Sometimes you feel like you’re rolling the dice when you go to get your haircut. You’re never completely confident that you’ll leave with a cut you like. And that means you might very well be stuck for a few weeks at least with a mediocre (or worse) cut. But if you walk in and talk to your barber about a few things, it can help get you the cut you want.
Bring in photos
Whether it’s selfies of cuts you’ve had in the past that really worked, or of athletes or stars who have good hair, bring in photos. If it’s a celebrity who’s hair is a completely different texture or thickness or their hair grows differently than yours does, your barber will be able to tell you that it won’t work (but at least now he or she will have a sense of what look you like).
Talk about how your hair grows
If you’re seeing a new stylist, they need to know when your last haircut was. This will help them assess how your hair grows, and they’ll be able to somewhat envision what it looked like when the cut was fresh (which makes it a simple cut if you want it pretty much like how it was done last time).
Dress how you usually do and talk about your lifestyle
You might be tempted to go in your gym gear since you’re hitting the gym after your haircut, but unless you wear athletic gear all the time, you should wear what you would on a typical day so that your stylist can get an idea of what your personal style is. Further than that, talk to them about your lifestyle. If you’re always on the go and have no time or interest in several hair products, telling them how hectic life is will let them know you don’t have a lot of time to style. Your pastimes and even where you choose to hang out will help give them an idea of what look will work for you.
Be specific when you describe the cut you want
Don’t just say “Like this but shorter.” Tell them the length you want your hair to be. If you know what number of the clippers you like, be sure to tell them (err on the side of caution and ask for a longer setting if you don’t know since you can always go a bit shorter as your haircut progresses). Describe what you like and dislike about cuts you’ve had and they will be able to help determine if you like layers, for example, or need sections thinned out.
