Why hairdressers can't ever cut a fringe straight?

Same here! A Cowlick is a curse! And I recently read bangs are not on their exam not sure how true that is so don’t quote me. I had to show my last hairdresser how to dry bangs with a cowlick like seriously it’s on YouTube . And changing hairdressers! I’ve gone through 7! Since my last one died who knew what she was doing. I had been going to her for 8 years god rest her soul. I’m at the point I’m about to go through cosmetology school I’m so fed up. It’s like there’s no pride taken in their work. They get it too dark (like 5 shades too dark), too light , gray, splotchy, too short , bangs wonky. That’ll be $200 plus 20% tip have a nice day. Not let’s try to fix this. I’m a reasonable person but come on! So frustrated.

My advice- if you don’t like what your hairdresser has done don’t go back to the same person again. I’ve been hairdressing for 19 years and believe me when you’re working in a salon it’s so important that you build up a regular clientele. Also just to add that there’s a way to speak to anyone with general courtesy whether they are a hairdresser or a brain surgeon and in my experience if you’re rude and obnoxious you are far less likely to get what you want. Maybe I sound slightly defensive but I can’t help feeling that there are a few clients who like to give this impression of superiority from the outset. Of course as a professional you just smile, be extra polite, try to please and give the client what they want....... then head to the staff room and have a cup of tea .

Your posts made me smile halfwitpicker and AnneWiddecombesHandbag. I'm going to cut my fringe myself from now on.

I actually prefer that 'shitty inverted bob' to that awful Meg Ryan haircut. That's a far more 'mum' haircut to me and looks hideously dated. In fact my mum had it in the 80's, so it's probably rolled back round into fashion and I'm behind the curve.

Me and my sister use the same hairdresser and both have blunt fringes. Our hairdresser is a bit hit and miss. We call it 'fringe roulette'

Never trust a hairdresser with your fringe.

I think you guys need to change hairdressers!Most do years of apprenticeship and college and actually know how to cut hair!

I think showing them a photo and saying ‘I’d like it to look like this or as close as possible’ is fairly clear communication. I never had a problem with this in my 20s. Now I’m approaching 40 hairdressers seem to look at the photo and decide to cut me something they consider mumsy instead.

Though saying that may be all the hairdressers who can cope with cowslicks are in Ireland! No met with any problems.

In most cases you don't get want you want in a hairdressers because you've communicated badly what you want.

If you don't want a graduated cut at the back say exactly that. Can't imagine a hairdresser cutting a dramatic shitty inverted bob, if that's exactly what you've said not to cut. (Though in hairdressing terms it's not called 'shitty inverted bob', so that's somewhere to start 😀.)
Of course thats not to say there may be times when you dont get a bad cut, but it can't be all hairdressers. A hairdresser wouldn't last long if they can't cut hair would they?

I've a major cow's lick at the front and a double crown. Lots a issues there!!!

I have after many years found a hairdresser (salon owner) who can cut my fringe. I have a massive cowslick in the middle too. (So does she!) Before my hair appointment, I damp my fringe at home and just let it dry naturally (my usual way.) Then, when I arrive at the salon, she carefully dry cuts it immediately before doing anything else. This way it hangs properly as she can work with the cowslick in its normal position.

I find the trouble starts if they straighten it or blow dry it their way etc before cutting. Never goes right at home then! I nip down in between hair appointments for a free fringe trim too, always as described.

Her assistant once forgot and came towards me to do it, and I actually screamed out and leapt up out of the chair! They all know now, it's the salon owner's job!

I have this with hairdressers. It drives me potty.

I am not a hairdresser, but I can cut my fringe straight. Surely an actual trained and experienced hairdresser should be able to do a better job than I can do with the kitchen scissors? But no.

I get that "oh but you have a cowlick" bollocks too. Yes, I do. But surely an experienced hairdresser should be able to cope with such things, they are hardly some kind of rare freaky abnormality?

And yes too, the ability of so many hairdressers to take an image of a youthful style and translate it into the old lady version just because I am over 40.

I used to have a lovely hairdresser and we would experiment with various cuts and colours together. She was fab, but left to have babies and never returned

It's actually not that common for people with a cowlick to ask for a fringe. I've never come across anyone with one.

I have a cowlick myself and don't wear a straight across fringe because I got sick of it parting and flicking up at one side. I have a long, angled fringe instead, that I dry parted.

If I did come across one, I'd cut it the way I cut nape whorls, wet with tension but leave it slightly long and then go back in and correct it once its dry but I would ask how you dry your fringe i.e flat or around a round brush, straightened, blow dried or both and attempt to emulate what you do with it before correcting it. Unless you wanted a particularly short or long fringe, in which case I would dry cut it.

“Um, Ghost, no offense but if you spoke to me like that, I'd cut your damn fringe off. I'm not surprised you end up with a wonky fringe.”

Oh, be quiet. Like I said in my post, I don’t actually say those words. I cover some of those points, politely, but I do make sure I am heard. I have had to go back to hairdressers after the fact and I am tired of it. So yes, I do politely make myself heard.

As for the wonky fringe, it doesn’t happen any more, because I explain to the hairdressers how my hair works. I didn’t think I was in such a minority in my younger days, I just assumed hairdressers would have seen it all and be able to deal with cowlicks. But trust me when I say that if I don’t make a point of it, I will end up with a wonky fringe, to the point that it’s unwearable. It’ll be perfectly straight across except for this random chunky long bit above my left eye where the hair stayed longer because it curls under and hides behind the rest of my fringe.
I was showing solidarity to the OP, didn’t expect to get jumped on.

I share your frustration ! I am very particular about my fringe, I like my fringe so it just covers my eyebrows. Last time my hairdresser did a good job and waited till my fringe was dry before she cut it. On Friday I had it cut and said how long I wanted it and I expected her to cut it when dry again. Before I had a chance to stop she just chopped away. My fringe bounces up so much when dry, I now have the wonky fringe of a 3 year old and the wrinkles I was hoping to hide are on display

@GhostCurry That's incredibly rude and patronising.

Um, Ghost, no offense but if you spoke to me like that, I'd cut your damn fringe off. I'm not surprised you end up with a wonky fringe.

Op and others, explain politely that you have a cowlick and it often causes problems with the cut, offer to show the stylist how you usually dry/style your fringe and let them check the cut once it's dry. Cowlicks, nape whorls, double crowns etc are v difficult to deal with, often a cut will appear straight they way we style it for you, but not the way you style it yourself.

I'm a hairdresser and with any fringe I cut I always blow dry and straighten it first to get it nice and smooth, it's the easiest way as you can see how the hair lays and get a better indication of how much needs to come off

I could have written this OP.
The only solution I’ve come up with is to bring it up straight away. “First item on the agenda: my fringe. I have a cowlick. My fringe must be dried first. DO NOT clip it back while you sort the rest of the hair out. FRINGE GETS DRIED FIRST. Then you can take as long as you want with the rest.
To dry it, it needs to be brushed firmly both to the left and right so it will eventually sit flat. If this is not done, by tomorrow morning it will have spring back into its natural shape and the fringe you’ve cut will be frightfully uneven.
And finally, if I get home and the fringe is wrong, I will be back to have it corrected, probably by your boss.
So, pretty please, listen to what I’m asking for.”
I say all of this much more sweetly than the above, and frame it in a “you wouldn’t believe how many times this has happened to me... I know YOU would never do this, but...” etc. And usually the hairdresser will try to wave away my concerns and talk over me, but I stand firm. I have developed a particular “at the hairdresser” persona over the years because it’s so damn hard to be listened to and heard!

@summercat I can never get hairdressers to do what I want either. It’s very frustrating. Just because I’m 37 doesn’t mean I want a slightly mullety mum bob.

ok..... cows lick fringes are a pain - if you’re going to straighten your fringe all the time I would cut your fringe once I had straightened it .