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Hi guys. I went to get a little TRIM last night with my favorite stylist and it was catastrophic. She did such a good job last time (I was never happier with my hair) so I went back to her last night and asked her for a trim, keep the same style (which she did for me just in June and she remembered quite well 'cause I was a regular) and preserve the length as much as possible. She decided that it was a good idea to 'thin out' my hair and did one of those cutting things with the funny scissors (I really need to learn more hair vocabulary, where can I go to learn them?) where you only cut half of the hair and the rest you leave long.
I didn't know how horrible it was 'til I came home last night and checked it the mirror. I almost screamed: my hair had the effect of wearing a hair piece OVER my natural hair, like two layers of different lengths kinda thing. And when I tie it in a pony tail, you can CLEARLY see that they're not the same lengths, it's hard to describe, but it's like sticking a triangle on top of a square type deal... And it's hideous. And when I sweep my hair to the back, the shorter strands stick conspicuously out front
The worst part of it is that it's probably unfixable. The short strands are up to SIX inches shorter than my long strands, so if I want my hair cut even again (like it used to be) I'll lose six inches... I just don't know what to do 'cause it's too hideous to bear...
It's so sad, she usually does such a good job and always knows what I like and I don't know what the hell was wrong with her. She couldn't have been mad 'cause I have always been really nice to her and tipped her real well. Did she suddenly decide to exercise her artistic rights (which she had none) or something? She could have at least ASKED me if I wanted my hair 'thinned' (though I didn't know what it was). What do you think I should do? I'm going to go talk to her tomorrow (I might storm in for dramatic purposes) and ask her how it could be fixed. Assuming that the only way to do it is to cut two to six inches, would you guys do it? Or would you just live with the hideous hair?
Love,
Kiat T.
When my hair was longer...granted not as long as yours..and i had it thinned, for a while the shorter strands did stick out exactly as you described, but i found that after about a month, even though they weren't much longer, they seemed to just blend in from then on. I didn't really get how it worked at the time, but it did :)
After bad cutting the best advice is to grow it out. Not to cut more. Layers disappear throught time when the tips of the overall hair style are trimmed. A rule of thumb when going to stylist is to give these three instructions:
o How much hair should be taken off from the tips (show it too)
o I want to have an even length hair (to avoid a mullet)
o Make it a blunt cut - no layering
Jarkko
Yup, that's layering. Your hair has been cut into layers of different lengths. If you'll look around, you'll see that most people (men and women) who are wearing ponytails seem to be trying to cope with haircuts like this. The hair sticks out everywhere. It's very popular for stylists to give this to everyone, I think at least partially because it needs such frequent trims to keep it looking just so, and it's impossible to grow out gracefully. More business for them.
One woman I know has glossy black hair that was cut somewhat layered, but she seemed to be growing it out, which would look really good on her, as she is very exotic looking. But then she started wearing it up in a pony every day, the ends sticking out worse and worse. She finally wore it down one day, and I could see what happened - although her length was about 4" below the shoulders, the shortest pieces (on top) were about 3" long. To keep the wavies from sticking out, she had about a dozen bobby pins in her hair. What a hack job! She couldn't wear it up or down.
She made the decision that what you needed was something very different from what you asked for. There's really nothing to be done at this point but to start the growing out and trimming process again. If you think that your relationship is salvageable, you could probably talk to her and find out what she was thinking. I personally would never allow somebody who butchered my hair to come close to me with scissors again.
I hate it when stylists go over to the dark side.
...maybe it would be a very GOOD idea to have a MIRROR in your hand
during the entire process of getting a trim.
so that you could keep CHECKING on exactly what the hairstylist was up to...and ask questions like:
* "So hat are you doing now?"
* "Why are you trimming that far up?"
* "I said I wanted a TRIM...not a haircut."
ANOTHER good idea might be to bring along a friend who is very familiar with long hair...
to keep a very close eye on exactly WHAT is going on--every step of the way.
Perhaps we need to remain in a "defensive" mode when going to the hairstylist,
no matter HOW 'good' they happen to be!
Sorry to hear what happened to you.
Hopefully, things will blend out quickly with time.
That's exactly how I approach hair cuts/trims. Its the only way to stay safe whilst in the chair.
Sorry to hear what happend Kiat, I'd be gutted too... I'm just sorry it happend to you, you had great looking hair.
Think if I were you, from now on (at least 3 years assuming you want very long hair) I would not let anyone do a thing to my hair. No trims.......thins.........nothing.
As bad as it looks, hold on to what you have and just let everything grow. Eventually it WILL even itself out all by itself.
Sorry you had this most dreadful experience.
This is exactly the reason why I do not allow anybody to cut my hair. I always do the trimming myself.
A Linux Longhair
The only word you need to learn towards hair cutting is: avoid.
As in: don't get sharp objects near your head
Shame you don't like the new style.
-vincent
That is terrible what she did to your hair. My advice to you would be to just let your hair grow for a few months. Go find someone you can trust to trim your hair in small increments of about 1/2 inch every 2 months or so until your hair is evened out. Be sure that they trim the ends only and without layering. (Just say no to thinning shears.) This will not only allow you to keep your length but actually allow your hair to get longer, albeit slowly. You should see considerable improvement in 6 months and in a year it should look normal again. Absalom
This is totally circular reasoning. He thought he could trust this woman when he went to her. What would he do differently in selecting his next haircutter? Who's to say that the next person he "trusts" won't pull this kind of stunt on him again?
I don't know where you live but in California she would be licensed by the state board of cosmetology. Go back and tell her in no uncertain terms how unhappy you are with your "trim", that she can kiss your repeat business goodbye, and ask for her cosmetologist's license number for your complaint to whatever bureaucracy regulates cosmetologists in your state. Even if you don't file an actual complaint it will hopefully put the fear of god in her and it won't happen again to another hapless victim.
The serrated scissors she came after you with are called thinning shears. If your haircutter ever pulls those out, call an immediate time out and say you're done.
Its done now. Try to enjoy a hairstyle you'll most likely never have again. I bet if you groove on it, perhaps its really hip!
Im with vincent. Ive gone the auto haircut route. The split ends have kept it the same length for over 15 years now. But honestly, a kept look might be you.
Buy a new shirt or a suit or something to wear if you still feel low. Perhaps a puffy pirate shirt. Something.
Cheers!
Hi there gentlemen
Kiat, I'm very sorry to hear about your unhappy styling experience. I came to this board looking for some style ideas for my husband, who has long hair. I also have long hair, and since stylists are ALWAYS trying to get women to shorten their hair, or get layers or something else which annoys me, I've learned to watch any new stylist like a hawk. I can't imagine having a trusted stylist hork my hair like that. I'm guessing what she did was a variation on razoring, which gives a wilder, slightly more punk look to hair when done properly. Unfortunately two blunt layers are not what I'd consider "properly."
Now, because I've had long hair most of my life, I'm not one to sweat having to hack several inches off if I've neglected a trim or two. That being the case I would probably go back to the salon, and ask to speak to the owner/manager, and your stylist together. I would tell them plainly and calmly that you feel EXTREMELY unhappy with your haircut, to the point of not only taking your business elsewhere, but advising others to do the same. I would tell your stylist that you're disappointed because you trusted her, and you feel she took undue advantage. And I would ask the owner/manager to do something to compensate you, including some kind of "fix it style" if you're willing to take off a couple inches from the whole, in hopes of making the appearance of all your hair more uniform. (Well that and if you're willing to let these people touch your head again...)
Sorry that was a bit wordy... I've suffered from bad haircuts before, so I sympathize greatly. Whoever advised you to take a friend and watch the mirror was very wise. I almost never go alone to get my hair cut, and when I do I make sure I know everything that's going on along the way. If possible in the future I would ask one of the ladies you know with long hair that looks good, where she gets hers done, and consider seeing that stylist. Anyway, I hope you find a solution, and if nothing else, thankfully hair DOES grow out again, bad stylists aside!
Can you put on the net some pics:
- your hair now without ponytail
- your hair now with ponytail
If I were in you, I'd continue growing my hair.
Simmi
My camera is on loan at the moment. I've tried to take pictures of my hair (you know, the finer details) but since my hair is pretty much one shade of black, you can't really see anything. Perhaps there are lighting tricks, but they're seriously way over my head.
And thank you guys, for all the support. I spoke to the stylist today and I got even angry. She said she was trying to 'surprise me with a new dashing look' and she hoped I'd like it. SURPRISE ME!?!? What the hell kind of stylist SURPRISES a customer? It's like your surgeon giving you a facelift and nose reduction while you're anesthesized for a knee surgery. I've decided to just live with it and let it grow out and I will NEVER go to that salon EVER again.
Love,
Kiat T.
She wanted to surprise you?! For a stylist with any entrepeneurial sense in her, that is completely unprofessional behavior. I bet, you're fuming.
Dear Kiat,
have you ever seen Mr. Bean movies?
Perhaps the stylist you contacted was like Mr. Bean. Oh dear!
Love,
Simmi
