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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Hairdressers. Why do you do it? Anyone else?

283 replies

theworriermum · 04/02/2025 23:23

I don't know if it's all hairdressers or just my hair type (long, thick, coarse) but unless I'm absolutely prescriptive and borderline stern, they go to town.

Right now, I'm 4 months postpartum, heavier than I usually am and looking tired but my long brunette hair was my saving grace! I walked around with a birds nest in 4th Trimester to give it a break from heat. I straightened it before the cut for the first time and it was gorgeous and healthy. So long, long feathering across my jawline and neck.

I took my eye off the ball not saying 'trim only, no thinning, and please NO dramatic diagonal scissors for feathering'. I did say keep the length and that I liked the existing cut but it wasn't stern enough.

I couldn't see what she was doing at the back but it's clear to me now that she has thinned it without asking. A lot of them do this as I have thick hair but I hate it. At the front I asked for shorter parts to frame my face, which I already had but she has taken it way too far back, I look like a Shetland pony and the most infuriating part.... when she went to feather my hair, rather than trim the existing feathers she angled her scissors away from my face at a drastic angle and before I could say anything she slid them down. I asked her to stop but she said 'it's not even' and kept going, so now between the Shetland pony style side fringe, and OTT angle feathering, my actual hair only starts behind my shoulders. It's so ugly.

I'm devastated tbh. 2.5 weeks on and I still hate it. It's going to take months to grow this out. Last time this happened it took 10 months and I've been growing it and protecting it since.

Why? Why do you do it hairdressers? Anyone else?

I wouldn't mind the Edward scissors hands approach if they knew what they were doing. It's a shame the only person I trust to cut my hair is fully booked for weeks and I only know my window of free time a day or two before being mum of 2.

OP posts:
andthat · 05/02/2025 00:24

@theworriermum i can totally relate.

I have very thick, coarse wavy hair. It’s like hairdressers just cannot cope with the texture and take thinning scissors to it… all that does is ‘fracture’ the wave/curl and make it look really ‘bitty’ and frizzy.

I’ve learnt to say every time please DO NOT use thinning scissors on it, blunt cut only!

You have my sympathies… its frustrating and takes ages to get back to where you started.

NormasArse · 05/02/2025 00:19

I have struggled to find a hairdresser who can cut my (perfectly normal) hair for years.

Mindedmy · 05/02/2025 00:00

I have same experience taking my boys to the barbers. Doesn’t really matter what I ask for, what grade they agree to nor the pictures we show them - they always get a short back and sides. Plus they add wax and style the hair. The next day after a hair wash the fringes are always wonky donkey. I have previously vehemently asked for “just a trim and tidy-up” and they took 0.5cm off all over and then looked pissed off when I said take off more.
I only get my hair done a couple of times a year, with self trims (see YouTube) inbetween. I also do my own colours, usually on a whim when bored. Last few times I have visited the hairdresser they have commented on my “gorgeous tones” : mwa-ha-haa .This is me, adding a bit of this and that colour periodically (to pass away time on rainy days).
Hairdressers and barbers: when we get our hair cut, and unless otherwise stated, we want you to follow the previous cut. Trimming-off enough to look as though we have been to the hairdressers but not so far as to have received a new style entirely. I still mourn for my amazing hairdresser who just knew and always did an amazing job. I received compliments from lots of people after every single cut. 5 years ago she moved into the management of salons and I have so far failed to find anyone quite like her.

theworriermum · 04/02/2025 23:35

I'd LOVE for a hairdresser to come on here and give us the other side. I truly believe it's because they get bored and love getting scissor happy like most of us did with dolls as children.

The trim is also blunt and looks so odd. I really really miss my hair, especially as I feel so damn unattractive right now.

OP posts:
TheFatCatsWhiskers1 · 04/02/2025 23:35

I’m sorry, I’m growing out a similar mishap after I asked for a blunt trim with no layers and came away with a choppy layered bob Confused I cried. Quite a lot.

CosyRoby · 04/02/2025 23:33

This is why I just go for a dry trim nowadays.
Straight cut along the bottom , no layers , no feathering , just a blunt trim all dead ends off.
Whenever I used to get a cut and blow dry they would tinker about with it and also have been given the front razor layer thing without being asked .
So now I go to a local small salon that just does a basic dry cut.
Wish I’d done this years ago.

PotaytoPotahhto · 04/02/2025 23:31

I’m with you OP. I coloured my hair recently after being indecisive for months. My hair is dark and I stressed that I wanted some dimension but I want to keep it dark. I showed her photos of chocolate brown highlights in dark brown hair. Stressed that I want it to look subtle. She reassured me it would be fine.

I had blonde highlights in my dark brown, almost black hair. Like, wtf! I built up the courage to say it’s too light and she said oh in one of the photos I showed her the tips were light so it’s just like the photo.

She “fixed” it by putting some toner in but now the toner has faded I have copper highlights. I just wanted something subtle, that’s all!

I would understand if she explained that something went wrong and she would fix it, but it’s the weak excuse of the tips in one of the several photos I showed her. And then to make me out to be awkward by whispering about me to other hairdressers! Why do hairdressers do it!

Traceysgoingtobelivid · 04/02/2025 23:29

My hairdresser for some reason hates to uses scissors, she always wants to razor my long, already fine hair, I hate it it makes my hair all ‘pointy’ for want of a better explanation, I just want an inch of the bottom and slightly shorter around my face, I mean razoring fine hair is insanity it’s literally taking any thickness away, it’s infuriating, you have my sympathies OP.

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