Post date: June 12, 2024 | Adventure
Why You Hate Your New Haircut And What To Do About It
We’ve all been there: just sitting in the salon chair and watching each strand of hair fall with grace. And then BAM, a wave of regret hits you as the barber turns you in your chair and reveals your fresh new haircut.
If you’re familiar with this feeling, or if you find that this kind of thing happens to you often, then this is the blog for you.
Sometimes, what seems like a great idea can result in disappointment. Trust me, it happens. Whether it has to do with haircuts, tattoos, buying that shiny new thing, whatever it is, sometimes the feeling of regret is inevitable.
But, for the sake of today, we’re going to be talking about why you seem to hate your haircut, the one you were all excited about and pumped up for. We’ll be deep diving into the psychology of haircut disappointment and how to avoid it.
Note: For what it’s worth, chances are that hairstyle really does look good on you, you’re just not used to it yet and haven’t given yourself a chance to acclimate to your own altered looks.
The Psychology Behind Haircut Disappointment
There are probably more than a few factors at play that is causing your anguish about your new hair style. Let’s check these factors out so we can learn how to overcome them, and check to see if any seem familiar to you.
- Expectations vs. Reality:
- Unrealistic Expectations: Unfortunately, social media has likely done more to harm our self-image than help it, and celebrity hairstyles that take hours to accomplish with trained professionals often set high standards that are simply unattainable for the average person. All we see everyday are images of ripped supermodels and celebrities with perfect hair who’s looks are carefully crafted by a skilled team of helpers. And that’s what we believe is “normal”. So, if we don’t look that way all the time, it sucks and we must be doing something wrong…apparently.
- Personal Perception: Our hair is a huge part of how we see ourselves, and even a minor change can have drastic changes that alter our overall appearance. Even if we look good with our new ‘do, if we don’t anticipate or expect the change, we may think otherwise. That’s just human nature.
- Our Fear of Change:
- Comfort Zone: We, as humans, are creatures of habit. We like to do the same thing day in and day out because it’s comfortable, less-risky, and “known” to us. And as such, we get used to seeing ourselves a certain way. New haircuts change things about how we see ourselves, and we don’t often like that.
- Social Anxiety: Even if you’re stoked about your new haircut, there’s always the social aspect that causes doubt in most cases. Most people take into account the thoughts and opinions of others. This is normal, we are pack creatures after all, however, in certain cases, this can be more damaging than anything else to our self image or opinions.
Common Reasons for Haircut Regret
There are some reasons why you may regret your haircut other than the psychological aspect of things. Take the following for example:
- Miscommunication with the Stylist: Stylists aren’t mind readers! Be specific!
- Vague Descriptions: Telling a barber or hairstylist generalisms like “just a trim” or “make me look like this (shows photo)” is a recipe for disaster. Clear communication is crucial to achieving the desired outcome. Tell them what you like about the photos, how you want the hair to look on different areas, and so on.
- Stylist’s Interpretation: Even with the clearest instructions, a stylists or barbers interpretation can vary, and is often never cemented in stone. Unfortunately, regret can stem from an interpretation of your desires taken the wrong way.
- Differences in Hair Type and Texture:
- You Don’t Have The Hair For It: Another unfortunate harsh truth is that not all haircuts are going to work with certain hair types. That just is what it is. Someone with naturally curly hair probably won’t get the results they want while trying to achieve a style that requires straight hair and vice versa. Do what you can with what you got.
- Maintenance Requirements: A hairstyle that takes an hour to make perfect is not going to last forever. I’m sorry to say that, occasionally, someone will love their hairstyle fresh from the barbershop, then wake up the next morning and hate it because your bedhead ruined the perfection. You’re going to have to put in the work to keep it the way you want it depending on the style you chose.
- Immediate Shock Factor:
- Adjusting Period: Changes take a while to get used to. When you see yourself a certain way, it’s difficult to adjust to seeing yourself differently in most cases. In this case, just give it some time! 2-3 days should do the trick.
- Styling Differences: Haircuts change when they are styled differently, if you can’t style your hair the way you want, that haircut may not be for you. Make sure to choose a hairstyle that suits you and you can handle day in and day out.
Avoiding Haircut Disappointment
- Do Your Research:
- Know What You Want: Find MANY pictures of styles you like, and take note of what you like about them. Try to find styles that match your personality and lifestyle.
- Choose the Right Stylist: Finding a good hairstylist is like finding a good tattoo artist. It takes vetting, and although some artists are great, they may not be great for you, personally. Find someone who’s work you like, and try to keep with them if they work wonders on you.
- Communicate Clearly:
- Be Specific: Be as specific as humanly possible. Tell them what kind of length, layering, texture, styling maintenance you want. Get as specific as you can to ensure they know what you’re looking for and less is up to interpretation.
- Show Examples: Make sure to have your photo references ready and available to show them with your notes on why and what you like about them.
- Understand the Process:
- Ask Questions: NEVER be too shy to ask questions about what your barber is doing or what kind of maintenance, products, or whatever you will need to keep up the hairstyle. They should gladly be able to tell you.
- Trust the Professional: Look, being your own boss is a great thing. But sometimes, you’ve got to hand the reigns over to the professional. These barbers are paid all day every day to make people look good, and they can probably tell you what would work for you based on your style, face shape, and much more. So take what they say with weight.
- Prepare for Change:
- Manage Expectations: Be ready to look different when you walk out of the barbershop. After all, you’re making a change and you want to steel yourself for that possibility.
- Give It Time: Give yourself time to rest with the new haircut and try not to jump right in to hating it! Initial impressions fade and I can’t tell you how many times I have hated a new haircut only to later realize that it looks great on me.
Conclusion
Ultimately, disliking a new haircut is a COMMON experience and really isn’t any indication about whether the haircut is bad or not unless something is SERIOUSLY wrong.
Usually, haircut regret results a combination of unrealistic expectations, preparations for maintenance, and overall lack of communication with your barber. So fix these things and you’ll be much less likely to hate that new ‘do.
Keep in mind, hair grows back, pretty quickly, actually. So CHILL and sit with your new haircut for some time before going on a rampage. Even bad haircuts now can become good haircuts later. So have patience.
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