Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Do any hairdresser cut hair properly?

107 replies

Hohoholymoley · 07/04/2022 11:01

I got my hair cut last week. I've long hair and she just brushed it and cut it. No sections, just one line of cutting. It's all uneven and looks like shite. Is this normal?

OP posts:
NurseBernard · 07/04/2022 11:05

Yes. As a profession, hairdressers mostly seem to be shit at their job.

They cut hair, blow dry it straight and then finish the cut.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t want straightened hair. They just do this because they don’t know how to deal with any hair other than straight.

Confused
SirChenjins · 07/04/2022 11:06

It's becoming more normal, definitely. After years of poor and mediocre cuts - but lovely colours and styling - I've recently moved to a mobile hairdresser (who's in her early fifties like me) and it's like night and day. She is amazing at cutting, my hair looks great weeks on, and according to her it's because the money isn't in cutting anymore, it's in the colouring and curling of long hair esp, so good cutting is becoming a dying art. That's certainly been my experience.

radiohp · 07/04/2022 11:09

I came him from a £65 trim and there was a section that was clearly missed altogether. I had to cut it myself. So cross

Skelligsfeathers · 07/04/2022 11:11

Not my experience at all. My hairdresser spends about an hour on the cutting and it looks great and really easy to maintain afterwards.

Original poster
Hohoholymoley · 07/04/2022 11:11

I asked for volume when blowdrying it and she got out the straighteners. 120 for a semi and a cut. Ridiculous. Is there a special language I need for a proper cut. Please give me the lingo.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hohoholymoley · 07/04/2022 11:12

I'd say she spent less than 5 minutes cutting it.

OP posts:
Shoemadlady · 07/04/2022 11:14

This shouldn't be the case. What a waste of money.
I'm a qualified hairdresser and there are only two or three people o ever let near me with scissors.
Do some research in your locality, ask around for recommendations too. Never just walk in and sit down, if there no waiting list, there's no waiting list for a reason!

SirChenjins · 07/04/2022 11:16

There is no lingo sadly - it's a concept that many hairdressers (ime) just don't seem to be capable of understanding. I'd try and find an older hairdresser who's been cutting for years and whose training focused on cutting rather than the fancy schmancy colouring.

countrygirl99 · 07/04/2022 11:25

Pre covid I went to a salon near the office and had a great cut. Even though the next cut was due when lockdown was announced it held it's shape for months. Now I'm based at home and I'm just about to try yet another place as I haven't had a cut that's held it shape for more than a couple of weeks. I give each hairdresser a couple of chances then move on. Sadly the stylist I used to use doesn't work weekends so I can't even plan a 60 mile round trip for a cut without using annual leave.

VaVaVoombangabang · 07/04/2022 11:29

My DH is fantastic at cutting long hair, takes his time only a little chit chat (always asks where I am off on holiday!) bought him a good pair of hairdressing scissors, watched You tube for guidance. I always leave him a tip!

Not been near a hairdressers for years after getting fed up same as you op (but not the colouring) quick comb cut across the bottom, fringe ticked with, take an age to dry it straight faffing on for ever ending up with a bad head, but I did laugh when the straighteners appeared, believe me my hair could not be more straight.

When I asked why she thought it necessary to use them, the reply was er, to give it a bit shine, dear god all I could smell was burning hair all for £45.......nope never again.

torquewench · 07/04/2022 11:35

Nope, mines fab. Very experienced, very creative, does exactly what I want and gets the colour absolutely perfect.

Two of my colleagues now visit her on my recommendation and are also pleased with her.

Uptoongirl · 07/04/2022 11:37

I find this - the last cut I got she spent ages straightening it after, even though I'd said I like a bit of volume and we had talked about how I never use my own straighteners anymore.

The other thing I find is there are some hairdressers who curl your hair straight afterwards which is also not great as you can't see the cut properly.

I'm due a cut and colour but I keep putting off as it's usually a disappointing experience.

Tlollj · 07/04/2022 11:37

My son can 😃

DelilahBucket · 07/04/2022 11:38

Mine is amazing but I pay through the nose for her. For my money I get the straightest cut you have ever seen, exactly how I want it, my colour is spot on, and she trains herself and her staff regularly on new techniques and products to see if there is anything they can be doing better. She is an absolute perfectionist and the best I have ever come across. I don't spend money on anything else to do with beauty, but my hair means too much to me to have a cheap cut.

Frenziedandfurious · 07/04/2022 11:41

@NurseBernard

Yes. As a profession, hairdressers mostly seem to be shit at their job.

They cut hair, blow dry it straight and then finish the cut.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t want straightened hair. They just do this because they don’t know how to deal with any hair other than straight.

Confused

Completely agree, my hair is mega curly. She basically faffed about last time for about 5 minutes when it was wet then blow dried out poker straight and then finished the cut off. Awful. Now it's curly out dries in horrible bushy triangles.

I look at pics of line of curly hair with these lovely shaped face framing cuts and want to cry!

As a side note any recommendations of a decent curly hairdresser in the greater Manchester/Cheshire area? Not Vicky queen of curls. Too long a waiting list and too £££

DelilahBucket · 07/04/2022 11:42

I should also add that she taught me how to blow dry my hair straight so I used the straighteners less. She does run them over when I have a cut as she can make sure all the hairs are perfectly straight to check the cut is straight. She will blow dry it with volume or finish it with curls. She always asks how I want it finishing.

IheartJKRowling · 07/04/2022 11:42

My hair dresser is amazing and she always listens to what I want. The first time I saw her I told her I wasn't at all precious about my hair, not to worry about cutting it and if the style didn't work it didn't matter, it's only hair .

She spends at least 30 minutes cutting my short hair. I have a disability and can't lift or hold anything heavy, even a hairdryer, for more than a couple of minutes, so I needed a style I could either leave to dry and give a quick blast with a hairdryer. We tweak the style every so often and I always leave feeling fabulous. It costs about £55 and it's worth every penny.

Partypoooooper · 07/04/2022 11:48

You should see them panic when as a curly you tell them you don't want it straightened! They don't know what to do!

I've cut it myself since COVID and won't go back to a hairdresser now.

Imdoingitnext · 07/04/2022 12:47

Sadly I think you're right that hairdressers don't know how to cut hair anymore. I'm still searching for a hairdresser near me. I've probably been to at least 30 hairdressers in the past 20 years and I've only found one through a friend, who cuts well but it's a 100 mile return journey to them. - I'm thinking of going back to him as I'm sick of having messy badly cut hair that I'm constantly trying to grow out.

I've got thick wavy curly hair and hairdressers either straighten it, thin it out, cut it too short or cut it so it's uneven. My most recent cut was a level three trained stylist with good reviews who teaches hairdressing students at the local college - I've got a cut that's uneven left and right sides, too short on top so it sticks up, and thicker on one side than the other - god knows what those poor student are being taught!

I was advised to look for an older stylist as they've been trained to cut hair. Also I look for someone who has been trained in the Vidal Sassoon cutting techniques

I look at salons websites and I discount them if the photos are all of blond long hairstyles like clones or there's no mention of cuttings but lots about colour and balayage and other techniques and treatments. I look at the photos of the team members to see if there's anyone with similar hair to me as I think they'll have a better idea of how to cut my hair

I don't think my hair is particularly challenging to hairdressers and I don't think I'm a difficult or awkward customer so I don't know why it's so hard to get a good cut that doesn't cost the earth.

Original poster
Hohoholymoley · 07/04/2022 12:56

I'm glad to know I'm not alone with my shit hair.

OP posts:
Chishnfips · 07/04/2022 14:33

My previous hairdressers were excellent. Any one of the stylists were really good and totally understood what I wanted. I couldn't be more prescriptive really with photos but they were just great at making suggestions and I always trusted them. Moved area recently and tried a new place that came with great reviews and sounded like they should have been great bit she didn't listen to a word I said. She tried to persuade me to put a curl in it even when I said it wouldn't last long enough to get out the door. She still tried to wave it a bit after I told her no. I hate having to go through the rigmarole of trying new ones and getting disappointed everytime.

savvy7 · 07/04/2022 14:41

I've stopped using hairdressers as my DH can cut the back and I trim the fringe and sides as well as any hairdressers can.

NotMeNoNo · 07/04/2022 14:46

My hairdresser was recommended by a colleague after I admired her pixie cut and said I was looking for a stylist who could cut short hair. He's a style Director so doesn't come cheap but worth it. I also have thick wavy hair OP I feel your pain.

HideofaRhino · 07/04/2022 14:58

@Frenziedandfurious V12 in Cheadle Hulme are supposed to be good at curly hair - I think they get busy though.

MrOllivander · 08/04/2022 00:23

@Frenziedandfurious bit further out but Laura at hair lounge in Colne