Colour Hair Then Cut It Or Vice Versa?

[deejaybenj]

I have short hair which is highlighted with foils every few weeks by a professional salon. At the moment the process is as follows, as recommended by the salon:

colour hair
wash out colour
blow dry
dry cut

I always ask for a dry cut because I am a male and I feel it gives more precision and I can see how much is being taken off. This current process proves fairly successful, but I used to get it done the other way round, whereby it was cut first then coloured. My latest salon said this was the wrong way to do it.

My question is though, is it better to be colouring the hair then having the dry cut or have the dry cut and then colour the hair after? The hairstyle is supposed to be a pretty much all over blond, done with foils with a tiny amount of natural rootage.


I have heard mixed views on this. It would seem the argument for having the colour done first is because colouring damages the hair and then if you have the cut afterwards, this will remove any damaged ends, so many salons favour colouring first. Another advantage of colouring the hair first is apparently because there is more hair to grip and they can foil closer to the root.

On the flip side of this, if you colour first and then cut the hair I have also been told that on highlighted hair this can lead to augmented lines and make it look more uneven. With shorter hair, any lines or patchy bits would also be noticeable. So that makes me think, would you get a more even finish by cutting it first then applying the colour (but then can you still get as close to the roots and will the hair be more damaged?)

I would welcome any professional opinions on this.

[ubasses]

Not a professional but over the last 30 years I have had a few hairdressers and they have all done the colour first.

[askyourgran]

Always colour, cut then blowdry. After the colour is washed out the hair is cut with precision when wet, no dry hair flying about, then it is styled either blow dried, tongs or straighteners. I'm not a professional hairdresser, but I've visited a lot of salons for regular cuts and colours for many years.

[deejaybenj]

You missed my point, I always have it cut dry...for precision. When hair is wet it is is in clumps and harder to see how much is being taken off.

[deejaybenj]

Thanks for the comments so far, any more thoughts?

[boxtops]

My hairdresser always colours first, then cuts. I don't understand your comment about dry cut - wet cut should always be more accurate.