We all know this story: You're sitting in the salon chair, hoping you properly communicated your desired cut to the stylist, watching scissors slice across your strands—it's a little nerve wracking, if we're being completely honest. Sometimes it turns out great. Other times it can end up a humbling experience, to put it lightly. So what can you do to set yourself up for success? First off, do some research before booking your next appointment to figure out what techniques are best for your hair type.
To help explain, we recruited Marty Harper, celebrity hairstylist, and Teddi Cranford, founder of White Rose Collective, to share their expertise. Below, learn how you can best prepare for your next salon appointment, what haircut techniques work best for every hair type, and somore.
How do you prepare for a salon appointment?
The relationship between a client and stylist works both ways. No matter how talented a stylist is, they aren’t mind readers. Don’t be shy about verbalizing what you want or bringing in reference photos. “Never be ashamed of references, even if they're of top supermodels. There is something about this image that you're drawn to, so let's talk about that,” says Cranford. “Your hair stylist will be able to incorporate the overall vibe and essence of that photo into your look.”
That being said, it is also important to be cognizant of what style is realistic for your lifestyle, grooming habits, and hair texture. Harper recommends that his clients first reflect on their own hair history to see what has “worked” and what has “not”. “Look back at old photos and select which options work to achieve the look you're moving into. Consider if this is achievable with your texture, styling regime, and where you hair health is now,” he suggests. “Also think about if this style and cut will continue to advocate for your hair health. The last thing we as stylists want is to see you destroy all of our time invested in the beautification process.”How often should you cut your hair?
Both experts agree that a trim every season will serve you best. ”Remember hair is challenged daily and a little trim takes hair health on its longest journey,” says Harper.
What’s the difference between a dry haircut and a wet haircut?
Before we dive into the pros and cons here, there are a few important factors to call out. First, this ultimately comes down to an individual’s hair texture, length, and desired cut. Then there is the personal perspective of a stylist. How one person approaches your cut might be different from another. That being said, knowing what options are out there and what might render the specific results you are looking for can give you a little more confidence in the process.
After working backstage at fashion shows and on set, Cranford was introduced to the dry cutting method. She liked it so much that she centered her salon around it. “Dry cutting is definitely more of a visual approach. I felt so much more drawn to that because I was really looking at the client and carving this shape into the hair as opposed to wetting it down and in a way kind of crossing my fingers and being like, okay, I hope this works out,” she explains. “Whereas with dry cuts, you can really see what you're doing. You're also working with the natural texture of what the reality of your day to day is.”
In Harper’s experience, dry cuts are great for textured hair and styles. “A golden rule with highly textured hair is never cut when fully wet,” he says. ”The shrinkage on hair going from wet to dry is too immense [so] you run the risk of over cutting.”Haircut tips for fine hair
While Cranford notes that most stylists are traditionally trained to cut fine hair wet, starting with the length, adding face framing lawyers, etc, this can leave more room for error. “Fine hair is at its weakest while wet so by sectioning and extending the hair to cut, you're pulling the hair to the max and you may be cutting too much,” adds Harper. “I generally never cut layers in fine hair while completely wet. I tend to dry the hair 75-80% first.”
Cranford almost exclusively cuts fine hair dry. For her, it is easier to see what areas might need to be strengthened or add more volume. “Hair past the shoulders I typically will always cut dry. You can get a sense of someone's natural texture or how hair is gonna live and it's nice to see all the elements come together,” she says. This approach is also ideal for those looking to eliminate weight from thick fine hair.
Haircut tips for wavy hair
“My rule with wavy hair is [to] let it live and encourage it to be its best self,” says Harper. “As the cuticle is somewhat compromised because of its growth pattern I’m all about less is more.” He notes that styles for medium to thick wavy hair should be all about encouraging the curl. Here’s to giving your hair positive affirmations! “Bouncing and behaving layers if you will,” he says. “When trying to find styles gravitate to those which won’t encompass the use of heat. Think of your curl pattern and be realistic. Product will only do so much to get you across the style finish line.” With this hair type, Harper likes to cut outlines of the general length with scissors while it’s still damp. He notes that this will allow him to see the shape of how the hair will sit. Then he will carve out layers (aka the movement in the hair) with a straight razor.
Haircut tips for curls and coils
For curls and coils one of the biggest obstacles is avoiding shrinkage when cutting. “Sometimes with wet hair you’re really stretching out the curl and then cutting. The curl could shrink up and you're gonna achieve a shorter look than you maybe you had wanted,” says Cranford.
Similarly, Harper stands by curls and coils all being cut dry. “I tend to have my clients come in with dry hair that has been washed in the past 48 hrs and has not been pulled and stretched into a bun or a ponytail. This allows me to see how the hair is naturally. I tend to do my preliminary cut on this naturally dried texture and focus on creating shape and cutting small layers,” he says. “I really like to take my time with curls and coils. They deserve all the love. Heat on the dryer should be the lowest. I know this might take forever but the curl will come out more optimal because it’s not being dehydrated in the styling process and you're allowing the curls to wake up if you will.”