by Susan Quilty

Created on: July 01, 2009   Last Updated: August 01, 2009

Coco Channel once said, "The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you." The same could be said about a good haircut.

A good haircut is relative. What one person looks for in a good haircut may not be the same qualities that another person would appreciate. Usually, a good haircut refers to one that is flattering on a particular person. For some people, a good haircut may also include the ease of styling or the ability to style their hair in many different ways.

* Aesthetics

For many people, the way a hair style looks is the most important factor. Great hair styles begin with a good haircut. There are many styling tricks that can camouflage a bad haircut but it is much easier to start with a good cut.

When looking for a hair style, you should consider the shape of your face and which facial features you want to emphasize. Hair styles have a big impact on the way your face appears. The type and texture of your hair is important as well. Fine, thin hair will look completely different than thick, curly hair even with the exact same haircut.

To find your best looking hair style, look at photos of people who have similarly shaped faces and hair that appears to have the same texture as your own. You can also upload a photo of yourself and try out different hair styles online with programs like Lifetime TV's Total Beauty Makeover.

* Styling Ease

It's one thing to walk out of a hair salon looking great. It can be an entirely different experience to wash your hair the next day and try to duplicate the style.

When choosing a new look, be sure to ask your stylist about what it will take to style your hair. Celebrity photographs and those in hair style magazines are professionally styled. Assume that there are styling products being used and find out what products you will need to get the look.

If you are looking for a haircut with little to no maintenance and prefer to not use styling products, be sure to tell your stylist when choosing a hair style. Also tell your stylist if you want to style your hair in multiple ways or must be able to pull it into a ponytail or other style.

Your stylist has two hands and the ability to walk around the back of your head. It will never be quite as easy for you to style the hair on your own head. Pay attention to what the stylist does to give you the style you want. Ask questions if necessary. You want to know what to do once you are on your own!

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