How often should you trim your hair?

"How often should I come back?" is the question we hear most at the end of an appointment. The honest answer: it depends on your hair, your cut and what you want from it. Here is how our stylists think about it.

Short and structured cuts: every 4 to 6 weeks

A pixie, a crop or a sharp bob relies on precise lines. Hair grows about a centimetre a month, so after four to six weeks the shape starts to drift: the neckline softens, the weight moves and styling takes longer every morning. If you love your cut exactly as it is, book your next appointment before you leave.

Mid-length and layered hair: every 8 to 10 weeks

Layers keep their movement for a couple of months. After that they grow heavy at the ends and the cut loses its bounce. A light reshape every eight to ten weeks keeps the style without costing you length.

Long hair: every 10 to 14 weeks

If you are happy with your length, a "dusting" — taking off just the damaged ends — every three months keeps long hair looking thick and healthy from root to tip. Leave it much longer and split ends travel up the hair shaft, so you lose more length in the end.

Growing it out: still trim, just less

It sounds backwards, but regular small trims are the fastest way to long, healthy hair. Damaged ends break, and breakage costs you more length than a careful trim. Tell your stylist you are growing it out: we will remove only what is necessary — often less than half a centimetre — and shape the cut so the in-between stages still look intentional.

Curly and coily hair: around every 12 weeks

Curls hide split ends well, but dry ends also tangle more. Most of our curly clients do best with a trim every three months, ideally cut dry, curl by curl, so we can see exactly how each one falls.

Colour-treated hair: match trims to your colour

Lightening makes hair more porous, and the ends — the oldest part of your hair — take the most strain. If you have balayage or highlights, plan a trim at every second colour appointment. Your toner will look brighter on fresh, healthy ends.

Signs it's time, whatever the calendar says

• Your ends look thinner or see-through compared with the rest of your hair.
• Your brush snags in the same place every time.
• Your hair tangles more than it used to.
• Your usual style takes noticeably longer to get right.
• You can see split or white-tipped ends when you hold your hair up to the light.

Making a cut last longer

A few habits stretch the time between appointments:

1. Use heat protection every time you blow-dry, straighten or curl.
2. Detangle from the ends up, gently, with a wide-tooth comb — especially when your hair is wet.
3. Sleep on silk or satin, or loosely tie long hair up at night.
4. Look after your ends with a weekly mask or a few drops of oil on the lengths.

Not sure what you need?

Every appointment at Bloom Studio starts with a consultation, so you never have to know the answer in advance. Book a cut online and we will work out the right rhythm for your hair together.