I need a polite way to say don't trim too much!

[Scasey]

I found a wonderful stylist that I plan on sticking with for the long run. Unfortunately, she trimmed entirely too much of my hair during the last visit . During my next relaxer visit, I want to ask her to only trim 1/4 of an inch.

Has anyone been successful with getting this across to your stylist in a polite manner? If so, please help me with a kind way to ask.

 

[newflowers]

Forget polite and go with emphatic - I only want one quarter inch trimmed today. And when she says she'll she or you need more, repeat emphatically, NO only one quarter inch. Regardless of how much you like your stylist, if you want what you want, especially when it is contrary to what she wants, politeness is not the response. You don't have to be rude, but you do have to be emphatic and unrelenting in your demand - it's not a request - it's a demand.

 

[songbyrd517]

I would just reassure her that she did a beautiful job on my hair, and that I appreciate her services. But, I would be adamant that this time, she trim no more than 1/4 an inch of my hair, because I am taking very good care of my ends and trying to retain length, and do not want to sacrifice length for evenness. Also, I would also be adamant that she only trim my ends after discussing it with me first.

Maybe its just me, but I would not consider that impolite. It is your hair, and you are receiving a service. You are entitled to clarify the service that you desire. :wink2: Hope this helps!

 

[HeyItsHoney]

Say, "I am so sorry, but my cousin just had a bad experience going in for a trim so I am extra paraniod today. I really need just a QUARTER INCH trim, and can you please show me where you are going to snip when you begin so I have an idea?"

 

[Lucie]

Can you please cut no more than (and use your fingers to demonstrate) this amount? Again, I stress NO MORE THAN THIS AMOUNT!!! Thank you

 

[yuriko]

Aint no polite way to say this. Like they said, you can compliment her and let her know you plan to keep coming back for a long time, but you need to have your eyes bulge out and be firm about how much you want cut

You must ask her what she a quarter of an inch looks like to her. I am way too paranoid to let anyone trim my hair, I do it myself now. After my last 4 inch trim, I am not trusting anyone again. But if I were to get a hair dresser trim my hair that is the route I would take

 

[Crackers Phinn]

Show her with your fingers exactly how much you want trimmed.

Even though it's a universal measurement, I think people have different ideas of how long an inch is.

 

[Scasey]

Thank you all for the quick responses. You are right, there is no easy way to say it. I am going to have to stand firm because at the rate she is going, I am going to be bald by the end of the year.

 

[mscocoface]

I am probably asking a stupid question so I apologize up front.

Does your hair really need to be trimmed this time or can you go without it? How do your ends look?

 

[Lucie]

Thank you all for the quick responses. You are right, there is no easy way to say it. I am going to have to stand firm because at the rate she is going, I am going to be bald by the end of the year.

Can you trim your hair, yourself?

I part my hair in half. 5/6 braids on each side. I then line them up and snip as much off as I feel necessary. It works for me. Good luck sweetie.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

I agree w/ but I have to add that some people just don't listen. In that case I do one of three things:
1: "If you trim too much, I'm not coming back and i mean it Sarah (or insert name!" Laugh and then"Seriously though I mean it, I only want this much (say how much ) trimmed).

2. Don't get it trimmed every time you normally would. If you normally trim every relaxer, trim every other, or even every three if she's trimming enough for three visits. Tell her no thanks, or that your mom, sister, uncle, friend is getting their license and they wanted to do it this time. Or that you just don't want it done this time.

3. The finale if she just Will NOT listen, and some are like that, she's banned from trimming your hair. Tell her that your sis, uncle, friend, etc is getting their license and you promised to let them trim it from now on. Then find someone else at like super cuts or somewhere who will trim EXACTLY as you request (inexpensively unless price isn't an issue). I've been here before where I go to one person for a relaxer and another for a trim. That's before I went natural by buzzing all my hair off.

 

[Seraphina]

I agree that there's no reason really for you to worry about tact. I mean, be kind about it obviously, but you're paying for her service. She needs to do what you want.

It's a good idea to show her visually what you want but I would also say, in maybe an almost passive and btw type way, "I definitely don't want as much as last time. I tried it and I just know that I like to keep more length."

 

[oooop2]

I trust that you will find the right ways in which to express yourself

How are you???

 

[Scasey]

I am probably asking a stupid question so I apologize up front.

Does your hair really need to be trimmed this time or can you go without it? How do your ends look?

No, it didnt need to be trimmed but I wanted it touched up a tweeny weeny bit for a little versatily since my hair handles better when I have a fresh trim. I wear scrubs and my hair and make up are the only things that I can spruce up.

Now I lost about 1 1/2 of hair, I am not trippin but I don't want this to happen again. So I am going to have to use the advise given by my LHCF sistas and demonstrate to her the amount I would like trimmed.

 

[naijanikki]

Great question!! I'm having the same issue myself! I was actually considering just going somewhere else for trims (like supercuts) and keep my stylist for relaxers...Good luck!

 

[Scasey]

Can you trim your hair, yourself?

I part my hair in half. 5/6 braids on each side. I then line them up and snip as much off as I feel necessary. It works for me. Good luck sweetie.

I have tried but I have been unsuccessful trimming them myself. I can go to town on my bangs but I get nervous with the rest of my heaad.

 

[Nonie]

Aint no polite way to say this. Like they said, you can compliment her and let her know you plan to keep coming back for a long time, but you need to have your eyes bulge out and be firm about how much you want cut

You must ask her what she a quarter of an inch looks like to her. I am way too paranoid to let anyone trim my hair, I do it myself now. After my last 4 inch trim, I am not trusting anyone again. But if I were to get a hair dresser trim my hair that is the route I would take

at the bold! Where were you when I was getting my hair hacked off my head?

 

[discobiscuits]

YOU: "I would like you to only trim 1/4 inch off today. Thanks."
Be friendly and smile while also demonstrating 1/4 inch on a ruler that you brought as a visual aid.

 

[vtoodler]

Just say point black, "please only trim split ends and nothing more than that." If you're too polite, she may not get the message.

 

[Nonie]

Just say point black, "please only trim split ends and nothing more than that." If you're too polite, she may not get the message.

Vtoodler, what if her eyes magnify split ends? I think one needs to be more specific. She might think she saw 5 inch splits.

 

[soulie]

I've had a method of dealing with new stylists for many years. When I ENTER the salon, I make a point of taking a little stack of my stylist's business cards. I tell the stylist, I am going to pass these out when I leave: if I look good it'll be great for your business; if you mess it up and I'm not happy, I'm still going to pass out your cards, along with my comments on your work. YOUR CHOICE. After this, the stylist is usually quite considerate about asking me what I want, how I want it, when I want it, if I want it, etc. (this will include trimming)

 

[newflowers]

I've had a method of dealing with new stylists for many years. When I ENTER the salon, I make a point of taking a little stack of my stylist's business cards. I tell the stylist, I am going to pass these out when I leave: if I look good it'll be great for your business; if you mess it up and I'm not happy, I'm still going to pass out your cards, along with my comments on your work. YOUR CHOICE. After this, the stylist is usually quite considerate about asking me what I want, how I want it, when I want it, if I want it, etc. (this will include trimming)

TAKE THAT!!!

 

[mscocoface]

I've had a method of dealing with new stylists for many years. When I ENTER the salon, I make a point of taking a little stack of my stylist's business cards. I tell the stylist, I am going to pass these out when I leave: if I look good it'll be great for your business; if you mess it up and I'm not happy, I'm still going to pass out your cards, along with my comments on your work. YOUR CHOICE. After this, the stylist is usually quite considerate about asking me what I want, how I want it, when I want it, if I want it, etc. (this will include trimming)

This has got to be the most effective method of getting the customer service you want for your hair I have ever heard of.

Love it!!!

 

[hillytmj]

Great question!! I'm having the same issue myself! I was actually considering just going somewhere else for trims (like supercuts) and keep my stylist for relaxers...Good luck!

This is what I do, and I've had better results there than with my stylist. I love the way she relaxes my hair, but she is not allowed to bring a pair of scissors anywhere near my hair. She overtrimmed/cut my hair one too many times and kept me at NL for almost two years.

 

[diligence]

I found a wonderful stylist that I plan on sticking with for the long run. Unfortunately, she trimmed entirely too much of my hair during the last visit . During my next relaxer visit, I want to ask her to only trim 1/4 of an inch.

Has anyone been successful with getting this across to your stylist in a polite manner? If so, please help me with a kind way to ask.

How specific were you with her the last time when she cut too much off? You can use that to gauge just how specific you need to be this time...for instance, if last time you specifically told her you only wanted 1/4 inch trimmed off, and she took of 1 1/2 inches, well then you are going to have to tell her that the last time she took too much off, and she'll need to show you what she thinks 1/4 inch looks like. Don't subject yourself to being unhappy just because you thought she might be offended by this simple request. I know it can be difficult for some of us, but she's supposed to be catering to YOU...you can do it!

 

[CurlyMoo]

I'm sorry, my advice would be to NOT allow her trim your hair but to trim it yourself or go to a barber shop and let a man trim your hair. Based on my experience men like long hair on a woman and are more inclined to cut as little as possible. And you won't have to wash your hair for him to trim it. You could schedule two appointments back to back, have your regular stylist do what she does best and then go to the barber right after and let him trim. But be specific about what you want. Ask a guy friend to recommend one.

If you decide to trim your own hair there are some good tutorials that can help you. Here is one of my favorite tutorials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDqE7lroMM4

Good luck and HHG!

 

[darlingdiva]

Thank you all for the quick responses. You are right, there is no easy way to say it. I am going to have to stand firm because at the rate she is going, I am going to be bald by the end of the year.

If she's been consistently trimming more than she's supposed to, you might want to think about leaving her. A few years ago, I used to go to a stylist who would "trim" my hair every other time that I went to her (basically once a month). Then she had the nerve to tell me that she didn't know why my hair wasn't growing b/c all of her other clients had hair down their back. That whole situation was completely my fault. I should have been firm w/ her; instead, I was worried about sparing her feelings.

 

[Faith]

Bring a tape measure. I know it seems extreme BUT some don't know what 1" is, etc. Bring it and show her 1" or whatever so there're no suprises. You can also use your finger. The first "notch" on your middle finger is about 1". Appropriate finger if anything goes wrong But either way saying don't trim too much is not impolite, right?

 

[SmilingElephant]

This s why i have stopped going to the salon for about a year.

 

[BlondeByDesire]

How do you self-trim when you're trying to grow out layers? This is the problem I face - I desperately need a trim - but I have layers.