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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU? Hair disaster!

77 replies

Davegrohlsnewwife · 21/03/2018 19:33

My friend cuts hair as a mobile hairdresser. I asked her to cut some graduated layers into my long bob, and even showed a pic of what I wanted.

She cuts hair in her dinning room - no mirror - so I couldn't see what she had done until she had finished, and even then, it was a cursory glance as I went out the door.

However when I got home I was horrified! My hair looked like a mullet, the shortest layer is above ear level and looked like a chunk had been hacked off!

I ran to my local salon - the stylist there was quite amazed at the state of it, and showed me properly in the mirror what she had done to me. It had been hacked, chopped, razor ed - it looked like a toddler had done it! The stylist blended the layers properly but could do nothing about the length obviously. She advised it will be at least 10 weeks until it looks reasonable again.

I am so upset. I have to walk around like this. I don't know what to say to my friend. I see her daily on the school run and I can't trust myself to speak to her - i'll either cry or shout at her! I'm so angry at her, and part of me is questioning if she's done this on purpose. Is my reaction unreasonable? I honestly don't know how I can stay friends with her now Sad

OP posts:
Medwaymumoffour · 21/03/2018 21:08

Oh dear god.... sorry it’s not looking good. I hate it when people balls up my hair so sympathies to you.

Maybe you do some creative scrunching and clipping up, sunglasses as a headband, whatever till it grows out?

My mate cut my hair when she was training at college. Never again!

Original poster
Davegrohlsnewwife · 21/03/2018 21:11

I'm glad it's not just me and that a few agree this is a total balls up!

I do understand that I probably should have gone to a salon - but my friend is mobile so that she can work around her kids. She has cut my hair before and was good then. I wanted to support my friend - you know - pay her rather than a stranger etc. Plus she is a little cheaper, but I always tip her anyway.

I feel bad now - I was very angry, but perhaps it was a bad day or something - I don't know, but for the sake of friendship i'll go elsewhere for my hair cuts in future!

OP posts:
TheJoyOfSox · 21/03/2018 21:12

It doesn’t look too bad, I’m sure it’s worse in your head than it looks on your head.
It looks like you have a long growing out fringe sort of look going on at the front, the back looks like a choppy bob to me.
I know words from a stranger won’t help too much, but I am being honest. 💐💐

Sara107 · 21/03/2018 21:13

It's not great, but doesn't look horrible. I've got tricky hair to cut well as it is very thick and very straight and my goodness I've had some very poor cuts, even from quite expensive, quite senior stylists in salons. Sometimes they just don't know how to cut well, and rely on fiddling around with the hairdryer and lots of product to make it look ok before you leave. Sometimes they need a few goes to get used to your hair and learn it's ways before they can do a good cut - so very unlikely she botched it on purpose!

Medwaymumoffour · 21/03/2018 21:20

On the plus side you have lovely hair, I’m sure it will look really good in the new style you want in a few months. I agree I would avoid her in the future anyway. I had to come up with a multitude of reasons not to let my trainee friend bleach my hair for a project at college.

FlashTheSloth · 21/03/2018 21:30

I'm sorry OP, it does look awful, I'm surprised at others saying it doesn't. I'd be gutted and fuming. It's nothing like the picture and way too short.

I had a mobile hairdresser. I kept her because she was cheap and had done my family's hair for years but she was shit at cutting and in the end I binned her and now go to a salon. What you've had done is the sort of thing she would do. More than once it had to be pointed out that the sides weren't even.

Fink · 21/03/2018 21:31

I quite frequently get my hair cuts done as a model at Vidal Sassoon. It only costs £5 and you usually get an amazing haircut (the only downside is it takes about 3 hours). However, once they asked me to be a model on stage where the top stylist (the head of the whole school) cut my hair in front of an audience of around a hundred students. It was far and away the worst haircut I've ever had: layers above my ear on one side, a big gap and then really long at the back, and the other side graduated with loads of layers. It was like the photo you posted but much much worse. Plus they put highlights in (which were the only nice bit) but for some unknown reason dyed the whole head around the highlights so it was exactly the same as my natural colour but without the natural variations, which just meant a load of unnecessary chemicals. I had told the woman before she started what my job was and that I needed to look relatively conservative and professional, she gave me a cut that would have looked fine on a catwalk but was ridiculous for an average person in real life. I had to immediately go to a high street salon to get it fixed and even then it took about 4 years to all grow back to the previous length.

All that just to say that a cut can look awful whilst still technically being decent (or even, in my case, top end).

Original poster
Davegrohlsnewwife · 21/03/2018 21:31

Thank you medwaymumoffour! I know what you mean - letting people experiment on your hair is tricky - my neice did while she was also training for college - but she was so super careful - took ages - and did a good job. I think the fact that my hair was all one length - and now looks like this - is just a massive shock. But I know it's only hair - but it's right there on my head for all to see! Shock

OP posts:
Original poster
Davegrohlsnewwife · 21/03/2018 21:35

Also DS asked me if it had been done as a prank. Tells me all I need to know really!

OP posts:
user1490465531 · 21/03/2018 21:39

I've had some bloody awful cuts-mullets,wonky layers,and cuts that made my super fine hair look even worse than normal.
I've got a long face shape as well OP and I agree short styles do not suit that look.

AntiGrinch · 21/03/2018 21:45

It's definitely not what you asked for, but some people might ask for it. (just trying to say you don't look terrible, but you are right to be annoyed)

Have you straightened hair in that pic? I have curly / wavy hair and I know what you mean about the front pinging up and making a mullet of it when it is too short. I have to keep a lot of length and weight at the front to wear it natural (curly). Good hairdressers get this, bad ones don't (even if I explain it and show my natural hair before they start). I think your hairdresser has gone wronger than that though.

Try a little rockabilly quiff with kirby grips? that could be badass.

Frequency · 21/03/2018 21:47

If you do a big bouncy blow dry, and tease that front bit backwards while you're doing it, it will look more like an intentional side fringe and less like wtf was the stylist thinking.

ikeepaforkinmypurse · 21/03/2018 21:51

Unfortunately, mobile hair dressers are dangerous. Some are bloody brilliant, and a god send when you have kids and you can't take them to the salon. Sadly, there are terrible ones too who give a bad name to the whole profession. At least you can complain to a salon, and ask for another stylist to fix the mistakes. If a mobile hairdresser can't get it right the first time, cut or colour, you can' t trust her to fix it, plus they wont' bother anyway

Original poster
Davegrohlsnewwife · 21/03/2018 21:57

Frequency and antigrinch - I will try your suggestions! I kinda like the rockabilly look - wanted a messy rock chick do anyway - but feeling more Simon and Garfunkle right now! Confused

OP posts:
frasier · 21/03/2018 21:58

Invest in a couple of great hats.

I know this doesn't help indoors if you are working and aren't allowed headwear, but 20 years ago when I had a disaster, it saved me. I bought hats. Mine took years to grow out (perm that basically burnt my hair) and I wore hats inside and out (at college so no rules) for all that time.

Lucked · 21/03/2018 22:03

Yes it's not great but at least it will grow back. I do think you should reconsider having it short at the back, it's not doing you any favours and if you keep some length at the front around your face it could be really flattering

AIBU? Hair disaster!
AIBU? Hair disaster!
Original poster
Davegrohlsnewwife · 21/03/2018 22:11

Thanks lucked - I 'll admit those pics look really nice - but I do have a long face so i'm not sure they would suit me? I appreciate your help though. I'm currently avoiding mirrors in my house!

OP posts:
userxx · 21/03/2018 22:27

I feel your pain, years ago I had long hair and asked for some layers, she cut them so short and blunt. I had to have all my hair chopped off as it looked ridiculous. It didn't take too long to grow out though - don't let it get you down, it doesn't look bad at all, just not how you wanted it to be.

CuriousMama · 21/03/2018 22:29

Longer faces suit messy pixie cuts as long as you have some bounce so your wave would be an asset. You could finger dry it add some product and be ready to go.

CuriousMama · 21/03/2018 22:32

Maybe get some low and highlights in ?

Queenio24 · 21/03/2018 22:37

Oh dear that's nothing like the picture. I really feel for you, I too have been subject to an unintentional mullet. Mine was long and straggly down the back, but with Pieces shorter than my ears too 🤔.
I was gutted but I bit the bullet and paid a different salon to correct it. They cut it really short. It looked much better.

Daifuku9 · 21/03/2018 22:44

Sorry about the bad haircut. Actually, research has shown people can become depressed a bit about “a bad hair day.”

Maybe you can find a short style that will work for your face shape, so you don’t have to wait so long for it to grow out to the original style.
therighthairstyles.com/20-super-chic-hairstyles-for-long-faces-to-break-up-the-length/43/

HTH

Sunflowersforever · 22/03/2018 01:38

You look like you have strong thick hair and a good colour, so it doesn't look that bad. Trying to be positive. 10 weeks should fly by

Contesse · 22/03/2018 01:51

Yes not great. I feel your pain. Went a week ago to my local cheap salon to 'save money' and got a cut that looks like she put a bucket over my head and chewed around it. It's turned into a horrendous triangle bob too.
I'm doing some creative pinning up and curling until I get it fixed this weekend, maybe try similar?

MuncheysMummy · 22/03/2018 08:40

Ok I’m really pissed ff with the people saying you will only get crap hairstylists if you don’t go to a salon! I was a senior stylist in a very successful town centre salon in an expensive chic town for 11 years before I had my little boy. My boss (salon owner) was a total twat to me the entire time pretty much but I’m loyal and not a fan of change so didn’t occur to me to leave but the things she said to me about being pregnant were the final straw (I am married and had been and TTC for 4 years!) so I resigned during Maternity leave and now just do the hair of my very loyal core client base freelance! This doesn’t mean I’m suddenly shit after being very popular and successful for the last decade plus and still very successful freelance in fact I earn more in 3 days than I did full time in the salon!

OP sadly your hair cut is a disaster it’s totally incorrect,please tell me the front section that’s missing at the bottom is tucked behind your ear??? The cut is totally the wrong shape and literally the opposite to what you asked for so she either has no idea how to cut or else she didn’t listen and did what she thought you should have rather than what you asked for! Either way totally unacceptable and I’d definitely be hav8ng words with her and ask her to explain what went wrong