Why do hair stylists NOT do what you say?

I have heard tons of stories online about girls complaining their hair stylist gave them a cut different than what they asked for, and finally it happened to me this week too! I went in to the same Fantastic Sam's I've been going to for a year with no problems. I showed the gal my current long layers -- I like the shortest layers just 1-1.5 inches shorter than my longest layers, just to cut down on the bulk at the ends -- and told her to just give me a regular trim and keep the layers the same. When she was done, she says, "There you go! I made your layers shorter so you can see them more!" And my shortest layers are now 4-5" inches shorter than my longest layers! What the heck?!

Now I wasn't super-angry, I thought I'd go home and try the new layers and maybe I'd end up liking them. But I don't like them -- my hair is naturally wavy/poofy on the top but straighter on the bottom, so I have quite the "mushroom head" now, with thick wavy short layers on top and stringy long straight layers hanging out the bottom! It even looks weird in a ponytail, with the long straight layers hanging so far below the shorter, wavier layers. The only way I can get my hair to look good is to flat-iron it, but I don't like to do that every day. (I guess I can also twist it into some sort of bun, but that usually gives me a headache.) At least it won't take super-long to grow out the layers, and I might go back in sometime to get the long layers cut shorter to make it all closer to the same length -- I wouldn't mind having it all shorter if it made the layers look better.

So I'm still not really angry (my hair still looks better than the way-too-short cut I had a few years ago, lol), but I just don't understand why hair stylists would explicitly go against your requests like this! I wouldn't have minded if she had asked first -- heck, if she had said, "I think your hair would look better with shorter layers, could I try that?" I might have even agreed to it! (I still wouldn't have been happy with the results, but at least I wouldn't have been mad with the stylist!) For any hair stylists out there, do you have any ideas on why people do this? Do they tell you in cosmetology school to just give the customer what you think their best haircut would be without telling them, or what?

I'm sorry that happened to you. At least it's hair though - so it will grow out. I've never had a problem with my hairdresser. The last time I even brought her a picture of this super-styled cut that Jessica Simpson had and she cut it EXACTLY to a "T" of what the picture looked like. Every other time, I'm always unsure of exactly what I want so I'm always like, "Well, I kinda want something like this...with this and that" and she just goes at it and it turns out amazing every time.

This has happened to me before... My mom said "cut her split ends." Well, apparently I had 6 inches worth?! I have no idea why this happens, and it always sucks when it does. The only good part is hair does grow back! I'm sorry this happened Jennifer, and I hope it grows back soon!

I fix a lot of mess ups from chain salons. And most of the complaints like yours I here are from chain stores. A lot of stylist working in chains went there right out of school. So they do what they know from beauty school and have to learn the rest on there own.

I always try to do what the client request. Unless they tell me "Do whatever you think would look best." or something along those lines. I still talk to them a while before I do a style like that.

A majority of bad experiences is the stylist not fully consulting with the client or the client not explaining correctly what they want. Ask them to repeat your request before they start. Check if your on the same page. I repeat back to them what I think they are saying to me even when its a client I've done the same cut on before. Chains are there to get you in and out so you lose some of the communication you'd get in a regular salon.

If she did this with out consulting you first you should have told her it wasn't what you wanted. Even though it was too late after she did it. She had no excuse as to doing what she wanted and not the clients request. As a stylist, good or bad, we want to know if your happy or not before you leave the salon.

Sorry you had a bad experience but not all stylist are like that.

I'm sorry that happened! I've had similar experiences so I can empathize.

Originally Posted by Little_Lisa /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm sorry that happened! I've had similar experiences so I can empathize. ditto.
hope it grows fast or you find something cute to do with it!

Grrr You ask for 3 cm trim and they take 10 cm! The only hair dress that I've come across that doesn't do that has recently sold her business and is training to become a cop!

I've had it happen too. Luckily, I've found a hairdresser that listens to my needs and wants and does exactly what I ask her to. She even gripes about how other hairdressers don't listen to their clients.

That's why I learned to do my own hair...

I moved away from my stylist of 6 years about 4 years ago. I loved her. She was ready to dye my hair whatever color I wanted and she did it so it was a healthy as possible. She cut it the way I wanted and told me the reality of the cut I wanted on my type of hair before she would do it. She knew what I meant when I said I need it thinned (I have super thick hair.... every stylist I go to says I have the most hair they've ever seen). She was perfect for me. My mom actually still goes to her. Years later and many crappy hair stylists later I haven't found the perfect person. I've avoided massively bad haircuts lately but I need to find my perfect person. It's a headache going to get my hair cut cause I never know where to go.

I actually have simillar hair to yours and I found I like shorter layers better. But then again I went somewhere super expensive and he made it all blend really well.

But I would have pitched a fit if I where you at the salon. Try to look for someone who's good with curly/wavy hair. They tend to understand the poof factor, the fact that it gets much shorter when it dries than when it's wet, and layering better.

Yeah, I probably should have said something, but I was surprised and shy and thought that maybe I'd like it anyway ... At one point I had thought about getting shorter layers, but just never got around to it, so I thought maybe I'd go ahead and give this style a try!

And I doubt the hairdresser knew my hair was wavy on top / straight on the bottom like that -- when I went in, I had my hair blow-dried mostly straight (it still had a lot of flip on the bottom though) and in a ponytail, and when it was wet after she washed it, it hung straight down. It doesn't start getting wavy until it's half-way dry. So I guess that would be an advantage to going to the same person every time, after a while they will remember your hair type!

I'm sorry this happened to you. I always ask my hairdresser to go longer than I want just in case I don't like it.

Sorry that happened to you. I really don't think all stylist mess up on purpose. I went to a stylist once and I explained to her for about 5 minutes what I wanted. She then pulled open a magazine and showed me a pictured that looked nothing like what I asked for. From then on, I've stuck to pictures, to explain and show what I want.

I'm sorry this happened. At least it will grow back!!

Originally Posted by love2482 /img/forum/go_quote.gif . At least it will grow back!! People always say this, but somehow i never find it comforting hahahah

I'm taking hairstyling right now, and they actually teach big on "listening to the client" and giving them what they want.. it's very poor service for your stylist to have done that. I would go back and tell her it wasn't what you wanted.. and if they are at all a decent salon they will fix it for no charge or offer you some sort of discount or product..

yeah i hate when that happens. sorry to hear that.

This has happened to me. Now I specify exactly how much I want off by showing the stylist on my hair. Last time I got my hair cut I told her I was growing it long so I said I want a teeeeny tiny amount off and she heard me loud and clear. I think sometimes you have to stress to them you dont want more than necessary cut off, I think they get carried away with the snipping. Also bring a picture with you next time and say "THIS is what I want"

i had several nightmares like that over the last year! my hair was really long around April time, and seeing as the busy wedding was coming up i needed to get my hair out the way, so i got it cut. i wanted it thinned out as i have such a heavy bulk of hair, anyways, i was talking to this lovely guy who was going through the cut with me and showed an example etc etc... then 5 mins later after washing he came upt o say that he had to switch, so this little girl with limited english attempted to cut my hair... i felt like crying after she was finsihed... i did have a fit when i went to pay for it, i told them i refused to pay for the cut, only for the washing and blowdrying...

i kept my hair up in a ponytail all the way though for about 3 months, i took my chances and went to a different solan... again, i brought a picture, showed them exactly what i wanted and yet the woman just didnt want to listen. i wanted a layered wavey look, and the snipped away, didnt think anythign of it really, surely she is the expert and knows what she s doing? i brought in a picture to show exactly what i wanted, the type of wavyness, really it was wavy not curly... she then started to blowdry my hair lieka mad woman and started to curl the ends..... because my hair is thick, it turned into this poofy mess of 80's style curls... i couldnt believe it, it happened again.... i jsut left, i didnt want to put up a fight when i piad...

then about 1 month ago i watned to try it again, on recommendation i went to a different salon. everything seemed ok, she seemed to understand what i wanted... in the end she cut my fringe in a weird shape, althoguh it looked good wet lol, the layers were a bit weird, but atleast she tried to tidy up the mess the other woman left behind... overall not happy...

untill yesterday...

a friend gave me this mini makeover session with haircut and photoshoot. i was a bit sceptical, but it was at a good salon in Ocford street, so it must be good right? lol i went there, and atleast i had my friend there as she did the makeover thingy aswel, so icould ask for advice and she is the kind of person you dont want to mess around lol

so, we went in and the girl that did my hair was amazing! cut my hair in layers that actally suited my hairtype, thinned it out accordingly and she cut my fringe properly! she made my hair wavy! ha! inally someone who actually knows what theyre doing! i was sooo happy when she was finished in the end the photoshoot turned to be great, got amazing new pics of myself, yay me. its amazing how much your hair can boost your confidence

yup. that happened to me on my last cut. she totally hacked it. i told her i wanted long layers and instead, i got a shag-like cut. it was awful! now i'm in the awkward growing out stage and it just looks like a mess. so i have it up all the time.

and she wouldn't even listen to me when i tried to tell her what she did wrong. but whatever. i'm not going back to that salon!