I’m sure you've experienced it. You schedule your appointment to receive what you thought would be an impressive salon experience for both you and your curls. Instead, upon completion of the services, the stylist spins you around only for you to find your curls in a frizzy disheveled mess, the shape you desire is not apparent, and most disturbing of all, you have no defined shape. AND to top it all off, they cut off more than you expected!
The horror!
How did this happen? Did I not ask the right questions? Did I not explain that I wanted a trim and not a haircut? Should I have shown a picture? Why do my curls not look even?
This is the outcome we hear of most curly haircuts and trim experiences and the reason for this blog post. Before arriving at the salon, I’m sure you’ll have a plethora of questions. How much should I expect the stylist to cut with a trim? How much should I expect from a cut? Are they going to cut off too much? Will my curls have too much or too little volume? What’s the difference between the two and why does it matter?
Let’s be clear, a cut and a trim are not created equal. The assessment, execution, and outcome of each are significantly different. They’re priced differently for good reasons, and we’re here to explain what those differences are and what you can expect from a curly hair cut at Helix House Salon.
Beginning with the trim. Let's define what it is specifically. According to Webster’s Dictionary a trim means: to remove by or as if by cutting. This is where it gets tricky, and we understand the confusion between the two. Because scissors are involved and hair is being “cut”, one can assume the trim and cut are synonymous. This is not true. A trim is simply cutting away the ends of the hair that are dry or split. A trim does not create a defined shape or interrupt the current shape of the hair. The curl specialist does not spend time sectioning the hair or pre-planning for a final desired outcome. With a trim, we are simply following the existing lines of the current shape.
Why do you need a trim and how often should you receive trims? These are the two most asked questions. Simply put, it depends on how well you regularly maintenance your hair and how often you tend to manipulate it. We’ll begin with the latter. If you regularly shampoo and treat your hair, apply little heat as possible, little daily manipulation, and no chemicals on your natural hair, we recommend a window of every 10-12 weeks (about 3 months) for trims. With that being said, if you are one to stretch your curls on a regular basis with heat or manual manipulation (ponytails pulled with scruchies or hair clips), and or have color on your hair, the frequency is reduced to a shorter time frame. In this case, we recommend 8-10 weeks (about 2 and a half months). Why more often? Because the external factors of heat, manipulation, and chemicals wear on the cuticle causing potential weakening, drying , and splitting of the ends. This is why trims are important! Trims serve as preventative maintenance for your overall hair care regimen. Regular trims control the possibility of weakened ends splitting up the hair shaft. Over time this will result in visible thin, shorter hair because of the breakage. Trims keep the hair healthy which allows you to retain length.
A proper trim will remove the dry, brittle, and split ends of the hair. A proper trim will leave the hair looking fuller and healthier. The amount removed will depend on the time frame since your last trim and how much of the strand is damaged. There’re no specific one size fits all to how much hair will need to be trimmed. But if the standards mentioned above are adhered to, the trimming will be minimal. Possibly an 1/8 of an inch or so. We must remember that the ends of the hair are the oldest porous parts of the strands. This is why Staying on top of trims will keep the hair as healthy as possible.
Now that you understand what signifies a trim and why it’s important, Let’s move on to the cut. We’ll examine the process and contrast how it’s different from the trim.
A cut, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is to penetrate with or as if with an edged instrument. And if you scroll down on the app, you’ll find TRIM! Don’t let Webster confuse you! We’re the professionals here, lol. They are referencing the ACT, and we are referencing OUTCOME.
What can you expect from a cut at Helix House Salon and how does it differ from a trim? First off, Our curl specialist will meet you with an assessment of your hair to include your pre-filled out form. Once we’ve discussed and examined your natural curl patterns & shapes, discussed desires of volume and length, we begin the execution of the curly cut. Your hair is stretched with the blow dryer for a proper assessment of its actual length. Why stretch? Because curls hide and for the most accurate curly cut, we like to BEGIN with stretched curls for the most uniformed overall look. Now don’t get it twisted (no pun intended) we have internal cutting techniques that ensure your curls flow and are blended for the softest cut possible. After the hair is stretched, we begin to section the hair. This is the first key difference between a trim and a cut. We do not section and analyze hair in the same manner. in the case of a trim, we’re following the current lines of the hair; specific strategic sectioning is not called for. With a cut our end goal is shape, therefore we must be methodical with the way we approach the process. After the hair is cut, we then shampoo and condition the hair before setting and drying it. Once the curls are perfectly set and dryed, we will then go back in to perfect the placement of the curls. Because we understand each curl may live differently in the way it lays in length and volume within the shape on the head, this step is critical to the overall look of the final silhouette. and with that last snip, your cut is complete and you have a well-defined culry cut with SHAPE!
Creating shape is the ultimate difference between a trim and a cut. Although they both will encourage better detangling and easier curl setting, the intentional shape and overall silhouette of the hair is where they differ visually.
We hope this makes it better for you to understand the differences between a trim and cut and what to expect from both. We can’t wait to meet you soon for your next trim in 8 weeks.
