Bring Photos, From More Than One Angle
A picture saves more misunderstandings than any vocabulary. Bring two or three photos of the cut you want, ideally front, side and back, on someone with hair like yours: similar thickness, texture and hairline. A cut that looks full on thick hair won't look the same on fine hair. A photo of a cut you don't want helps too.
Pick photos of people whose face shape is close to yours; see celebrity haircuts by face shape.
Describe the Sides
Say whether you want a fade (down to skin), a taper (gradual, keeping some length) or the sides scissor cut. Say how high it starts (low, mid, high) and give a guard number if you know it: a number 1 is about 3 mm, a 2 about 6 mm, a 3 about 10 mm, a 4 about 13 mm. Unsure? Say 'start longer, I can go shorter'. More in fade vs taper.
Read more: Low Taper Fade vs Taper Fade vs Fade: What to Ask For
Describe the Top
Give a length in centimetres or inches, or show it with your fingers. Say how you want it to look: textured (choppy, messy), smooth (one length, sleek), layered (for movement), or thinned out (if it's thick). Say where you want the fringe to sit.
Describe the Neckline and Part
The back neckline can be tapered (fades naturally, grows out best), rounded or squared (blocked). Tell them where you part your hair and whether you want a hard part, a line shaved in.
Read more: Types of Haircuts for Men: 25 Names Explained
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Tell Them How You Live With It
Say how long you spend on your hair in the morning, what products you use, and how often you'll come back. Point out cowlicks, thin spots and anything you're self-conscious about. A good barber or stylist will change the cut to work with them.
Avoid These Phrases
'Just a trim' means 1 cm to one person and 5 to another; say how much. 'Short' and 'not too short' mean nothing without a number. 'Whatever you think' is fine only with a stylist you trust. Check the cut with the hand mirror before you leave, and speak up while it's easy to fix.
Want to see a cut before you ask for it? The free face scan in Ollie Stylist ranks haircuts for your face shape, and Ollie Pro shows them on your own photo, which makes a great reference to bring.