Do hairdressers know best?

I'm another that gave up and them and cut my own. If I can't get it how I want it with scissors I resort to a short cut with clippers, but I much prefer it to being faffed with at the hairdressers then coming out with hair I dislike and a lot less money than I went in with.

I have 2 hairdressers. One who blow dies it every week for a tenner in my local salon and the other who cuts and colours it quarterly in my home. My hair’s long and I wear a fringe so it’s not difficult to style and I’ve no problem with either stylist who do as I ask. My mobile stylist has booked me an appointment for 14th April for the full works and I can’t wait to be reacquainted with her. Had to trim my fringe this week as it was driving me mad but I wouldn’t have the confidence to go any further with it.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

My hair is fine, dead straight and flat. I have had it permed in the past to give it a different style, but eventually it started breaking off, and so I decided to grow it out and now have it in a straight one-length bob cut, which demands precision cutting and very good condition.
Finding a hairdresser who has the technical ability to cut a bob is challenging!

(At least my hair still looks okay-ish having not seen pair of hairdressers scissors since the beginning of December. It is simply a longer version of the bob. I will be glad when I have had some of the length taken off it though.)

Post Script
40 miles each way

On the subject of hairdresser knowing best, did anyone watch 10 years younger, last night? The smoker, and lady with bad facial hair episode? The hair cuts were absolutely dire at the end!!! Horribly orange for one, and a flippin’Dallas’ mess for the other!!! Awful ?

I only have one criteria for my hairdresser - no inverted Bob. I tell her openly either ‘a tidy up’ or ‘ do whatever you want - not an inverted Bob’
I have gone in with hair down my back and come out with a short shaggy Bob.
She suggested I went slowly natural (white) instead of regular colouring. Which eventually saved me £££ and put me bang up to date with hair fashion.
So happy with what she does since we moved 6 years ago I travel 40 miles for each appointment (pre lockdown) she has one hell of a mess to sort out when I go back. I decided end of summer to do it myself ? knowing she will work round my handy work when I next visit.

I've had two very good hairdressers, my present one and the previous one but she now lives 200 miles away. They both listened to what I wanted and advised if it wouldn't suite my hair or face shape, or would be difficult to manage. My last appointment was in October 2019 when my hair was short with a soft body perm to control it and then blow dried. Easy to manage. Since then (because of lockdowns) I've been cutting it myself. All the layers have grown out and it's now a chin/collar length bob. I quite like the feel of longer hair again, though it could probably benefit from a god professional cut to get the shape right. But I know if I go back to my hairdresser she won't like it and will tell me it's ageing and boring. I've saved over £600 last year on perms and haircuts so maybe I'll just continue to cut my own hair, I've been cutting DH's hair for over 40 years and he always looks neat and tidy!

Last went to hairdresser Nov 2019 and didn’t like the cut having paid £50.
During lockdown I cut my husbands hair with clippers and one day spur of the moment decided to cut my grey locks, haven’t looked back! I’m happy with how it turns out, and like Savvy says hair grows.
Saved £100’s, and no intention of returning to hairdressers when lockdown is over.

The same hairdresser has been cutting my hair for nearly forty years. She has, on occasion, suggested I have “something a little different” but I know what feels comfortable for me; I also know that as my only concession toward styling my own hair is to wash it, dry it vigorously and run my fingers through it when it is very short, a brush when it gets a bit longer! She is resigned. I go I looking like Worzel Gummidge and come out feeling ten years younger!

I am a trained hairstylist retired long ago but we were a very forward thinking salon and before we sat the client down we noted height styling of clothes. Once sat we chatted about lifestyle, time to manage hair and their own perception before we even started. Then we discussed what the client would like and chatted about whether the style was going to be right for them. The clients loved it as it was all about them not a quick fix.

The term 'product' drives me mad, they never mean shampoo! I also hate the pedalling of their very expensive salon 'products'. I have found a good local hairdresser but she texts between haircuts looking to sell products, I suppose it's about extra earnings/commission but I find it infuriating.

Over the years I've had really good hairdressers and some pretty poor ones. Even the ones who seem to listen and look at the pictures and agree with what you are saying often turn out something only remotely resembling what you asked for.

The best cut I ever had was when I was visiting New Zealand and decided one day to cut my hair. I wandered into a salon in Wellington, arranged an appointment for an hour later and when I went back she cut my very long hair off to about an inch all over. She cut it beautifully, with the minimum of fuss and even as it grew out a bit it kept it's shape. I was so impressed with her I considered briefly moving to New Zealand so she could be my hairdresser ?

I actually got really lucky 14 years ago when one of my DDs decided to train as a hairdresser. I went in every month for her to practice on me, and she has become very experienced at dealing with my thick (but thinning) very curly hair. She even does what I want when she doesn’t agree. I’ve grown out the silvers and 6 months ago got her to cut it really short to get rid of the brassy ends. She was reluctant but did it anyway. I didn’t like it that short but was relieved to get rid of the dye.

If any of you can find a friendly trainee and stick with them it might work? Previously I had so many bad experiences with hairdressers who knew better than me and left me looking like a poodle.

I would expect that with their training they would know best and mainly have been really lucky with the fact that I am usually so relieved to get my hair cut that I won't mind too much!
However, I had one time when I decided to try having a few lo lights - big mistake! My hair looked flat, dull and I hated it!
Twice I have been to our local hairdresser, just down the road from here. Both times I have left and hated what the same person has done.
The first time there were longer uneven lengths and the next time she had cut my hair into a bob(what I wanted) then proceeded to chop bits out of it, telling me I#d love it when she'd finished - I didn't. Won't be going there again as I'm too much of a coward to say that I don't want A to touch my hair again!
Thankfully I have found another salon that is great!

Daughter dropped out a science degree in her 3rd year at uni due to stress, and signed up for a 2 yr hairdressing course. The amount of science she learnt about not just colouring, but also shampoos, conditioner content and the dreaded 'product' really surprised us both. If you've coloured your hair, got away with it and don't do it too often, good for you. But your hairdresser knows how to do that for all sorts of different hair types, differrnt hair conditions etc.
PS I don't know a hairdresser who cuts her own hair!

My husband is my hairdresser and he is the most likely to do what I want providing it isn't complicated. That is more than can be said by any hairdresser I've ever paid! Of course we do sometimes have mishaps but it grows again.

No, they don't know what's best. I gave up years ago and cut it myself, and it looks great. They do it right one minute then completely wrong...you can tell them what you don't want and they do it anyway. I think I lack the knack of communicating with them too. They don't get me.

I do wonder if men would put up with the same disregard from their barbers. If they ask for a short back and sides, they get a short back and sides. Why do women put up with such disrespect from their hairdressers? It's your hair and your body after all.

And yes, I would, and often do, question my doctor over my treatment as I've had a few who really shouldn't be practising - I'm still suffering the repercussions from at least one.

My hairdresser cuts my hair well, but not in the style, or to the length that I request. She always cuts my fringe too short, and when I try to stop her she says she’s started so she’ll have to finish. Last December, she wasn’t available, and I booked with her trainee. My hair was perfect......just the right length, fringe dry cut, so not too short, and blow dried sleek, as opposed to puffy grandma effect. I’ll be booking with her as soon as they open up again. I just hope she doesn’t leave anytime soon.

I have the most wonderful hairdresser in the world

He's just gorgeous. I love to go there. He smells divine as well. The whole place smells divine.

It is a tad expensive, ( or maybe not) but well worth it.

During lockdown I have been cutting mine and hubbies hair - he finishes the back off on mine. Must say I am pleased with it cos I know my hair! One side lies different to the other and the back hairline grows up one side more than the other. It’s a difficult hairline to get right.
The hairdresser when I first pointed out the ‘problems’ with my hair, I think objected to being told this and said ‘oh, you’re fussy aren’t you’ - say no more.

It is nearly 6 months since my last cut, which was a disaster! My hairdresser was sick just as I arrived, so she went home and a very young girl completely butchered my hair despite the photo I took in of me and my hair ! I had to go back the next day to have it tidied up but was told to leave it at least three months for the damage to grow out! Of course everywhere closed and I can’t wait for my April appointment at a new hairdresser!

Hairdressers/stylists are inclined (generally) to be quite conservative with older clients, oft thinking that we all want to look conservative (with a small c)... Yup some do, however many of us don't, and want what isn't regarded by many as age appropriate. I no longer go to the hairdressers, (must be 50+ years, a very expensive, dire, uneven haircut by a chap, in plush salon ended my visits) I cut my own and sometimes tint it red/pink... its not difficult to DIY, just takes time, patience and practice. I think its sooo sad to see many older women, exit hairdressers with a style not unlike the queen, a 1950's look that is definitely not suited to most... its an easy cut/style that requires little effort on any hair type which means you can be in and out in no time. My first career was in hair/beauty, 5 years apprenticeship, starting with 3 years full-time college, altho. architecture was my first love but Pa said no, "Girls can't be architects"... Sorry I digress... I think that most of us can 'do' our own hair especially with all that is on Youtube... Talk to your hairdresser and tell her/him how you feel about the way older women are too oft treated, mostly not heard as in lots of other situations but that's another story, for another day, the invisibility of the older woman :-(

I haven’t been out to the hairdresser since March last year due to COVID-19 and managed to keep cutting my hair around my face but couldn’t manage the back (despite watching many YouTube videos on the subject). However, I was so desperate last month that I allowed my DH to have a go at cutting the back (under STRICT instructions from me on how’). I ordered a home colouring kit on line and WOW why didn’t I do that before! The style and colour I want at a fraction of the cost and time. Hopefully this wasn’t a fluke and I can repeat the process in 8 week’s time! ?