English for Haircuts

A reader writes

Dear,cynthia

I have a quetion about haircut. I just think maybe you could give me some useful sentences or conversations that i can use at the barber shop .so i can tell the hairdresser what i want.
thanks a lot!

Sincerely,
ginnie


English for haircuts - hmmm…. I am a native speaker and I need help with that, too!

My first piece of advice is: Skip the words and bring a picture!

(What does skip mean? Skip means jump over.)

It is always good to bring a picture of what you want when you visit a haircutter.

This look (Farrah - to the right) was very popular when I was in high school.

Hairstyles can be hard to describe in words.

Having said that, here is my advice about English for haircuts:

1. Give the hairstylist a picture. If you can't find a picture, draw a picture.

If you can't draw - okay, wait.

Probably you can find a picture.

2. Give the hairstylist a limit for the cut.

What does this mean?

Show the haircutter the amount he or she can cut and then NO MORE!

This is the number one, problem, right?

The hairstylist cuts too much.

All your friends say, "Don't worry. It will grow."

And then they smile.

And you feel bad.

So tell the stylist, “No more than one inch.”

Or, "No more than two inches."

You can hold up your fingers and show them, “No more than this.”

Or you can bring a ruler.

3. Talk to the stylist about your hair type.

What is hair type?

Some people have straight hair.

Some have natural wave or wavy hair.

Some people have curly hair.

Go to www.google.com/images and type "curly hair."

Then type "straight hair."

Etc.

You will see what these words mean.

Some people have hair that grows in a certain direction –

maybe the hair grows like green grass near the forehead, or straight down like a bowl over the forehead.

My mother's hair grows like a bowl over her head.

My hair grows into little devil horns at the sides of my forehead. Sometimes in the morning, the hair in those places twists up and says, "Good morning!"

My hair does not need coffee like I do.

;-)

Tell your haircutter about your hair.

“My hair is very straight.”

“My hair grows straight down.”

“My hair sticks up in the back.”

“My hair is difficult to style. It is very strong. I cannot push it into a certain style.”

Some people have cowlicks.

What is a cowlick?

A cowlick is a place on your head where the hair grows in a funny way and sort of sticks up.

After a mother cow licks her baby calf, sometimes the hair on the calf looks this way.

This is why we call this kind of hair a cowlick.

Some people have a double crown.

What does that mean?

Will they grow up to be a king and a queen?

No.

The crown is the place on the back of your head where your hair sort of begins.
Some people have two crowns.

A good haircutter will notice this.

4. Do you want a hair style that is easy to take care of?

Tell your haircutter this.

You can say, “I do not have a lot of time. I want a hairstyle that is very easy.”

Do you want to blow dry your hair? Or not?

Tell your haircutter.

Do you want to curl your hair with a curling iron or hot curlers? Or not?

Tell your hairstylist if you want an easy style or a style which needs time and energy.

4. Do you want color? Highlights? Tell your stylist.

5. Do you want to change your hair from curly to straight or straight to curly?

A perm makes straight hair curly.

Straightening makes curly hair straight.

Tell your hair stylist what you want.

In review:

Show your stylist a picture of what you want.

Tell them the limit for the cut.

Tell them about your hair type - straight, curly, double-crown, cowlick.

Tell them how much time you want to spend on your hair - a lot, a little.

Tell them if you want special changes - more curl, less curl, new color.

A hairstylist is not a mind reader.

What does this mean?

He or she cannot see into your mind.

You know what you want.

You have some picture in your mind.

Show the stylist a picture like the picture in your mind.

The hairstylist - probably - does not live with you.

He or she does not see you every day.

Maybe he or she does not know you are very busy.

You do not want a difficult style.

You want an easy style.

You must share the bathroom with twelve people!

You have ten children!

And three dogs!

Tell the stylist what you want.

Tell the stylist about your hair.

Tell the stylist how much energy you have for hair care.

Finally, ask the stylist how to care for your new style.

What should you do?

Blow dry?

Curl with curling iron?

Do you need to wrap it at night before you sleep?

How about a special comb or brush for this style?

Your hair stylist will be happy to tell you.

Maybe he or she can sell you a new comb or brush!

:-)

Hair stylists work hard.

They stand up all day.

They try to guess the pictures in people's minds.

They try to make people look and feel beautiful.

Sometimes they listen to people's problems.

Communicate with your hair stylist.

Thank them.

Tip them.

And remember:

No matter what, yes, your hair will grow.