10 Tips for the Perfect Cut

Recognize reality. Understanding how your hair texture, density and growth patterns governs what is and isn't possible is key. You may need to talk to your stylist about chemical services to create the proper medium before the cut happens. In other words, hair may need to be straightened or wave/curl added.

1. Talk to your stylist at length about what you want. Be sure they completely understand what your objectives are. If you don't feel comfortable, move on.
2. Listen to your stylist's feedback. They should communicate back to you what they think is appropriate and possible.
3. Have a feature you'd like to either play up? Haircuts are amazing ways to bring attention to beautiful eyes or lips, for example. The right haircut should visually direct attention to an area-almost like an arrow that tells other people, "look here!"
4. Have a feature you'd like to minimize? The great thing about hair is that it can cover just about anything. Talk to your stylist about how to minimize attention to one of your features. For example, many clients are self conscious about their ears. Making sure they're partially or completely covered by the hairstyle is a snap.
5. Use photos wisely. Showing your stylists a picture of Uma Thurman, and expecting to be Uma Thurman by the end of the appointment is unrealistic. However, there is nothing wrong with using visuals to communicate aspects of a cut such as length, texture, color, etc. that you like. They're great tools to make sure you and your stylist are on the same page.
6. Be honest about your commitment to the styling required. If you're a glamour girl and you enjoy styling products, blow drying and irons, by all means go for the diva look. However, if you want a high style look but are a wash-n-wear kind of gal, you've got two choices. 1) Suck it up and change your ways. 2) Look for a different haircut that fits your lifestyle.
7. Start fresh at least once a year. Change it up to stay on top fashion, as well as any changes that may have happened to your own hair. Age, hormones, stress, medications and a host of other factors influence how hair grows or doesn't. You may need to work with your stylist to create a different look for you based on any one of these changes.
8. Ask your stylist for the perfect products or tools to style the new cut. A new cut may mean that a new wax, brush, or iron is in order to achieve the new look. Also be sure to ask how to use them most effectively. You're a walking billboard advertisement for your stylist. They should be happy to help you out here.
9. Ever notice how re-made rooms look so much better on home-improvement shows after a simple coat of paint? Think of haircolor the same way. Haircolor can take your style from boring to BAM! The impact a great color has can not be overstated!