Don't like new haircut - what can be done to fix?

[BadPoet]

Got my hair cut & coloured on Wednesday. For the first time in my life ever I went to a pricey salon, had a long chat and consultation. The salon's website promise that they take your lifestyle and circumstances into account and you'll get a style that suits your needs. Well, I haven't. Prior to the appointment my hair was long, reaching shoulder blades and a few longer shoulder length layers at the front. It was a bit limp & straggly but I could bung it up in a bun quite easily. Now it's mostly shoulder length with chin length layers i.e. the same cut I have been given SO many times and cannot stand. If I tie my hair back the layers just hang in my face and are annoying. I can clip them up (with what? Hello Kitty clips?) but feel that I'm too old to pull off sticky out kookiness, and kirby grips look to me as as if I am just randomly trying to tame bits of hair rather than 'styling' it.

I know I am partly at fault because I had my head turned by their skills and despite saying weakly a couple of times 'I am concerned I won't be able to do this myself' I did feel fantastic when I left but I was VERY CLEAR about the limited time I have (child with SN, various health problems within family, chronic inability to get up any earlier), my total cack-handedness with styling, wanting to put it up and living in a particularly wet and wild part of the country with frizz-prone hair. I am starting a new job and need to look more polished. Due to this they have agreed to see me again next Friday. But I've no idea what to ask for. Should I just say cut the chin layers into a side swept fringe? They can't make it longer. He told me that my hair couldn't be that long as it was too fine & thin. Is that true? Is there actually a low-maintenance 'wash -and -go' (well almost) style out there or is it a myth?

(I don't mind the colour, in fact I can't actually see it but dh says it's a 'bit different'. )

I spent the morning in tears feel like crying. I'm a week post-op and this was meant to rejuvenate me and make me feel ready for new job next week. I've spent 4 times as much as I've ever spent on a haircut .

Aw...

I really feel for you, that's crap when it was supposed to be something that cheered you up.

I had a similar experience recently went the hairdresser went crazy putting short layers all through my below shoulder length hair when I'd asked her to just trim an inch off. I'd had mine done through a groupon offer though and can only imagine how gutted I'd have been if I'd been paid top dollar.

I have no advice, just lots of sympathy. And also - they've agreed to see you, I take it you're not paying for this second visit? Do NOT pay them for it.

Have you considered a short bob? If your hair is right you can achieve a polished look easily if you know what you're doing. Velcro rollers are good have you ever tried them. Also they seem old fashioned now but heated brushes are brilliant for styling.

It's a fair bit of money but if you can afford it, try a brazilian blow dry or one of the others.

They basically do something to your hair which means it stays styled for as long as the treatment lasts - about 3 months for the brazilian one, until the hair grows out for the others.

All you have to do is wash and go - literally. And you look like you're straight out of a salon. A life saver if you're short of time and your job requires you to look other than like you're straight out of bed, ime.

Not cheap, sadly.

Thanks everyone, it's lovely to get some confirmation that I am not being totally pathetic about this.

thebigkahuna - I assumed not but I don't know actually - I have never complained before but I had just spent too much money this time to let it go. Thanks for the sympathy - I really appreciate it .

planetpotty I have had it bobbed before - and the problem is that I really don't know what I am doing. Sleek is hard for me to achieve, my hair is naturally wavy. A wavy bob that looked a bit 'done' might be nice - but I have spent ages growing my hair and didn't want to lose the ability to put it up. Honestly I think a trim and deep conditioning would have been enough :sigh:. I have velcro rollers but no clue what they are for really. I did think they might be handy if I did go for the side fringe, am I right?

discrete I have considered some sort of brazilian blow dry (what are the others you speak of? ) but am concerned about the chemicals in them - mostly because I have a very sensitive scalp. The salon uses 'natural' (as can be) colours. I sound really awkward don't I. Maybe what I am after doesn't exist .

Brazilian is supposed to be less chemical.

Others are Yuko and can't remember the name of the other one.

I've had Yuko and though I have the world's most sensitive skin (I don't even get along with hypoallergenic stuff, can't colour at salons because I always get a reaction -even from so called 'natural' ones and I can't blow dry) it was absolutely fine.

However the reason I haven't done it recently is that I won't do it while pg or bf due to the chemicals (just to show fussy solidarity :))

YY on the side fringe you would blow dry the rest normally then 1/2 dry the fringe whack the rollers in, hold hairdryer on heat till hair bone dry - this is the important bit, only remove the rollers once hair has completely cooled.

I would say with hair though go with what it wants to do don't fight against it too much or you spend your life blowdrying/straightening/faffing and petrified of the tinyest bit of wind/rain/snow/humidity (now thinking of Monica from friends in barbados )

I like eastenders janines hair.

I have really fine hair that flops at any attempt at styling, so rather than work against it, I work with it, and stick to a jaw length choppy bob that has shorter layerstowards the back, like a fiarly short choppy inverted bob. I never use a hairdyer (unless really want to ruffle up hair with some fudge if we're going out somewhere spesh) or straightners, and as I've a slight wave in my hair it just looks like a sort of natural easy cut.

Where abouts are you, what salon did you use?

How annoying, I hate it when hairdressers get it wrong, used to dread going to hairdressers because of that worry.

Now, I always take a selection of pics to show what type of thing I'm after, have been told its really helpful. Selection because I am aware that not everyones hair will look 'right' cut into just one style so hairdresser can say which one will 'work' best with my hair.

Because you say you have shoulder length wavy hair could you get a fringe & go with a <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=model+freja&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=673&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=Xb8FIO3X8Y1FxM:&imgrefurl=www.designscene.net/search/label/Freja%2520Beha%2520Erichsen&docid=Zn7VAw4SmEskJM&imgurl=i188.photobucket.com/albums/z67/designscene/designscenealbum/DSNEW2/FrejaBehaErichsenForTheLastMagazine.jpg&w=500&h=676&ei=YyjKTp2oD9CcOsOqqMgP&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1027&vpy=193&dur=186&hovh=261&hovw=193&tx=103&ty=146&sig=108931814879661658216&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=119&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Freja style? Very fashionable at the moment too as her pic is everywhere.

BadPoet - decide what you want and go back and complain. If they are a good salon they will recut it free of charge for you. You may have to go shorter for a while while it grows out but at least you'll have something you like in the meantime.

I've recently had a similar expereince and after much convincing by friends I did go back and complain. The salon were really good about it and actually thanked me for going back to them and letting them rectify the problem.

Oh no, poor you . It is very radical but you could go for a really short style which is a lot easier and quicker to look after, but i do understand that you might want to keep your longer hair. Layers work well with fine hair as it gives it some volume. I would not however go to a new hairdresser for a new style as for me there has to be trust. Any good hairdresser should take into account your lifestyle and how much time you have to do your hair in the morning, this is something that should be standard rather than an extra. Good luck and I hope that you have some success.

If it's any consolation I asked for a midi bob in summer and came out looking like fucking slade.

4 months later it's fine as the shortest layer (which I didn't want in the first place) has grown.