No one wants a bad haircut, but every day bad haircuts happen to good people. How can you maximize your chance of having a positive salon experience? When in search of your perfect haircut, it's important to know what a "perfect haircut" means to you and be prepared with some tips on how to get it.
Elements of a Perfect Haircut
1. Aesthetics and Face Shape
Your perfect haircut should be one that looks good on you. It should flatter the shape of your face and emphasize your best features. The length, layers, and overall shape of a hairstyle will affect the way your face appears. A hairstyle can help bring out your eyes, define your cheekbones, or minimize your jawline.
2. Hair Type and Texture
The same hair style will look very different on two people with different types of hair. Curly, straight, wavy, fine, or thick - every type and texture of hair will look better with a haircut that works with it. While hair products, straighteners and curlers can change a hair's appearance, your perfect haircut will likely be one that works well with your natural hair type.
3. Ease of Styling
Before choosing any new haircut, decide how much time you want to spend styling your hair. Some hair styles look great in magazines but they may require a lot of styling products and time to get the look. When your hair is cut be sure to watch while it is being styled and ask questions if necessary.
4. Flexibility
Some people prefer a wash and go style or a short look that is only worn one way. Others want some more styling flexibility. If you like changing your look from day to day, your perfect haircut will be one with lots of styling options. If there is a certain style, like a ponytail, that you really want to be able to do, talk to your stylist before any haircut.
How to Get a Perfect Haircut
1. Research Hair Styles
Look at lots of pictures of hair styles. If possible, find multiple pictures of the same person (such as a celebrity) from different angles or with their haircut styled differently for separate occasions. Look for celebrities or hair style models who have similar face shapes and appear to have hair that is similar in texture to your own.
2. Try out Hair Styles
Upload a photo of yourself and try out a virtual hairstyle online with a program such as Lifetime TV's Total Beauty Makeover. This lets you put different hairstyles - even celebrity hairstyles - onto your photo and have an idea of how you might look with that style.
3. Find a Good Stylist
Ask friends for a referral or look for salon reviews online. Searching the Internet for the name of the salon may bring up some helpful information. You don't want to find someone's blog post about the salon that gave them the worst haircut ever *after* you've just gotten the worst haircut of your life from that same salon!
3. Consult with Your Stylist
Before giving any haircut, your stylist should talk to you about your hair. A good stylist will talk to you about what you like and don't like about your current hair style. If you bring a picture of a hair style to try, ask how it will work with your hair type, what products will be needed to create the style, and how long it will take to style each day. It may help to mention that you are looking for a new hair style when making the appointment.
4. Be Careful of Drastic Haircuts
Someone with very long hair may decide she wants to cut it all off, but may regret it if the change comes too fast. It's a great idea to donate a length of hair to a charity such as Locks of Love, but be sure to research how much hair will have to be cut. If you do not have long enough hair, or do not plan to donate, you may be better off with gradually shortening your hair.
With a little research and some consideration of your own hair type and hair styling needs, you will be well on your way to finding your own perfect haircut.