What Should You Do If You're Not Happy With Your Haircut?

Your stylist wants you to love your haircut. They will often ask you, several times throughout the cutting process and also at the end, how you feel about the results. Sometimes clients just reply "that's great!" even if they are not quite pleased with the cut. They may figure they are sparing the stylist's feelings by brushing off any discontent. But your stylist wants you to be honest! They can't fix or improve your cut unless they know you're not happy with it. So, what should you do if you are not happy with your haircut? Here are a few options.

1. Feel free to stop your stylist partway through.

Say your stylist is trimming away, and you start to feel like the cut is looking too layered or too textured. Rather than wait and see if your stylist continues to add even more texture, interrupt them politely. In this case, you could say "I don't really want more texture than that." Usually, your stylist will respond by stopping the trim and having a brief conversation with you to re-establish what you do want in a haircut. If what they have done so far can't really be fixed, then they may offer you some options to make the elements of the cut that you don't enjoy less obvious. For instance, if you say the cut has too much texture, they may offer to blend the front of the style a little more so you only see the texture from the side and back.

2. Don't be afraid to call the next day.

Sometimes you'll think you like a cut when you're sitting in your stylist's chair. But then you get home, and you realize the cut is really hard to style, or that some long pieces look strange. Do not hesitate to call your stylist! Most hairstylists offer free touch-ups as long as you call within a few days. They can make a few simple changes to the cut to address whatever you don't like about it.

3. Be clear about what you don't like.

Whether you're talking to your stylist during or afterward the haircut, try to be as clear as possible when explaining what you don't like. Use measurements and direction words. For instance, don't just say "the front is too long." Instead, try "The front seems about an inch too long." The better you're able to communicate what you don't like, the better your stylist will be able to fix it.

Your hair stylist's job is to create a cut that you love. They can only do that if you're honest with them! If you're not happy with your cut, let your stylist know ASAP. For more information, contact companies like Pret-a-Porter Salon & Spa.