Your stylist hit it out of the park and you are absolutely obsessed with your fabulous cut! But when you go back six weeks later, the results just aren’t the same. The frustration of not getting consistent cuts is understandable, and unfortunately, pretty common.
Even the best stylists might not be able to duplicate exactly what they did last time. Understanding why that is, plus learning a few tips, can increase the chances of getting more consistent haircuts and going home happy every single time.
Remember: Stylists Are Only Human
The longer you’ve been going to a stylist, the better you’ll get to know each other—and the better they’ll know your haircut. Still, as much as they would love to, they can’t be expected to remember every detail about every client’s cut.
Keeping extensive notes about color formulas is common. But few stylists keep notes about haircuts unless there is a big challenge with the person’s hair texture or growth pattern.
Highly trained stylists are better at replicating consistent cuts, partly because they know how to approach a haircut in the right way. For example, sometimes they will start layers from the top, and other times they’ll start from the bottom. It all has to do with the general shape they are trying to create. So if they are going for the same shape as last time, they are likely to follow the same steps in the same order. This will usually result in a closer match to what happened before.
How well a stylist handles a haircut—from discussing what the client wants, through cutting, detailing, and finishing—is something they get better at the longer they do it. Vakkar Salon’s hair stylists start with top-tier training, along with the technique and experience to back it up. This makes them much more likely to give a consistent cut at each appointment.
How You Can Help Your Stylist Give You What You Want
There are some things that every client can do to ensure they get the most consistent cut possible. We suggest talking about your concerns with your stylist to learn which of these methods (along with tips of their own) will help them do their best.
Don’t Rush Through the Consultation
Every single cut should start with a consultation. Obviously, this will take longer when it’s your first visit with a new stylist, but it is still important no matter how long you’ve been seeing the same professional.
This is the client’s opportunity to tell the stylist what they loved about their last cut. And if the last time wasn’t consistent with the time before that, they can talk about that too. Pointing out the differences can be helpful. For example, the fact that the bangs weren’t quite short enough and therefore grew out too fast.
A conversation before the cut will help the stylist remember what they did the last time. This can up their odds of repeating that perfect look.
Learn the Lingo
When discussing a cut with a stylist, using the right language is very important. Sometimes certain words and phrases can have the same or totally different meanings. For example, hair’s “texture” refers to how fine or coarse it is. But “texturizing” is a technique used to thin the hair. An experienced stylist might be able to pick out the buzzwords a client uses and dig deeper into what they really mean. Still, it helps if the client knows the proper lingo.
During the cut, ask about any techniques the stylist is using. This way you can remind them next time about some of the details. For example: “Last time you used texturizing shears here,” or “The internal layers you added at the crown last time really made a difference.”
Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words
Hair styling is a very visual profession. Pictures are a great way to communicate the style that you want when you’re trying something new. They are also a great way to document a great haircut when it’s exactly right.
Try this: Next time your haircut is perfect, take pictures from several angles. Show them to your stylist next time so they can see the end result you’re hoping for.
Sometimes people bring celebrity photos in when they try a new style, but the cut isn’t always right for their hair texture or face shape. The great thing about your own photos is it’s your hair with a cut that you already know you love.
Keep the Right Schedule
The more time that passes between haircuts, the longer the hair is. And depending on the growth pattern, it could be more difficult for a stylist to visualize the style they gave you last time.
The style itself can make a big difference too. For example, super-straight hair with a precise shape will likely need to be trimmed more often than a style where the hair’s growth blends in. Six weeks between cuts is typical, but the range is four to eight weeks and depends on the cut. The more frequent the cut, the more likely it is to stay consistent.
Communication is Key to Consistency
The more you understand about your cut—the techniques, the tools, and the language to describe it all—the better you will be able to talk to your stylist about what you want. And keeping the lines of communication open means they will know right away whether you were thrilled with your most recent cut or if they should change it up the next time. At Vakkar Salon, we go above and beyond to make every cut look great—every single time. Book an appointment and let us prove it!
