Should you wash your hair before a haircut is one of those disputed questions online that no one seems to agree on. Some say you should, some say you shouldn’t, but we’d say – it depends.
What we mean by that is there are several things to consider when asking this question:
- How dirty is your hair exactly?
- What type is your hair – is it oily or dry?
- What kind of haircut are you going for?
For example, if you have naturally dry hair, if it’s been only one day since you last washed it, and if you’re going for a simple straight haircut, you’d do best not to wash it. That’s because most barbers and hairstylists would rather work on your hair in its natural, usual form so that they know what it really looks like. Besides, if they wanted to, they can always give your hair a quick wash before they start cutting and most hairstylists do exactly that anyway. You could save a bit of cash by skipping this wash if you’ve washed beforehand but again – this will prevent your barber from seeing your hair in its normal condition.
On the other hand, good reasons to wash hair before haircut is if you have a very oily scalp and hair if it’s extremely dirty because you haven’t washed it in a while, or if you’re going for a more complex and convoluted hairstyle that requires soft and well-washed hair.
Another thing to consider when wondering “Should I wash my hair before getting it cut?” is whether you know your barber or hairstylist already. If they know you and your hair well, they should be able to work with it regardless of whether it’s freshly washed or day-old. Additionally, you can simply ask them directly – how do they prefer to work on your hair? With each professional having their own preferences, this is the easiest and best way to get the right answer for your particular situation.
Still, pretty much regardless of anything else, if you haven’t washed your hair in several days and it’s disturbingly dirty, you ought to give it a wash.
