TY
U
EA
B
Coming
Back From
A BAD
HAIRCUT
By: Rachel Richard
I knew before she was done that my instructions had been
mistaken.
As I sat in the styling chair, looking back at my dumbfounded
reflection in the mirror, I went back over the last few minutes.
My anxiety stemmed from the fact I had forgotten my reference
picture at home, so I was flying by the seat of my pants.
Not properly versed in Beauty School vernacular, I started
gesticulating wildly, pointing to various sections of hair I wanted
cut to my stylist.
“I want it shorter,” I told her. “But not too short. I want it to be
layered in the front but straighter in the back.”
I nearly stuck my fingers in her eyes as I tried to demonstrate the
various lengths of layers I wanted cut.
“For my bangs, I’d like the sides to be longer, but the front
to be straight and...” I should have taken the faraway — and
slightly alarmed — look in my stylist’s eyes as an indicator of
the looming failure of my haircut.
“Sure thing,” she readily answered, taking me aback. Twenty
minutes and about a pound of accumulated hair on the floor later,
she wheeled me around in front of the mirror. I tried to fight off
the feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach as she handed me
back my glasses. There was no denying it. Staring back at me
was a mullet that would’ve made MacGyver weep. Stunned, I
could barely utter a word. The damage was done and I didn’t
want to let her come close to me with a pair of scissors again.
We’ve all been there, in one way or the other. A haircut that
was too short, uneven, flat, thin or even too long. A new and
inexperienced stylist can sometimes be at fault, or in my case,
someone who should never wield sharp objects of any kind.
But generally, we share the blame with them. This can easily be
remedied with a trusted and recommended stylist, a consultation
appointment beforehand, and a reference picture of your desired
haircut. And don’t forget to pay attention!
If you must deal with a bad haircut, here are some tips to prevent
your head from spending the next month hidden under a hat. For
mistakes in length, try pinning back uneven or too-short bangs,
curling your layers, or adding hair extensions to add length. Try
accessorizing with headbands, scarves, and bobby pins, and play
with products to try new looks.
If after a week, the haircut hasn’t settled into your desired style,
overcome your urge to take your own scissors to your hair and
visit a proper (new!) stylist. As you wait for your locks to grow,
don’t forget to stay away from heating devices, remember to
take your vitamins and loosen your hair from tight ponytails to
expedite the growing process.
If you fall victim to a bad haircut despite these precautions, keep
telling yourself that it’ll grow back.
Photo Credit: Terri LeBlanc
24
Eventually.
Photo Credit: Alicia Robichaud