“Just give me something that suits me” is the hardest instruction a stylist can get. It sounds easy, but it hands over every decision with zero information to work from. The haircuts people love most usually start with a client who came in with a clear sense of what they wanted, even if they couldn’t name the exact style.
Figuring out what haircut you should get isn’t about picking a photo off the internet and hoping it translates. It largely comes down to three things: your face shape, your hair’s natural behavior, and how much time you’re realistically willing to spend styling it.
Start With Your Face Shape
Face shape is the foundation. Oval faces can often wear almost anything, round faces can benefit from height and angles, square faces can be softened with layers, heart faces can balance with volume near the jaw, and oblong faces usually need width more than length.
If you’re not sure which shape you are, our complete guide to hairstyles for your face shape walks through how to measure the width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline and compare that to your overall face length.
This is useful information to bring to a consultation, but it’s not the full picture. Plenty of great haircuts break the rules because the stylist adjusted for texture, density, or how the client actually wears their hair day to day.
Be Honest About Your Hair’s Natural Texture
A cut that looks incredible on straight, fine hair can behave completely differently on thick, curly hair. Before you decide what you want, get honest about what your hair actually does when you don’t style it.
If your hair air-dries into waves, a cut designed for pin-straight styling will fight you every morning. If it’s fine and low-density, heavy layers can leave it looking flat rather than voluminous. Curly or coily hair often needs a completely different cutting approach than straight hair, since curls shrink and fall differently than straight strands.
Telling your stylist “This is what my hair does on its own” is more useful than describing a style you saw online. They can translate that into a cut that works with your texture instead of against it.
Factor In Your Real Maintenance Level
The best haircut for you is one you’ll actually keep up with. A style that looks perfect in a salon chair but requires 20 minutes of daily blow-drying isn’t going to look that way three weeks from now if that’s not your routine. How often you need trims varies by cut and hair type, which is worth factoring in alongside daily styling time.
Be realistic here. If you wash your hair every other day and rarely use hot tools, say so. If you’re willing to invest in styling time for a specific look, say that too. Both are valid, and both lead to very different recommendations.
- Low maintenance: blunt cuts that grow out cleanly, cuts that work air-dried, longer layers with minimal shaping
- Medium maintenance: face-framing layers, curtain bangs, shoulder-length cuts with some shape
- Higher maintenance: precision cuts like sharp bobs or short pixies that need regular trims to hold their line, full bangs that need frequent upkeep
How to Actually Talk to Your Stylist
Walking into a consultation with a mix of these three things gives your stylist real material to work with. Try this approach:
- Bring one or two reference photos, but frame them as “I like the shape of this” or “I like how short this is,” not “I want this exact look.” Hair texture, density, and growth pattern mean the same cut rarely translates exactly from one person to another.
- Describe your daily routine honestly. Mention how much time you spend styling now and how much you’re willing to spend going forward.
- Ask your stylist what they’d change about the reference photo for your face shape and hair type. A good stylist will tell you, and that conversation is usually where the best cuts come from.
- Say what you don’t want just as clearly as what you do. Phrases like “Nothing above my shoulders” or “I don’t want to deal with bangs” narrow things down fast.
What to Expect During the Consultation
At A Moment’s Peace, every new cut starts with a conversation before a single snip. Your stylist will look at your face shape, feel your hair’s texture and density, and ask about your styling habits and how much time you spend on your hair each morning. That’s the information that turns a vague idea into a cut that actually works for you.
If you’re not sure exactly what to ask for, that’s fine too. Come in with the honest basics: what you like, what you don’t, and how much time you have. The rest is what the consultation is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t know my face shape?
Bring your uncertainty to the consultation. Your stylist can identify your face shape in person more accurately than most self-assessments, especially when they can also see how your hair naturally falls.
Should I bring photos even if I’m not sure I want that exact style?
Yes. Photos are useful as a starting reference point even when you only like part of the look, like the length, shape, layers, or bangs. Just be clear with your stylist about which parts you’re drawn to.
How do I know if a big change, like going from long to short, is right for me?
Talk it through with your stylist first. They can walk you through how the shorter length would sit with your face shape and texture before you commit, and many stylists suggest a transitional length if you’re nervous about a dramatic cut.
Ready to figure out your next cut? Book a consultation with one of our stylists and bring your questions, your reference photos, and your honest routine.
