Cutting your hair is a very personal experience. A good haircut can make you look like a new person while a bad hair cut can send you running from the salon in tears. If the backlash of Keri Russell’s surprise haircut during the filming of Felicity is any indicator, we’re all a little sensitive about our locks.
While cutting blunt bangs a la Zooey Deschanel or getting a fun pixie cut like Michelle Williams seems like a good idea, there are several things to take into consideration before chopping your hair.
Hair Texture
If you have curly or wavy hair, the longer it is the more the curl will be weighed down and stay under control. The more you cut and layer, the more it’s going to bounce up. In other words cutting it shorter may actually make it harder to style. Especially if you often flat iron or like it straight. Cutting bangs will also be a real challenge to blow out and straighten. A pixie cut may also be a bad idea for curly haired gals.
On the flip side, if you have fine hair be careful about razoring or layering your hair. This will actually make it appear thinner.
Always take your natural texture into consideration before cutting your hair. While a style make look good on someone else, if they don’t have the same texture as you, it could lead to disaster.
Cowlicks
Cowlicks are hair patterns which cause follicles to forcefully go in one direction. Oftentimes it’s very difficult to get a cowlick to go opposite of its natural growth. Cowlicks are most often found on the hairline and in the back of the head. Be very cautious of cutting bangs when you have a cowlick on your hairline! This can be a real hassle to control and you can end up with a strange separated bang that is difficult to style. Be sure you always let the stylist know that you have a cowlick before cutting bangs.
Hairline
As with cowlicks, taking your hairline into consideration is important. Hair tends to thin at the hairline (baby hairs) so getting thick Zooey Deschanel bangs is not always possible. You may end up with wispy areas that are difficult to style. If you have a thinner hairline you may be better off skipping the bangs or going for more of a long side swept look like Reese Witherspoon.
Ease of Style
Everyone looks great when they first leave the salon, but how easy will your new cut be to style at home? You don’t want to get a cut that makes your life harder! Which brings us to…
Discuss Your Hair Challenges with Your Stylist Beforehand
Always let your stylist know what you like and don’t like about your hair. Notify them of cowlicks, hair patterns, and problems you’ve had in the past. Tell them about cuts you liked and didn’t like. Consult thoroughly with them. Especially with new stylists who may not understand your hair yet.
