Hairdressers... Gah!!!

[FanFckingTastic]

Does anyone have any tips for making the whole hairdressing experience slightly less grim? Does anyone ever leave the salon swishing their gorgeous locks and feeling a million dollars? If so, what's the secret?

I had my hair cut and highlighted on Saturday after months and months of anticipation. Unfortunately the hairdresser has - I think - used too much toner and the result is a browny-ashy quite flat colour. Not the blonde that I would usually have, and not what I had from her last time. It doesn't look bad, it just looks a bit 'meh'. We talked about how much I wanted cut off, and agreed that she would take off some and could always cut more off. Despite me saying ' I could probably go a bit shorter' it was just left, so just a trim and not the long lob I wanted.

I'm now left with hair that's ok, but really not what I want. First world problems I know, but given that I spent over 3 hours in the chair, wearing a plastic gown and a mask and am now quite a few quid poorer I would have hoped to come away looking decent.

Should I phone the salon and ask to go in again? Or is this likely to be a recipe for disaster? I'm normally fine being direct and assertive but it seems like when I get in the chair I become a quivering wreck and I'm sure that part of the problem. I could see that the colour wasn't right when she did it but yet I found myself saying thank you and paying a tip!! The whole hairdresser experience always seems to leave me feeling anxious and frustrated.

Any ideas on what I can do, or how I can talk to hairdressers so that they 'get' what you want?

Do you bring a picture or two pictures - one for colour and one for cut?

I would phone - what's the worst that could happen - they say tough so you just don't go back.

Perhaps you need to try a different hairdresser? Ask around for recommendations and then tell the hairdresser you’ve come to them cos X recommended them. Explain at the start the problems you’ve had getting what you want. Once you’ve found someone you trust and who knows you and your hair, you’ll feel more comfortable and confident. I sometimes go suggesting I want X or Y and my hairdresser is able to point out whether or not that will really work for me e.g. it’ll take 20mins to style that every morning (shorthand for: gaviscon, we both know you can’t be arsed with that!).

If you wanted a lob then say that. "I could go a bit shorter" sounds very non-committal and vague.

You need to be so, so precise about what you want, and show pictures of both the style and the colour, and always be honest when they ask what you think.
If that doesn’t work, get a new hairdresser.

I have a sharp bob with a blunt fringe, which is a pretty precise cut (not right now, ha ha). I pay a lot for it, and want to leave the salon feeling a million dollars. My hairdresser is amazing, but I have learned to be very assertive over the years. I would say “can you bring the back up a bit, please?”, not “it could be a bit shorter”.

I had a conversation with my hairdresser a while ago about being a pain because I was always asking for a tiny bit this, and a tiny bit that. She said to me that customers are essentially her advertising, and she would far rather spend an extra 10 minutes than have someone walk out feeling shit.

I frequently have people stop and ask me who cuts my hair - one woman who asked just before lockdown told me she was actually a hairdresser herself!

Will the colour lighten when you wash it?

Whenever I take a photo in, I never end up with the same as the picture.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think that you are right, I need to be much more definite and assertive. It's so odd because I'm not normally a shrinking violet, I just seem to struggle when it comes to the hairdresser!

The salon is one that I've used for a couple of years, although my actual hairdresser has changed after previous one left - so it's not like I'm going in to a new place and having to explain what I want from scratch. The idea of taking a picture to show the cut and colour is a good idea, although the picture will probably be of me a year ago! I bit the bullet and called them and am going in again this week so that they can hopefully sort it out. I just wish the whole hairdressing experience was lovely rather than feeling stressful!