I have fine hair that lacks volume – here's why getting my first dry cut has proved revolutionary

Do you often feel amazing walking out of the salon sporting a fresh hair trend, only to be disappointed with your new hair as soon as you wash, dry and style it yourself at home? It’s a cycle I’ve found myself unwillingly looped into since childhood, and I’m sure I’m not alone. So allow me to introduce the 3D dry cut.

What is the 3D dry cut?

Essentially, it’s the process of cutting the hair while it’s still dry to better accommodate to your hair’s natural texture and the way it naturally falls day-to-day. The hair is then washed and styled afterwards to see the full effect of the cut.

Rather than cutting the hair while it’s wet (making it more ‘2D’ in shape), the 3D dry cut works with your hair’s natural texture, shape and movement, so you’re left with a style that still looks flattering and chic beyond the salon (and without the help of professional styling). 

Better yet, it works for all hair types and cuts, from thin hair to thick curls, from bobs to lobs and even the most recent 90s-inspired trend, feathered hair.  

I decided to try the 3D dry cut out for myself. So, what was my personal experience with this intriguing haircut? Read on for my honest thoughts.

The 3D Dry Cut Experience

Before we get into the actual review, I think it’s important that you know a little bit about my hair. It’s naturally wavy and quite fine, so I usually find that when wet, combed and then left for ages, my hair loses all volume and most of its shape. So when it comes to the blowdry post-cut, my hair tends to fall flat. 

Beyond this, I’m usually left with my hair looking about 2 inches shorter than my salon-styled hair once I’ve washed, dried and styled it myself at home and the natural waves have had a chance to kick in. In short, regular wet haircuts just don't cut it for me (pun very much intended).

Before my appointment with Gustav Fouche I’d foregone a trim for the previous few months, so my hair was not in the best shape, with an awkwardly grown out curtain fringe and plenty of split ends to boot. You can get a pretty good idea of my hair’s natural shape and texture from the picture below.

During the appointment, Gustav analysed my face shape, hairline, hair thickness and texture to determine which type of cut would suit me best. 

I explained to him that I’d like to keep the length as much as possible, so he decided to add some face-framing layers to give my hair more volume and bounce and best flatter my face shape. 

Gustav then went straight in with the cut – no spray of water, just combing, sectioning and snipping. Because my hair still had movement and a natural wave to it I could see how the cut looked in real time, allowing me to tell him if I wanted to tweak the shape a little as he went. 

Without the usual fear that it would look about 2 inches shorter when it was styled and dried afterwards, it was a super quick and enjoyable experience. 

The Results

I could immediately see that my hair wasn’t any shorter than I expected it to be. My custom cut framed my face beautifully, and this was the first time my hair actually looked how I expected it to after styling.

Even better, because my hair hadn’t been sitting damp and limp for the previous half hour, I walked out of the salon with the bounciest, shiniest blow dry I’d ever had. See below for proof.

My hair, of course, looked fabulous thanks to Gustav’s styling, but I was confident in the knowledge that it would still flatter my face with no styling at all. I honestly can’t understand why this style of hair cutting isn’t the industry standard. Needless to say: I’m a fan.

Shop Gustav’s nourishing hair products along with my favourite styling tools and products for fine, wavy hair below: