Why hairdressers can't ever cut a fringe straight?

[user1490465531]

Just that really.
I have a fringe which is a must because I have a big forehead.
But every hairdresser I go to even my regular hairdresser cuts it uneven and I have to try to even it out at home.
I do have a cowslick at the front which makes it harder but I do explain this to the hairdresser before we start.
Really wish I could do without a fringe but I look horrible without one.
I know it's trivial in the grand scheme of things but it always ruins my haircut and I dread getting it cut.
AIBU in thinking it's only me as when I look around everyone else has super straight fringes.

Not just you! It's the cowlick. I had the same problem with my fringe. I think it's because hairdressers don't dry and straighten my fringe the way I do it at home!

I learnt to cut mine myself and then just did it between appointments and asked not to have anything off of my fringe!

Tbh I never feel satisifed with the way hairdressers in salons cut my hair. I used to go in with a photo i'd found on the internet and ask for it like that and I don't think it ever once looked remotely similar. It was always as if they felt they had artistic licence to do as they pleased... I always had to ask my DM (who is a trained hairdresser although hasn't worked as one for years) to sort it out, now she just cuts it for me for free . I also never appreciated how flat and lifeless it looked following a cut so the first thing I'd do was basically mess it up.

I have the opposite problem. My lovely hairdresser spends ages cutting my fringe. Literally a strand at a time, she's fantastic but it takes as long as the rest of my hair!. It's almost too perfect by the time she's done -and bounces back up as soon as I leave-.
If you cut your own do you do the twist and snip method?.

I have never had a hairdresser cut my hair how I want.

It's kinda curly and I am middle aged, and although I wanna look like MEG RYAN (pic 1) they always try and palm of that shitty inverted bob on me (pic 2) vom

Why do hairdressers always try to push that hideous haircut on middle aged women?

Basically when I try and even it out I just wet it down and snip straight across probably not the best way to correct it either.

Cow licks make fringes very difficult, especially if they’re pronounced.

They should dry and straighten it before cutting it, are they already doing that?
Do you ask them to fix it before you leave the salon?

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 .

@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.

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!

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

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.

@GhostCurry That's incredibly rude and patronising.

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

“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 agree GhostCurry you would think hairdressers would be able to deal with cowlicks but most don't have a clue even when you explain it to them.
If I've paid £30+ for a cut I don't expect to have to go home and correct a fringe myself.

GhostCurry your describing my fringe with the long chunky bit at the side!

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.

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

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!

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!!!

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

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.

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