Tricks of the Trade: How to get a great haircut at a salon

I can’t remember the last time I got a haircut and liked it. Can you give me tips on how to get a great haircut at a salon? I feel like I am doing something wrong.

No doubt, we’ve all been in this same situation before: sitting defenseless in a stylist’s chair, waiting in agony for the cut to take shape and start looking good. The only problem is, it doesn’t. And your worst nightmare is realized. You don’t speak up or complain, you simply pay and leave and vow never to come back again.

This scene can be quite traumatizing, as our hair is our crowning glory. A bad haircut can take weeks or even months to grow out. Which means we would have to make do with an arsenal of styling products, tying your hair back into a ponytail, or wearing a hat or some sort of hair accessory. A haircut that isn’t done well or does not suit your face shape or personality can make you feel not-so-pretty, to the point where it affects your confidence. That’s how powerful hair is!

That’s why I feel for you! You deserve to look your best, and a great haircut can help. I mean, we feel good when we have a good hair day, and fantastic when we end up with a great haircut and everybody compliments us. I know you need this badly, which is why I came up with tips for you to get just that: an amazing haircut.

Splurge on a reputable stylist. I know it can be expensive, but believe me—a good hairstylist is worth every peso. He/she will take your face shape into consideration, and base the cut on your lifestyle and preferences. Usually good stylists are featured in newspapers, fashion magazines or blogs so take note when you read a story/article about them. Or find someone who has a great haircut and ask them who cuts their hair.

Be specific with what you want. Most of the time the problem lies in the communication between stylist and client. The stylist can have a vision for your hair that might not match what you’re thinking, so you have to be very up-front and honest about what you want. A good stylist will listen to your concerns and find a way to follow what you want while making sure you look good. Never say, “ikaw na bahala”, unless you’ve been with that stylist for a long time.

Bring a peg. If you’re not great with explaining, Google a photo of a celebrity’s hair you want to copy and show it to your stylist. This will help your stylist know what you want and will decide from there how to make the cut work for you.

Share your life. A good stylist will ask the right questions, and when they do, be specific. Let him/her know about your lifestyle, how you maintain your hair, how many kids you have, how much time you are willing to devote to styling your hair, or whether you are self-conscious about certain parts of your face or body. If he doesn’t bother to ask or listen to you, it’s time to leave. It is important for your hair to fit your life and make you feel beautiful.

Find a stylist with similar hair as yours. If you have curly hair, you might want to get a stylist that has the same hair texture. My sister has curly hair and I remember there were times when she came home hating her haircut because the stylist cut it too short or gave her a cut to suit straight hair. What’s worse, they didn’t even see her hair when it was dry—they cut hair after it had been shampooed and even blow-dried the hair straight.

Ask how to style it at home. If your hairstylist can provide you with tips on how to style your hair or what products to use that would really be helpful. Don’t forget to ask after you get your haircut.