Deal with a Bad Haircut

There’s nothing worse than asking for a specific cut, only to notice afterwards that not only did the cut not look like the picture you brought, but it looked bad on you. Sometimes, your stylist can fix it before you leave the salon, but other times, there’s nothing you can do but make the best of a bad situation. You have a few options when you get a bad haircut, but panicking is not one of them.

Steps

Fixing the Problem Before You Leave the Salon

  1. Give immediate feedback.[1] When your stylist is finished, he or she should always give you a hand mirror and allow you to inspect your cut from all angles. If you don’t like what they’ve done to your hair, don’t be too shy to let them know that you’d like them to fix it before you leave the salon.
  2. Be specific about what you didn’t like about your cut. Some mistakes cannot be fixed immediately. For example, maybe the stylist cut your hair too short — there’s nothing to be done in this case but let your hair grow out. However, giving this feedback will let the stylist know that they should be more careful in the future about paying attention to the length their customers request. If you always go to the same stylist, it’s especially important to make them aware of your length preferences, so they’ll remember the next time you come in for a cut. There are some things the stylist will be able to fix immediately, though. Let them know if:
    • You’d like your hair cut shorter
    • You’d like the hair around your face framed differently
    • You’d like your bangs shaped differently
    • You’d like your layers shaped differently
  3. Show the stylist a picture to guide their final brush-up. It’s best if you show them the picture of the cut and style you’d like before they begin the haircut, but sometimes the cut you get doesn’t match the cut you ask for. If that’s the case, show them the picture again and give them an opportunity to get you closer to your desired result.
  4. Stay calm and polite throughout this discussion.[2] Allowing frustration to guide your tone might sour the stylist on you, and you don’t want someone who’s upset with you cutting your hair. Think of the discussion as constructive feedback, not a customer complaint. Help guide the stylist toward the haircut you want.[3]
  5. Return to the salon immediately if left without noticing your cut was wrong. Make sure to speak to the hairdresser privately instead of making a fuss in front of the other patrons. Going back immediately raises the chances of getting the cut fixed free of charge, so don’t wait a few days and give them time to forget about you.
  6. Ask to speak to a manager if necessary. It may be that the stylist has an attitude that makes you uncomfortable, or that you don’t trust the stylist’s skill level. Speaking to a manager can help get the results you need.
    • Remember to be polite. The words “can I speak to a manager” can strike fear into the heart of any employee, so try not to upset your stylist.
  7. Explain the problem to the manager clearly. Use specific examples of what you’d like changed about your haircut. The manager might have some better ideas for how to best fix the situation.
  8. Ask the manager to finish cutting your hair. If you’re unwilling to let the original stylist try again, ask the boss to do it! The manager is often the most experienced stylist in the salon, so they might be best qualified to fix a botched cut.

Dealing with Your Hair at Home

  1. Wait it out. Sometimes, there’s just nothing else to be done about your hair, but the good thing about a botched haircut is that hair always grows back! You’ll save yourself a lot of anxiety if you just remember that this is a temporary situation that your body will take care of on its own with time.
  2. Try out new styles. You can make the best of a bad situation by trying to have fun and look cute while waiting for your hair to finish growing out.
    • See what it looks like when you change your hair’s texture. If it’s straight, try using a curling iron or diffuser to give your hair more body and movement. If it’s curly or wavy, try straightening it.
    • Style it with different products, like salt spray or texturizing cream for texture.
    • Try out a new color — maybe going darker or lighter is all you need to make your new work look.
  3. Play with accessories. You might want to hide the bad parts of the cut, or maybe you want to emphasize what you like about your new cut. If your hair was cut too short and is distracting you by falling into your face, try pulling it back with cute bobby pins.[4] Wear a cute headband or tie your hair back with a scarf. If the haircut is truly horrendous, you can always hide it with a cute hat.
  4. Put in hair extensions. If your cut is distractingly short, extensions can add length that's both instant and temporary — a perfect fix! Make sure to choose extensions that match your hair color and texture as closely as possible. Spending a little extra money on extensions will ensure it looks like your natural hair.
    • Get the extensions professionally applied and styled if you want it to look as natural as possible. The stylist will cut overly long extensions to flow normally with the rest of your hair.

Tips

  • Try to find a new hair salon if you really are not happy with the service at this one.
  • Be polite with your comments, positive or otherwise.
  • If you are unhappy with how this particular hairdresser cut your hair, make an appointment with another one next time.

Warnings

  • Never try to cut your own hair in these circumstances! You'll only make it worse, especially if you are upset. Get a professional to see to your hair.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.hairfinder.com/articles2005/haircutsgonewild.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.indiana.edu/~discprag/polite.html
  3. ↑ http://positivesharing.com/2006/08/how-to-complain-constructively/
  4. ↑ http://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/advice/g1952/how-to-deal-with-bad-haircut/?slide=2
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