When Cozy Friedman opened her first hair salon for children in New York City, she didn't have kids of her own yet (now she has two). But once business started booming, she realized that a child's first snip is a really big deal.
"It's typical to see a mom cry or get choked up after a first haircut, especially with a boy," she says. "They come in rough-and-tumble with straggly hair, but they leave looking so much older. It can be pretty emotional."
Now a children's hairstyling pro and founder of Cozy's Cuts for Kids in NYC, Friedman has a treasure chest of tips and tricks to make baby's first haircut an easy and fun milestone.
Brush up on her advice below for the best first cut ever — and don't forget to save a lock for the baby book!
Be thoughtful when you book.
First things first: Choose a salon and a stylist that you know will be good with children.
"You don't want your child in the chair of someone who doesn't want to cut a child's hair," Friedman explains. "If you're going to a salon that's not a kids' salon, ask for someone who is good when working with kids."
And it sounds obvious but it happens: Avoid scheduling your kid's haircut during nap time (because we all know how that will go). If possible, bring her into the salon a day or two before the appointment so she can watch the process and get excited about it.
Remember trims keep hair looking healthy.
Friedman says your child is probably ready for his first trim when you start to notice "wings" of hair sticking away from his head, long locks covering her eyes, or strands that get sticky with sweat because they're growing down the back of his neck. But if you're feeling a little sentimental, the stylist doesn't need to do anything drastic.
"When you get a first haircut, it can be something that just cleans it up around the edges to make it neater," Friedman says.
Come prepared.
So, the big moment has finally arrived ... and your little one is not excited about having a strange person running her fingers through his hair. Just like at the doctor's office, books, dolls, and lollipops can work wonders when trying to distract a cranky kid.
Many child-friendly salons will have toys and treats on-hand, but it doesn't hurt to come with a small bag of favorites. If you're not sure what to bring, try Friedman's go-to: bubbles. "They keep kids busy for a while," she jokes.
If your child is nervous, ask if you can hold him.
Sometimes not even your son's favorite toy can keep him from going into meltdown mode. Worst comes to worst, ask if you can hold him until the cut is over. Friedman says this is sometimes even more helpful for the stylist: "We love when a kid sits on their parent's lap; sometimes it means we have more control."
