Weve probably all had the experience, at some time or other, of walking out of a hair salon full of dismay and disappointment at our new look! This doesnt have to happen again.

Talking with your hair stylist

Do be honest in this discussion! If you dont want to spend hours every day fixing your hairstyle, be sure to let her know. Listen if she makes suggestions.

If you know what haircut and style you want, its easiest if you can show your hair stylist a picture of it. You could browse the many hairstyle websites and print one for yourself, or find one in a magazine. This will help avoid misunderstandings.

If you cant find such a picture, the salon will have a binder or catalog which may give at least an approximate image. A common complaint is, She cut too much off. So to indicate how much you want cut off, place your hand at the right position, rather than saying Cut about 2 inches off. Have your hair stylist step back and get a good idea of how much you want cut off.

Be sure and listen if she suggests that your desired cut and style will look different on you than it does in the picture; she has a lot of experience!

If youre not sure what you want

Again, look through the binder of possible styles and discuss ideas with your hair stylist. Dont just say, You decide; do whatever you think is best. You dont want to invite experimentation! On the other hand, your stylist has a lot of information and could make suggestions you might never have thought of. It helps if you know what shape your face is.

How to discover your face shape

Using a flexible tape measure, make the following measurements and write down the results:

1. Across your forehead at the widest place, about half way between your eyebrows and your hairline

2. Across your cheeks from the edge of one cheekbone to the edge of the other

3. Around your jawline, between where its widest on each side

4. From our top hairline to the tip of your chin

Compare those numbers. The face shapes are:

Round: Approximately as wide as it is long

Oval: Greater length than width

Long: Length is 1 times the width

Heart-shaped: Wide at the forehead and cheeks and more narrow at the jaw. Often has a pointed chin.

Square: Equally wide at the forehead, cheeks and jaw

Diamond: Wide at the cheeks and more narrow at the jaw and forehead

Then what?

Now theres a decision as to whether youd like to camouflage your faces shape, or allow it to be what it is. Some hair stylists recommend hairstyles that will lengthen a round face, for example, or widen a long one. But if you like the shape of your face, why hide it? This is a personal decision, and your thoughts can be shared with your hair stylist.

Some general tips

A short or cropped style will help a short neck to look longer, as will long hair piled up

Hair close around the face will help camouflage a double chin

A short cut will look good on a person with a well-formed neck, delicate features, firm jaw, and / or a well-shaped head. Those features will show to advantage when theyre not shadowed or covered by hair

Long hair will look good on a person with very healthy, shiny hair, and if its cut in an up-to-date style and doesnt fall below the cleavage.

Layered cuts can soften facial features

A chin-length cut of straight hair will look good on a long face, as will curls and waves, but not styles which pile the hair up

A short, wispy cut will look good on a round face

A short, spiky cut will look good on a square face, as will any sleek style that extends below the jawline

Jacquelyn, the office manager at Salon Cabochon in Sacramento, CA, told a story recently of a friend of hers, Marge, who had been unemployed for nearly a year. The friend came in desperation to Jacquelyn. Would you give me a whole new look, Jacquie? Ive spiffed up my resume and clothes and makeup. So it must be my hair thats the problem!

A salon stylist assessed Marges facial shape, hair texture, and general silhouette, then created a soft wavy style very different from the previous short crop. The following week, Marge got a job! Was it her improved appearance? Her increased hope and confidence? Who knows, but it worked!