Hey First name / you,
Have you ever gone into a hair salon all excited and asked your hair stylist for a look, shown the inspo photos you've saved for months, only to find out that you have a very slim chance of actually being able to pull it off?
Whether it's your hair texture, hair history, or hair density, your stylist probably spent a good amount of time during the consultation explaining that although you can't have what you want, they will create something better suited for you.
Being a stylist now for 8 years, I've seen this time and time again.
And it's no one's fault. Well, maybe the internet.
Social media rewards sensationalism and makes everything so over-the-top dramatic. Every post pulls you in, making you believe you can have anything you want, conveniently leaving out the real details of what went down behind the scenes.
And especially with hair accounts, where most stylists focus purely on color, it's hard to know what to choose for a haircut.
And that's why I'm here - to guide you to make the right decision 🙌
So I've rounded up FOUR tips to help you when choosing your next inspo haircut photos. 📸
✨What it truly comes down to is: Choosing similar photos to your own hair ✨
- SIMILAR COLOR 🎨
Brunettes, don't choose blonde photos. Blondes, don't choose brunette photos.
Usually it's the brunettes gravitating towards lighter hair colors because blonde just looks so good.
What makes blondes look so good is the dimension in the hair and the texture. Blonding makes hair thicker and can look more interesting than brown or black hair on camera. Darker hair lacks this dimension, and you may feel underwhelmed when the cut doesn't look as you'd imagined going in.
If you do choose a pic that's slightly different in color than your own, make a note on what you like about that picture. Is it the bang sweep? The volume? The face framing bits?
- SIMILAR TEXTURE ➰
If you have curly hair and wear your hair curly, choosing a straight or blown out pic is only going to confuse your stylist. The blow out looks awesome, but is it gonna match your texture? Do you blow out your hair every day? If the answer is no, search for “curly cuts”.
There's also the opposite - choosing a wavy, textured haircut pic when your hair is straight and doesn't sport a wave no matter what products you use.
I think it's important to spend a little time knowing your hair texture and how you like to wear your hair, because that ultimately determines what haircut would suit you best.
- SIMILAR PARTING ⌇
Whether you're looking for wispy bangs that come down covering the forehead or curtain bangs that split in the middle, choosing the correct parting can literally change your entire haircut and face shape.
If your hair naturally parts to the side, choose photos of “side swept bangs” instead of “curtain bangs”.
- SIMILAR LAYER LENGTH ↸
Finally, I've had clients show me a pic of a model with short bangs and ask for no bangs. What they loved about the photo is how pretty the model looks.
Bangs frame the face and they make the haircut.
If you don't want short layers around the face, then you want to search for “long layers” or “classic long layers”. I love using Jennifer Aniston as an example.
Pick a length that you're comfortable with around the face. Is it eyebrow? Cheekbone? Jaw line?
The layers will be connected from front to back, so when asking for layers, decide where you want them to start.
