23 Haircuts Women Regret After the First Wash

23. The Razor-Cut Bob On Fine Hair

If your hair is fine, be careful of a shape that has been styled with a round brush and cut with a razor. These can be lovely in the chair but can wash out stringy and thin.

Ask yourself if you’re willing to take thirty minutes to smooth, spritz and flat-iron your hair. It’s best to avoid cuts that are very salon-dependent.

Take note of a shape that has lots of body in the chair but falls apart when washed. It’s important that fine hair has a strong line at the perimeter otherwise, it can fall apart during the day.

22. Heavy Bangs Cut Too Short

Be careful of short blunt bangs as these can be lovely in the chair but won’t behave after a shampoo or a night’s sleep.

Start out longer, erring on the side of caution, as bangs can always be taken away but you can’t add them back.

Silver hair can be coarser in texture along the hairline and may not respond to your usual brushing routine.

21. A Pixie With No Softness Around The Ears

Pixies can wash up shorter-looking than expected. Try on your everyday earrings at the end of the cut to make sure the hair around the ear doesn’t look too severe.

Be careful to have some length around the forehead and the side by the ear for styling purposes and to add softness.

20. The Shag With Too Many Short Layers

The carefree shag can be a nightmare in the morning. It requires each and every strand to be perfectly placed and dried, usually by your stylist’s magical hands.

Be wary of lots of shorter layers around the crown and cheekbone as these may not lay down at home or may poof.

Ask yourself if you’re happy to pin your hair up each morning. Incorporate the idea of grown-out and softer layers which will work with the movement of the wave.

19. A Stacked Bob That Needs Daily Round-Brushing

Ask yourself, will this shape lay well at home, particularly at the back? Bobs with stacked layers at the back can be round-brush dependent.

Ask yourself if you’d like a shape that requires a lot of upkeep, such as short back lengths that flip out or deflated crowns once the initial salon styling has been undone. Angled shapes and bobs that have been stacked high require regular trips to the salon to maintain the shape.

Opt for a soft bob with a gentle stack and softer nape area. This will still add dimension and lift but won’t deflate at home.

18. Face-Framing Layers That Start Too High

Avoid the temptation to have lots of pieces that are angled towards the face from a high point as these can curl forwards and get in the way of your eyes. These cuts can also highlight any thinning around the temples.

It can be tempting to ask for layers to add some body or movement. Go easy on the layers, especially if you have finer hair. Unless you’re going for bangs, face-framing layers should begin at the cheekbone or lower. Opt for a more gradual blend and softer shape that doesn’t expose any thinning.

Remember that hair can shrink as it dries so it’s always better to leave hair longer. Hair can always be cut but not put back.

17. A Chin Bob On Hair That Shrinks

A jaw-length bob that’s gorgeous in the salon may ride up near your ears once you wash it and let it dry naturally.

Wavy or curly hair can shrink up quite a bit as it dries, so make sure you take that into account before settling on length.

Always play it safe, it’s easier to take more off later if necessary.

16. The Cut That Fights Your Glasses

Wear glasses? Bring them with you so you can be sure of how they interact with your new look.

Otherwise, you might be surprised to find that they’ve unintentionally created an accidental layer where the temple meets your new bob. Deliberate is good. Accidental is not. Read more: glasses frames that can date your face.

Have your stylist consciously style the hair either out of the way of your glasses or styled to fall over them. Either way, they should be included when assessing your haircut.

15. A Lob Thinned Out At The Ends

Ask about length and weight in the perimeter. This is especially important with fine or thinning hair. Length and weight at the ends needs to be balanced for the cut to look its best after washing. If your stylist has used too much of a razor, ends will be over-thinned and can make your lob look see-through around the perimeter.

Movement belongs in the body of the haircut, not at the ends; ends should be healthy and strong. A well-executed lob can graze your collarbone.

14. The Trend Cut That Does Not Match Your Routine

Show-and-tell doesn’t always translate. If you bring a photo from a website or any other hair-inspiration site, realize that it’s important to describe your hair’s natural texture to your stylist so they can help you figure out if you’ll be able to recreate the look. Many times, waves are hand-dried into place and professional lighting and cameras can be deceiving.

Be sure to discuss your everyday styling options with your stylist. If you have five minutes in the morning to fuss with your hair, let them know. Read more: easy haircuts that still look good without much styling.

If you’re not going to blow-dry your hair, say so. The goal is to leave the salon with a haircut that looks great, especially when you wake up on a Tuesday.

13. A Short Cut That Removes Too Much Crown Weight

A short cut still needs some weight at the crown. Take too much away and the top can look flat after washing.

If your hair is fine or thinning, ask your stylist to leave enough structure up top to support the shape. Read more: hairstyles that make thin hair look thicker after 50.

More product isn’t always the answer. Sometimes the crown just needs a little more length to work with.

12. Curtain Bangs Without Enough Length

Curtain bangs can be difficult to manage after washing if cut too short. Once washed, they form two triangular shapes that look like wings.

It’s better to have the shortest part of bangs at the cheekbone instead of the forehead, making them easier to manage during growth. They can be pinned, tucked, clipped.

Also, bangs are best dried over the correct part before you leave the salon, saving you from unpleasant surprises once they spring forward during air-drying at home.

11. A Haircut That Changes Your Neckline Overnight

Cutting off a great deal of length has a dramatic effect on necklines, collars, scarves, jackets.

What looked fabulous in the mirror may seem strange when you leave the salon. Give yourself a couple of days to adjust to shorter hair before blaming the haircut. Read more: outfit mistakes that can make women over 50 look older.

If contemplating a dramatic shorter cut, bring along a shirt or blouse to wear over the cape in order to judge length and shape around the neckline, chest, shoulders.

10. The Cut That Ignores Your Natural Part

A skilled stylist will take into consideration where your hair grows when cutting layers, particularly around the nape of the neck.

It’s helpful if your stylist sees your natural part, cowlicks and any areas where hair falls forwards. Once styled and hidden during blow-drying, it’s easy to miss those areas which will resurface once you get home and wash your hair, throwing off the balance of layers in your haircut.

It’s important to ensure that your stylist understands how your hair falls when you leave the chair, not only in terms of how they’ve parted and cut it, but also the shape of your head and your cowlicks, especially if they’re unpredictable.

9. A Blunt Cut On Very Thick Hair

Fine hair sometimes needs blunt lines around the perimeter of a cut to give more body and structure. Very thick or coarse hair needs attention paid to the weight underneath the top layer. Take away too much weight, the ends of hair can look ragged. Leave it all in place and hair balloons out into a triangle-shaped puff upon washing.

Both extremes can be avoided by a skilled use of scissors and/or a razor to remove weight without thinning the perimeter of hair.

8. The Severe Cut Paired With Heavy Shoes

Similarly, if you usually wear heavy boots and plan on getting a bold, short haircut, try the two together at home before making a judgment. A fresh, severe haircut with pointed-toe pumps can look a bit like an angry bee.

Soften up with ballet flats or espadrilles and wear it in jeans and a T-shirt for a couple of days before making a decision. Read more: shoe choices that can make outfits look older.

It can feel like it’s the haircut’s fault when it’s really an issue of finding balance in your ensemble.

7. A Short Haircut That Makes Every Bag Feel Bigger

Accessories need adjusting when hair has been chopped. Bags, especially large ones, appear bigger without all that length. Shoulder straps suddenly seem thicker.

Earrings need resizing. Give yourself a couple of days to adjust to shorter hair before blaming the haircut. Read more: handbag choices that can make outfits look cheap.

Change up scarves, try smaller earrings or a less fussy handbag, loosen up necklines a bit, wear more casual jackets and sweaters and find a balance.

6. The Beachy Textured Cut That Looks Dry At Home

Many times, what you see reflected back at you from the mirror isn’t really a testament to the cut, but to all of those heat tools that were applied to create a super-beachy effect. If you don’t want to recreate that look each morning, make sure that some of the texture is actually in the haircut.

If you’re concerned, ask your stylist to show you the style without any of the styling aids to make sure you love the way it lays when it’s just you and your stylist’s craft.

And while texturizing can create some wonderful effects, too much thinning can make coarse, highlighted, or gray hair look scraggly and overly-dry once it’s washed.

5. The Haircut You Cannot Pull Back

Will you miss that length? You may be tempted to finally make that choppy bob happen, but consider all of those times you’ve wished you could pull your hair up – whether for a family portrait, to keep it out of your face while cooking or gardening, or on a particularly muggy travel day.

Maybe you don’t need it in ponytail territory, but it’s important to communicate to your stylist how much length you’d like to preserve to wear in a chic, low clip or pulled up just at the crown for a cute half-up/half-down option. Read more: carry-on essentials for long flights.

You’ll get the change you’re craving, but still have options for a polished look.

4. A Big Change Right Before A Major Event

Are you making major changes right before a special occasion? If you’re getting married, heading on a cruise, or simply planning a fun family photo op, resist the urge to make significant changes to your look right beforehand.

If you’ve been thinking of altering your color or cutting off some major length, schedule an appointment a few weeks in advance so you can see how it lays when it’s air-dried, make any needed tweaks, and walk into your special event feeling confident about how it will look.

If you’re not quite ready for a major overhaul, go ahead and schedule an appointment to trim or tone up the color – but save the big changes for another day.

3. The Cut Chosen From A Decades-Old Photo

Is the photo you’re bringing from a previous haircut still right for you? We all have that perfect pixie we rocked years ago, but circumstances change. Maybe your hair’s lighter, your face slimmer, your lifestyle busier. Consider why you liked that ‘do in the first place.

Was it the way it swept back from your face? Its tousled softness? The way it framed your neck? Share those details with your stylist, along with an up-to-the-minute photo that demonstrates those characteristics, so she can recreate it to complement your hair, face, and lifestyle as it exists today.

2. The Bargain Trim That Quietly Changed The Shape

Are you clear on what you’re asking for? Sometimes, the simplest sounding instructions – for example, just clean it up – can be interpreted differently by your stylist.

To avoid inadvertent nixing of lengths in the front or removing too much weight throughout, be clear about what shouldn’t be thinned out, and indicate where the longest layer should hit.

1. The Haircut That Only Works With A Salon Blowout

35 minutes of stylistic genius, lots of heat and manipulation at the roots and ends, copious applications of texture-enhancing sprays and creams…and you’re in love with your new look. But then you go home and wash your hair, and…regret.

To avoid surprises later, ask your stylist how she envisions the cut when it’s rough-dried or air-dried, as opposed to blow-dried or heated into shape. If your idea of beauty requires lots of tools to achieve, be sure it’s one you’re willing to replicate on a regular basis.