50 Times People Went To The Hairdresser And Walked Out Looking Totally Different

Award-winning hairdresser Florin Neacsu, who goes by the name Flo, never planned to become a hairstylist. He was studying economic management when he started working part-time as an assistant manager in a hair salon in Romania. He'd watch the stylists do their thing and quickly became intrigued.

"Every day I was trying to figure out why the stylists lift the hair when they cut and how they know where to lift it. So it became like an obsession to understand cutting but I didn’t consider changing my direction of studies," he told Bored Panda during our interview. "After one year, I started to make some sense of it and I applied to work as an apprentice while I finished my university."

Flo soon fell in love with all things hair and realized that's what he wanted to do. "I was always fascinated by how much power a hairstylist can hold. We can make someone be more confident, be happier, and even help them love themselves but also we can ruin someone’s life," said Flo.

He enrolled at London's Sassoon Academy to learn more about precision cutting and hasn't ever looked back. "The part of this job that excites me the most is understanding the client’s needs and challenges (regarding their hair) and then translating that into techniques and shapes that solve such challenges."

He tells us in 2012, he followed the other love of his life, Safeera, and moved to Cape Town. Flo opened his first Excentric Hair branch in the city and has since incorporated a second salon, as well as a training academy.

For Ronel van Vollenhoven, it was also love at first cut. She tells Bored Panda that she began her hairdressing career as a summer job in her hometown and was "instantly hooked by the impact it had on people's confidence." Over the past 28 years, van Vollenhoven has made a name for herself in the industry. Her career has taken her across the Caribbean, Mexico, the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia.

"I’ve worked with top salons, collaborated with designers, styled models for casting agencies, and competed in hair competitions," says the founder and master stylist of At Stylar.

Van Vollenhoven joined Carlton Hair International in 2007. As part of the Creative Team, she had the opportunity to teach others the tricks of the trade and showcase her work internationally.

It was only years later, at the end of 2018, that she decided to take a leap of faith and open her own salon, At Stylar, in Cape Town, South Africa. It has a strong focus on sustainability and education, Van Vollenhoven tells us.

"My passion for learning and sharing knowledge continues to drive me. I believe in creating your own luck, choosing your path, and making the most of life with passion, belief, and love," said the expert.

For many people, a good haircut is about more than just getting rid of a few split ends or keeping their hair healthy. Some see it as a way to reinvent themselves, boost their self-esteem, bounce back from a breakup, or simply make a statement. Either way, a great haircut can help to make you feel good about yourself. Even if only for a while.

"I even notice a change in my dogs when they get their summer cuts: They're friskier and livelier, feeling more themselves, once the weight of the hair is released," wrote Oprah Winfrey once.

Both Flo and van Vollenhoven are leaders in their industry so we were thrilled to pick their brains about the do's and don'ts of hair transformations. Flo believes anyone who is considering an extreme makeover should just go for it.

"Otherwise they will always wonder how that look could’ve affected their life," he explains. "So if you always wanted to be a redhead with a pixie hairstyle, go for it because the worst case scenario is that you don’t like it, but the color can be changed and the hair grows."

Van Vollenhoven says there are a few things to keep in mind before making a drastic change. Step one, advises the stylist, is to define your goal.

"What's the reason for the change? A fresh start, a new job, a breakup, or just for fun? What’s your ideal look? Bring inspiration photos but stay open to professional advice," she told Bored Panda, adding that if you’re unsure, start with a bold but less permanent change (e.g., a dramatic haircut instead of a full color transformation).