MetaChat - Help me help my hair.

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05 December 2008

Help me help my hair. →[More:] It's one of those haircut posts.

I'm getting one tomorrow. I don't speak the language of hair, so I don't know what to ask for.

Are there any good websites with examples of hair "styles" that don't require styling? Because I don't do styling. All the sites I'm finding are How to Look Like Jennifer Anniston OMG and that is decidedly what I do not want. It'd be easier, though, if I could find an example to print out and point to, rather than having to explain what I want.

Complicating factor: The hair in question is curly.

"Thank you," she said meekly.

post by: mudpuppie at: 17:44 | 26 comments

How long is your hair now and how much do you want to cut off?

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 05 December | 17:47

You have great hair.

posted by danf 05 December | 17:47

It's longish. Maybe 6" below my shoulders? As a consequence, I always wear it pulled back. Because not only does it grow down, it grows out. Another problem is that it takes forEVER to dry, so I hate showering in the winter. I need to get my hair cut to encourage acceptable personal hygeine.

I'd like it maybe just above my shoulders, but the growing out factor comes into play again, so something needs to be done to it to keep my hair from being wider than my body. I just don't know what that something is. As I said, it can't involve anything more than blowdrying (which I only do to keep from freezing to death anyway).

And thanks, danf, but some of it needs to go.

posted by mudpuppie 05 December | 17:50

I don't know a lot about curly hair, but I think my cousin has great hair (it used to be a little shorter in the back). I don't even think she blow-dries most of the time; just rubs in some styling cream.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 05 December | 17:54

Oh, that would be very good.

I'd feel weird printing out flickr photos of someone's cousin, though. How would I explain that cut to the stylist?

posted by mudpuppie 05 December | 17:57

You could do it more or less like this.

Her hair is a bit less wavy than yours but it's a thought.

posted by danf 05 December | 17:59

I like the cousin's hair. It's a good look. Cousin's hair seems to have layers and is above her shoulders (though is probably many inches shorter when it's wet).

I think you could say, "Cut off x amount of inches and put in some layers. I want to be able to put in some styling creme and go."

posted by LoriFLA 05 December | 18:31

Layers intimidate me. I'm not sure why. I think it's because I don't know exactly what I'll get if I ask for them.

posted by mudpuppie 05 December | 18:36

Totally bring pictures from flickr. This woman seems to have good hair.

posted by Stewriffic 05 December | 18:48

What you should get with layers and curly hair is a non-triangular haircut. So the opposite of Roseanne Rosannadanna hairs.

posted by Stewriffic 05 December | 18:50

Hmm. When I picture the opposite of Roseanne Rosannadanna, I picture Vanilla Ice. Been there, done that.

I really like the TPS cousin 'do. I just need to know how to translate it. Still feel creepy about taking a picture, but maybe I'll do it.

posted by mudpuppie 05 December | 18:54

When the hairdresser tapes the picture to the mirror to work from, just don't put a lit candle or food offering in front of it and it'll be totally non-creepy, I promise you.

posted by danf 05 December | 18:59

mudpuppie - just bring in the picture! Seriously, I don't think the hairstylist will think it's weird. It's the only way to get what you want. (every time I try to say "short, layers", I get something different)

Also, can I suggest one tiny thing to add to your hair regime? It's totally nothing, especially since you're already blowdrying your hair: Scrunching Gel. (This is the brand I use, but brand doesn't really matter) - I have wavy hair, and scrunching gel takes it from triangular and sad to cute and awesome.

posted by muddgirl 05 December | 19:07

Your stylist will NOT think it's weird if you bring in a photo, and won't know if it's a photo of your best friend or a friend's cousin or a complete stranger.

I have curly hair, too, (or did, until it turned gray and the texture changed). I agree that layers are the trick to getting past the triangle-head.

(every time I try to say "short, layers", I get something different)

I don't know The Hair Words, either, but one thing that's getting me better haircuts these days: I specify roughly where the shortest and longest layers should fall. In my case, I specify that the shortest layer should hit mid-ear and the longest layer should be below the hairline on the nape.

posted by Elsa 05 December | 19:22

You can feel free to claim my cousin as your own. I'm sure she'd be honored.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 05 December | 20:20

I like the cousin hair!

And yes, bring the photo. And probably mention to your stylist about the growing out thing, and how you don't want it to do that. They will presumably have ideas about how that can be accomplished.

(The last few times I had a new stylist, I really just went in saying, "My hair is not looking good. I would like it to look good. It looks good when it's foggy, because it gets all wavy and has some body, but it looks awful when there's no fog, because it's flat and blah, and I don't like that. So I just need something to happen that will give it some body and some movement. I don't want it super-short, but I don't mind if you take off four or five inches." It sounds like you need the opposite of that speech, but I've found that describing the general feel I'm going for, without being particular about what techniques the stylist uses to get there, has worked reasonably well for me.)

posted by occhiblu 05 December | 20:36

TPS's cousin has great hair and it is so NOT weird to take a photo with you.

I am so jealous of wavy/curly hair. Mine is straight yet there's so much of it, it does the triangle thing too.

~ ~ ~

Not to hijack, but starting another thread seems weird, but I can do that if this is out of place:

I know straight hair can get cut in layers. Can you do that and still have a wash 'n' go cut? I am so not into fussing with my hair.

posted by deborah 05 December | 21:46

There's no hijack here!

Wish I could answer your question, :(

posted by mudpuppie 05 December | 22:08

I know straight hair can get cut in layers. Can you do that and still have a wash 'n' go cut? I am so not into fussing with my hair.

Yes. (Mine is.) I think it's actually easier than with a single-length cut, because the layers kind of hide how wet it is. Partly because the shorter layers dry more quickly, so the most visible part of my hair is dry first, but also because the layers look a little piece-y anyway and so the clumpy wet bits blend right in.

(At least, this is what I tell myself so that I don't have to mess with a blowdryer on most days...)

posted by occhiblu 05 December | 22:22

I know straight hair can get cut in layers. Can you do that and still have a wash 'n' go cut? I am so not into fussing with my hair.

Not only will it look good, it will keep the triangle thing from happening, by both decreasing the weight that makes the bulkiest part of your hair the bottom, and adding volume at the crown and everywhere between!

Oh! And I too like cousin's hair a lot and vote for taking her picture in.

posted by birdie 05 December | 23:34

I used hairfinder to find what I wanted, but didn't have a printer at the time. It took two visits to get what I really wanted.

But definitely take along a picture. They know how to get your hair looking "like that", and they can also tell you what could happen if they cut your particluar hair "like that" and modify it so it's more flattering.

posted by lysdexic 06 December | 00:12

Coming to this a bit late, but for what it's worth, you should not have to say "hair words" to get what you want. Take the pictures, describe your routine and what you are and are not willing/able to do, and talk about what you find difficult about your hair. The stylist should be able to listen to all that, look at your photos, and do something you like. If you're afraid of going too short, communicate that as well, and s/he can start out with it longer and take it shorter if you want.

Full disclosure: I have my hair cut by the same person, every time for the last five years. Yesterday I think I chopped off seven or eight inches (I have not had short hair for 15 years), and I wasn't at all worried about doing it because I TRUSTED her - I'm neurotic about my hair - so I hope you find someone you can trust to do this for you.

posted by Medieval Maven 06 December | 09:58

My advice: find someone good.

This is like the "doctor who barely passed med school" thing, except worse, because hair schools are way less selective. There are a lot of shitty, incompetent hairdressers out there, and since most of us don't really understand the mechanics of various hairstyles, it's hard to discern exactly why the hair stylist sucked.

I'm starting to realize that truly awesome stylists who really get it and understand what makes hair do what it does are rare, but precious.

Get a million recommendations, and ask the stylist a bunch of questions before they so much as put water to hair. Don't let them steer you directly to the sink -- make them sit with you first so they can SEE what your hair does on a normal day.

posted by loiseau 06 December | 11:52

Bring. In. A. Picture.

It's the only way to be sure your stylist knows what you're talking about.

posted by eamondaly 07 December | 00:11

How'd it go?????

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 07 December | 13:29

Update tiem, mudpuppie!!

Thanks for the input, folks.

posted by deborah 07 December | 23:12

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