no-trim. :)
Ed

[xoAshley]

I would love to try Feye's self trim method.... but I am so nervous I would screw it up somehow shudder: So for now, I continue no-trim and just S&D when needed, lol

[spidermom]

You should be all right if you're very specific about what you want and watch what the stylist is doing. Ask him or her to show you exactly how much is being cut off because sometimes your idea of an inch can be different from the stylist's idea of an inch. Also, if you don't want layers, watch out for the stylist pulling your hair out at an angle. Blunt cuts are done by combing the hair straight down.

[Milkchocolate]

If I were you, id bring a trusted friend to monitor the situation from the back. Like have them right next to the stylist.

[spitfire511]

spidermom's advice is exactly what I'd say. I've had very good luck with being very firm about what I'm looking for and that I'd like to see how much they're trimming.

I also let them know what my goal is - if they understand that you're trying to grow it out and just want the 'ends cleaned up' which is my go-to phrase, and that you'd like to see how much they're looking at before they cut - they generally get that you're paying attention and it matters.

Also make sure you have a good realistic idea of what 'an inch' or whatever length looks like (where it's hitting your back) before you go in - so you have a good realistic expectation!

Good luck!! :flower:

[Joules]

I would love to try Feye's self trim method.... but I am so nervous I would screw it up somehow shudder: So for now, I continue no-trim and just S&D when needed, lol

It's hard to really screw up a simple cut with hairties :D well, to be honest my very first trim (straight across cut) was a bit of a flop, I think I tilted my head a bit too much, but it wasn't noticeable at all on my wavy hair that was in updos 100% of the time. Now I trim my hair from the front, it gives me a V-shaped hemline, and it's absolutely impossible to mess up.

[Ylva]

Ask him or her to show you exactly how much is being cut off because sometimes your idea of an inch can be different from the stylist's idea of an inch.

I second this. As far as I know, stylists physically showing you how much they're about to cut off is pretty baseline around here. I don't really recall having anything I didn't agree to cut off.

[lapushka]

I second Ed's advice to self-trim! It takes a bit of learning, but I bet you won't be near as nervous as for going to the salon. And if you mess it up, it's going to probably only be a cm or 1/2 inch.

[xoAshley]

It's hard to really screw up a simple cut with hairties :D well, to be honest my very first trim (straight across cut) was a bit of a flop, I think I tilted my head a bit too much, but it wasn't noticeable at all on my wavy hair that was in updos 100% of the time. Now I trim my hair from the front, it gives me a V-shaped hemline, and it's absolutely impossible to mess up.

I think that's my fear, haha. That I will somehow make the ponytail a bit crooked and one side will be shorter than the other. Eventually I will suck it up and give it ago, if I just do a cm or something how noticeable would messing it up really be =P

[cjk]

A haircut should be a joyful thing, enjoyable, and maybe somewhat exciting!

If you're scared, don't do it.

Interview your stylist. Their term for it is consultation, but it goes both ways. And only if you're comfortable with them, THEN sit in their chair.

Make them convince YOU that they're the right stylist for the job.

[MoonRabbit]

Coffee&Makeup gives some really good tips on the matter. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGBNXV2k6jk

Just bee firm, show them multiple times how much you really want trimmed. Don't be afraid to take a measuring tape in with you.

[Natalia_A00]

I have to get my hair cut soon too (my ends are splitting a lot, I don't know why. Guess I'm reaching waist length and people say that a lot of splits appear at that length) and I'm scared to go to the salon as well! But when I go, I will insist very much that I want to keep my hair long and I'll ask them to cut as little as possible. I'll them, for example, that they should cut exactly "one finger" (1 cm - 1,5 cm). They will cut more, for sure, but if I ask them to cut 2 fingers (that's what we say here to measure hair length lol), they will cut my whole mane. Good luck! I think that the key is that you insist and make sure they understand exactly what you want. Emphasize how much you love your longh hair.

[Natalia_A00]

I did trim myself but I messed up my hair, to be honest... My hemline is very uneven and I don't want to fix it more in case I make it even shorter. Definitely not a good idea (for me)

[Chromis]

I'll also recommend Feye's self trim! If you are nervous, try a microtrim first. Microtrims are really good for keeping a full, even hemline, and no one will notice if you don't get it exactly right.

You can do it, I believe in you! :cheer:

[MusicalSpoons]

If Feye's self-trimming method doesn't quite work for you, I often see Spidermom's method recommended.

We had a recent thread in which someone still had a whole few milestones'-worth of length chopped off despite being exceptionally clear and specific about how little they actually wanted cut off - it seems the key is to be able to see what the hairdresser is doing so you can stop them the minute they move the scissors too high! Either you, or a trusted friend as suggested above (brilliant suggestion, which I'd never have thought of before!)

I suppose the threat of not paying if they don't give the service you ask for (i.e. cut the length you specify, not however much they decide) might also indicate how serious you are. I don't know that I'd be brave enough to do that myself, but the number of horror stories we read on here suggests that often something drastic is needed to actually ensure you get the cut or trim you want :shake:

[Obsidian]

I agree with being precise about what what you want. Saying a trim, ends dusted or take off the dead ends is just opening up the possibility of a bad cut.

Saying you want your hair left long isn't the best idea either. Long hair to most people is just past shoulder so if you have classic hair and the stylist wacks it off to bsl, technically its still long in their book.

Oh, get your stylist's name this time. If she is good, you don't want to loose her.

[Dark40]

I second EDG's advice too on the self-trimming.

[spidermom]

Self trimming really isn't that hard. If you're interested at all, I'll describe the method I use for good results every time.

By the way, nagging the stylist about what you want, how you want it, and threatening not to pay can backfire on you. I heard another stylist complaining that when a customer acts like she, the stylist, is incompetent, she doesn't care if she gets paid or not. Her inclination is to mess you up.

[Doreen]

Does the salon have a website or social media? Maybe there is a picture of the stylist you had last time with her name so you can make sure you get the right person. I went to the same person for about 10 years (only stopped to save money) and it was a matter of trust. She never took off more than I wanted off the length, and I never felt apprehensive about going in for a trim, and even looked forward to it! I really hope your appointment goes well because if you find a stylist you trust, going to the salon can be a very relaxing experience. I do fine at trimming my own hair, but I'd be lying if I said I do it perfectly; I don't even have a full length mirror. (But since I wear it up most of the time, it doesn't really matter to me.)

[lapushka]

Self trimming really isn't that hard. If you're interested at all, I'll describe the method I use for good results every time.

By the way, nagging the stylist about what you want, how you want it, and threatening not to pay can backfire on you. I heard another stylist complaining that when a customer acts like she, the stylist, is incompetent, she doesn't care if she gets paid or not. Her inclination is to mess you up.

I'm sorry, but someone who thinks like that should be out of a job! That makes me so angry. :(

[MusicalSpoons]

Self trimming really isn't that hard. If you're interested at all, I'll describe the method I use for good results every time.

By the way, nagging the stylist about what you want, how you want it, and threatening not to pay can backfire on you. I heard another stylist complaining that when a customer acts like she, the stylist, is incompetent, she doesn't care if she gets paid or not. Her inclination is to mess you up.

I'd not thought of that. Unfortunately the evidence points to most of them either being incompetent or simply totally ignoring people's wishes when it comes to long hair ... we just can't win. Hence, self-trimming! (Or the few who do find a gem of a hairdresser, never let them go.)

[paulownia]

I actually never had a negative experience with the hairdressers. But I've been at the salon only 4 times in my entire life.
Last two times turned out pretty OK. The ladies were nice, didn't cut too much - on another note I never had very long hair but hey...:p they could have pixied me in a blink of an eye but they didn't.
One of my stylists was actually a very sweet lady around 50 with beautiful strawberry blonde waves reaching mid back, in good condition, and I was like wow. And she said that letting my hair grow long was a good idea:D.

[M3DUS4]

I find that when I turn in the chair and make eye contact with the stylist while explaining what I want, my desires for my hair are taken more seriously. I also try to emphasize that I am growing out my hair, and that it grows terribly slowly, so anything s/he cuts off may take me months to recover... Look your stylist in the face to establish a personal connection, explain in clear terms exactly what you do and don't want, and maybe throw in a note about how many stylists have misunderstood you before and that you want to be on the exact same page.