Has your last trip to the salon not gone according to plan? No need to panic. You can easily hide your bad haircut and salvage your style with a few savvy styling tips.
Here are some tips from experts in the industry on how to hide a bad haircut and keep your mane looking fab.
Key Highlights
- Go back to the salon for a quick correction when possible.
- Use updos, hats, and accessories to hide uneven layers and shape.
- Try a new part or add soft waves to blur harsh lines.
What Is Considered a Bad Haircut?
Before diving into how to hide bad haircuts, let’s clarify what is considered bad. A bad haircut can refer to a few different issues.
It could be that the layers weren’t blended properly, resulting in an uneven look. It could be one that does not complement your facial features as you thought it would. There may be an uneven weight distribution that causes one side to look lankier than the other.
Or it could simply boil down to preference, the length isn’t exactly how you wanted it, or perhaps the cut is just a bit off from what you asked for.
No matter the reason for your bad haircut, it’s not fun feeling insecure about something that’s so very visible.
Safety Disclaimer
- After bleach, perm, relaxer, or chemical dye, wait at least 2 weeks before any new chemical service. Ask for a strand test first.
- Avoid heavy extensions that pull on the roots. Consider a halo style that does not add tension at the scalp.
- If you shave your head, protect your scalp daily with SPF 50 sunscreen and a hat.
Reason Why You Get a Bad Haircut
There are many reasons why you may have received a bad haircut from your stylist or ended up not liking the haircut you got even though your stylist executed it correctly. A few of those reasons might be:
- You went to a bad salon or an inexperienced hairstylist
- Bad communication between you and the stylist
- Your stylist rushed through the cut, resulting in uneven lines and an overall lousy finish
- Poor knowledge of how to execute a specific cut or lack of experience
- The stylist does not know how to work with the texture of your hair (i.e., naturally curly hair)
- You or your hair stylist misjudged a cut you assumed would look good on you
- Your hairstylist was having an off day and made a mistake
- You can’t style your hair the same way as the person in that cute Pinterest photo can
Regardless of the reasoning behind your bad haircut, it’s time to look forward and focus on how you can make the best of the situation.
How to Hide a Bad Haircut
Men and women who experience a bad haircut can feel a bit defeated. However, it’s important to remember that there are many methods to hide a bad haircut. Let’s look at how your styling skills can disguise any mishaps.
My Advice
- Take clear photos in good light and bring them to the salon if you ask for a fix.
- Ask for a small, targeted adjustment first. A full recut is not always needed.
- If your hair feels gummy, stretchy, or snaps easily, avoid “quick fixes” and get a professional assessment.
Go Back to the Salon
Maybe you realized you did not like your cut while you were still at the salon and were too shy to say anything. Or perhaps you did not see any issues until you woke up the following day and tried to style your hair.
In either case, it is never too late to go back and get the cut redone. A professional hairstylist (the same one or someone different, depending on the reason for the poor cut) may be able to correct the damage done or suggest a new cut you will like more until you can grow your hair back out and give it another go.
Wear It Up
Sometimes the best way to hide a bad haircut is just to get it off your face. Tying your hair up in a half-up, ponytail, bun, or braid is an easy way to disguise how your locks are cut. This can help hide uneven layers or an unbalanced shape.
Utilize Hats
Hats are an effortless and foolproof way to disguise a bad haircut. Not only will they help you feel more confident after a less than perfect cut, but they also serve as a great addition to fashion styles and allow you to play around with unique and fun looks.
Whether rocking a beanie, fedora, baseball cap, or Panama hat, you’ll be able to conceal your lousy haircut and still look fabulous.
Try Accessories
Accessories, similar to hats, are a fun and easy way to help you feel more comfortable with your cut. Try experimenting with headbands, barrettes, clips, colorful scarves, and pins to help you cover how your hair is cut.
Style It Differently
Play around with how you style your hair and see if there is a way to make it look good while you wait for it to grow back out. Suppose you’re not satisfied with how your hair looks when straight; try curling or waving it instead.
You can also try changing your part to see if that helps. If your hair is layered, try playing around with how you layer the sections of your hair to create more of a voluminous look.
If your bangs are too short, try a simple twist and pin: twist the fringe to one side, then secure it with a bobby pin close to the part. Finish with a light mist of hairspray.
If your layers look choppy, add soft bends with a curling iron or straightener, then brush them out. This blurs harsh lines and makes the shape look more intentional.
Play Around with a Design
If you have a shaved or buzzed area, a fun and creative way to make it look intentional is by adding a design. This gives you a chance to turn that bad haircut into a stylish one, and who knows, you may even start a new trend.
Use Texturizing Products
Texturizing products like mousses, light pomades, and texture sprays are great ways to hide a bad haircut. You can use them to add volume and grip, making it easier to style how you want or how your hairstyle originally should’ve looked.
Safety Note
Sea salt spray can be drying. Use it only if your hair is healthy. If your ends are dry or frizzy, use a hydrating cream or leave in conditioner instead to hide the damage.
Try Hair Color
Adding a pop of color to your hairstyle is an easy way to distract from a bad haircut. Whether you go bold with fun hues like pink, blue, and purple or keep it low key with subtle highlights, this is an easy way to help you feel more confident about how your hair looks.
Safety note
Do not dye your hair for at least 2 weeks if your bad haircut involved any chemical processing (bleach, perm, relaxer, or a recent color service). Ask a colorist to do a strand test first.
For general safety guidance on hair dyes and reactions, see the U.S. FDA hair dye information page.
Wear Hair Extensions
Extensions are an excellent temporary solution depending on what the issue is. This is a great option if you have uneven layers or have eliminated too much length that you can’t necessarily recreate with a new style.
Safety Note
Avoid heavy clip ins, sew ins, or tight installs if your hair is brittle or very short. Too much tension can lead to traction alopecia. Consider “halo” extensions that sit on a wire and do not pull at the roots.
These extensions will help you recreate how your hair looked before the cut and will last until your hair grows out. Make sure to choose ones that match your hair color and texture, so they look natural and blend in easily.
Shave It
Shave it off if you feel bold, or if you do not mind a buzzed or shaved cut. Depending on how much hair you have to work with, this is probably the quickest way to hide a bad haircut and turn it into a stylish look.
Safety Note
If you shave your head, you MUST apply SPF 50 sunscreen to your scalp daily. Your scalp skin has likely never been exposed to the sun and can burn quickly. A hat helps, too.
This way, your hair will grow back evenly and healthier, and you can start fresh and new.
What to Do with a Bad Haircut That’s Too Short?
Many would agree that hiding a bad haircut with long hair is easier. If your haircut is too short for your liking, here’s what you can do:
- Wear a hat
- Accessorize with clips and other hair accessories
- Use more bobby pins to keep a style in place
- Use temporary hair color spray to touch up short patches of hair (skip this if your hair is chemically damaged)
- Dye your hair a different color to take the focus away from the cut (wait at least 2 weeks after any chemical service, and get a strand test)
- Style it differently
- Cut it shorter, but focus on precision
- Wait 3 to 4 weeks for it to grow out
Notes
As you can see, there are various ways you can play around with if you are wondering how to hide a bad haircut. Try a few of these methods and see which works best for you while you wait for it to grow.
Be careful not to do any further damage while trying to correct any mistakes, and pair these quick fixes with other methods that will keep your hair healthy and help it grow back faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we’ll answer some of the most commonly asked questions regarding bad haircuts.
A haircut itself usually does not damage the way your hair grows. It can leave uneven ends or a shape that is hard to style. Hair damage is more often linked to chemical services, heat styling, or tension from tight styles.
The amount of time it takes for a bad haircut to grow out can vary from weeks to months. Bad men’s haircuts usually grow out in 4 weeks, whereas women’s cuts may take 2-3 months for new growth to cover the mistakes.
You can always talk to a professional about products, vitamins, and haircare routines that will help your hair grow faster and healthier.