Why I Focus More on Haircuts Than Hair Color, Perms, or Hair Straightening “I want my hair cut by a hairdresser who is truly good at cutting hair.” Many people have probably thought that at some point. But what does it actually mean to be good at cutting hair? I worked as a hairdresser in London for many years, and as an Art Director (Head of Technical Education), I was also involved in training local staff. Today, I offer a wide range of services including hair color, perms, hair straightening, head spa treatments, and conditioning treatments. However, the service I still focus on the most is hair cutting. There is […]

Thinking About Stopping Perms? How a Haircut Alone Can Create Volume and Movement I think there are generally two types of people who get perms. The first group enjoys perms as a fashion choice or as part of current trends. The second group wants things like: “More volume at the top” “More movement in the hair” “Less flat-looking hair” and gets a perm for those reasons. Of course, neither approach is wrong. However, if you fall into the second group, it may be worth asking yourself whether a perm is really necessary. In many cases, a haircut alone can achieve the result you are looking for. You May Not Want […]

How Often Should You Get a Haircut? A Hairdresser’s Thoughts on the Best Timing Let’s talk about how often you should get a haircut. Most people understand that the ideal timing is different for short hair and long hair, but many still wonder what the best schedule is for their own hair. For many people, it is usually when they start feeling: “My hair is getting too heavy.” “It’s becoming harder to style.” “Something just doesn’t feel quite right anymore.” That is often the point when they decide to visit a hair salon. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, if we look purely at hair design from […]

A Lion That Wants to Be a Zebra. A Zebra That Wants to Be a Lion. When I was working as a hairdresser in London, I met people from many different countries. There is something I noticed during that time. Many people seemed to focus less on “hiding their flaws” and more on “making the most of their individuality.” Their hair texture, face shape, head shape. Of course, everyone has something they feel self-conscious about. But rather than focusing only on eliminating those things, many people seemed to value finding ways to make the most of the good qualities they already had. On the other hand, in Japan, I often […]

For Those Who Find It Hard to Say, “Could You Cut a Little More?” After your haircut is finished at the salon. You look in the mirror and think, “I’d like this part a little shorter.” “My bangs still feel a bit off.” “Something just doesn’t feel quite right.” Have you ever felt that way? But many people find it difficult to say those words out loud. The salon looks busy, and you start thinking, “Am I making more work for them?” “What if they get annoyed?” Those feelings are completely understandable. I understand that feeling very well myself. That’s why I try to create an atmosphere where clients feel […]

Choosing a Hair Salon in an Era When AI-Generated Hairstyles Are Becoming Indistinguishable from Real Ones Please take a look at the photo used in this blog post. Do you think this hairstyle is real? It was actually created by AI. A few years ago, most people would have assumed without hesitation that it was a real photograph. But things are different now. AI has advanced to the point where it can create images that are almost impossible to distinguish from real photos. For better or worse, the beauty industry is no exception. In the past, photos used on salon websites and advertisements were typically created using real models. Salons […]

Should You Wash Your Hair Before Going to a Salon? What a Hairdresser Wants to See Is the Real You When the day of your salon appointment comes around, “Should I wash my hair before I go?” “Should I style it properly so I don’t seem rude?” “Should I make sure my makeup looks perfect?” Some people may wonder about these things. The answer is simple: you don’t need to do anything special just because you’re coming to the salon. In fact, I would rather see you exactly as you are on a normal day. Your Everyday Look Is the Most Valuable Information A hairdresser’s job is not just about […]

Is There a Way to Make Only Your Hair Healthy? When you start to notice gray hair or thinning hair, “A shampoo that helps prevent gray hair” “A tonic for thinning hair” “A hair treatment that makes your hair look younger” are the kinds of things many people begin searching for. Of course, there is nothing wrong with using high-quality shampoos, tonics, or hair treatments. However, I personally don’t believe there is a way to make only your hair healthy. Because hair is part of the body. In traditional Eastern medicine, hair is referred to as “Ketsuyo” (Blood Surplus). The term literally means “the surplus of blood.” In other words, […]

What Creates Dimension in a Hairstyle? Why Black Hair Can Look Flat The same length. The same hair texture. The same amount of hair. And yet, “For some reason, that person looks more stylish.” “This hairstyle seems to have more dimension.” Have you ever felt that way? Especially if you have straight black hair, you may feel that it somehow looks flat, or that it lacks movement. Perms and styling can certainly create dimension. They are one way to add movement to the hair. However, there is actually another way to make hair look more three-dimensional besides using a perm. That is, creating shadows. Hair Dimension Is Actually Created by […]

Straight Hair vs Curly Hair — Why Straight Hair Often Shows Cutting Technique More Clearly Some people naturally have straight hair, while others have wavy or curly hair. Some people are born with it naturally, while others straighten their hair with Japanese straightening treatments or create curls with perms. Among all of this, “Which type of hair is actually more difficult to cut?” is something I often think about as a hairstylist. To put it simply, straight hair generally requires a higher level of precision in haircutting. The reason is, straight hair is much harder to “hide mistakes” with. Straight hair makes even small mistakes easier to see Straight hair […]