How to get a good haircut

What should you ask when you are getting a haircut?

Your hair is a reflection of you as a person. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to ditch the cheap, spur of the moment barbershop buzz cuts.

Choosing the right hairdresser

You may be used to going to a walk-in barbershop where the cuts are dirt cheap and finished in minutes. The quality of fast paced barbershops is often patchy, and if you go at a time when they have many customers waiting, they will give you a rush job. Selecting a reputable hairdresser is crucial if you want a good cut. As a general rule, if they are the type of place where you require an appointment, you can expect decent quality.

Once you have identified a favorite hairdresser, you should go to the same place every time. They will get to know what works for your hair, and if you stick with the same style for a long time, they will be able to replicate their earlier work at each trim. You will also get better service from a hairdresser that knows and likes you.

Be specific

Bad haircuts tend to happen due to poor communication. You need to tell your hairdresser exactly what you want. Your idea of a trim may be completely different to theirs. Give them an idea of how much to cut, such as by saying you want around an inch off. Be specific about where you want the hair to be cut off. For example, if you like your hair shorter on the sides and longer on the top, you have to say so.

Bring a picture

You may have noticed that your girlfriend brings dozens of pictures of celebrity hairstyles with her when she gets her hair done. It turns out that men can do this too. Your hairdresser will have a much better idea of what you are after if you bring in a picture, rather than try to describe what you want. Of course, you have to be realistic. You cannot bring in a picture of a curly cut if your own hair is straight. Your hairdresser is more likely to be able to reproduce the cut in the picture if you have a similar hair type to the example.

No product

You want to make your hair easy to work with in order for the hairdresser to do their best work. Wash your hair before your appointment, allowing time for it to dry thoroughly. Do not use any products on your hair that day.

Ask how to style it

Once your cut is done, ask your hairdresser for recommendations on how to style it. There may be particular products that they recommend, which you never would have even considered using.

Maintain it

Each strand of hair on your head grows at its own rate. This means that when your hair grows, you do not end up with the exact same style except longer. Getting regular cuts is important to keep your hair looking neat and styled. The longer your hair, the more time you can leave between cuts. A reasonably short haircut will require a trip to the hairdresser every four to six weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows.