Hairdresser Recommendation Who Can Actually Cut Hair?

[CharlieBB22]

Hi, I am in my 30s and my mum is is her 60s and we can never find a hairdresser who:

1. Listens to you. e.g. I ask every time not for them to curl with straighteners as I prefer a more natural look, or my mum asks for a haircut that adds movement. I end up looking like Shirley Temple and she ends up with a flat bob.
   
   
2. Is good at cutting. Even my friend who is a hairdresser can only seem to do either layers or use lots of product. There doesn't seem to be any other way these days.
   
   
3. Can do your hair to suit you, not just transport a hairstyle that they like. e.g. I have very thick hair and pointy features. Wavy and light suits me, not slicked back and flat.
   
   
4. Can replicate a picture or tell me why they can't do it. e.g. if I take a photo in and say I want it like that, I am happy for them to say 'no, because your hair is thick and a fringe wouldn't suit your face shape', rather than, 'ok' and mess it up.
   
   
5. Realise that everyone does not follow fashion and everyone over 50 does not want a blue rinse. I have never wanted a popular hairstyle, stop forcing it on to me!
   
   Sorry this is so long, but we want to come out of the hairdressers and feel better, not gutted and ripped off! If anyone has any recommendations, please post of PM. We will travel anywhere in the mainland UK to get a good haircut, as it is getting ridiculous now. Think we may have exhausted the Midlands...

[OCSockOrphanage]

In the Midlands, there's a guy called Simon who has a salon in Chipping Norton. He cuts beautifully, but charges £85. My mum (82, masses of thick straight silver hair, and very picky about haircuts) went to him for years but he moved town. She only goes to him occasionally now. And complains between times.

[Hadenoughtoday01]

I have all one length shoulder length hair - it took a while to get there but I am always insistent on having no layers.

[Facefactsnow]

Tim Scott Wright at the Surgery Stourbridge way

[DrSpin]

Hadenough - me too took years to convince a whole range of hairdressers that layers don't work for me and so it to cut them

[LeannePerrins]

Forgive me for asking, but are you speaking up in the hairdresser's chair when these things happen? Surely when the straighteners come out, you just say 'no, please do not curl my hair. I'd like a bouncy blow-dry (or whatever).'

I appreciate that you still might have the frustration of someone whose cutting skills are not up to scratch but it's impossible to get what you want without really clear communication. I've learnt that I have to be really assertive with hairdressers.

[CharlieBB22]

Thanks for all your help and the recommendations. Leanne, I do tell them what I want before they start and even take in several photos. To be honest, I would love to be able to walk in somewhere and them to take me in hand and do my hair so it suits my face as I am not great with knowing what suits me beforehand. It is only after where I get the 'well at least it will grow out' feeling. I have to admit that once I am in the chair, I only give it a couple of go's to say 'I didn't want the straighteners' or 'could I have it shorter' etc as I am a bit of a wimp and the stylists that I have visited seem to take umbridge at that. Except with my friend, who I tell I wanted it more like 'x' but he will just refuse to do it. Hence why I am searching for someone new! My mum is very assertive, but they seem to think that she's asking for too much and after a few battles, she just wants to get out of there. I think the problem is, you don't know they are messing it up / not doing what you asked until it is too late as you are not trained yourself. I am not slagging of hairdressers, I could never do a job like that, it seems like magic to me, I am just unhappy with the ones I have used.

[LeannePerrins]

Understood, Charlie. I think you will continue to be disappointed unless you start to speak up. I wish you all the best with your search

[Therealslimshady1]

Michael van Clarke in London do all this

But they are £££

I go once a year as a treat.

[catarinapovre5]

Hi Charlie, don't give up on midlands. Try Andrew at CAST in Beeston Nottingham, totally amazing!

[CharlieBB22]

Catarina, I live near Beeston, so maybe that is the first one to try, brilliant thanks!