With it dry, the stylist can cut a shape that accounts for any little kinks or cowlicks, giving you more volume. Dry cutting also causes less damage to the hair, which allows you to go longer between haircuts. “The hair is elastic, so when you cut it wet, the ends can fray a little more,” said Arture.Dec 20, 2013

Anyone with temperamental ringlets or waves knows that exactly where you slice and dice can make a big difference in whether you like the end result – and it can be harder to tell where the curls are going to lie when your hair is soaking wet, says renowned stylist and salon owner Paul Labrecque. Cutting while the curls are doing their thing means your stylist can pick and choose where to cut so that they lie atop one another just right.

Ever notice how, after you have a traditional, wet hair cut and your stylist has dried your hair she often has to go back over it again with the scissors, trimming here and there? Doing it dry to begin with eliminates most of this second-round work, says stylist Vanessa Ungaro, co-owner of the salon Lauren + Vanessa in New York City, where Ungaro exclusively uses the dry cutting method.

Wet hair is more fragile and elastic (especially if over processed or fine), and can be prone to snapping while it’s being combed over and over during a wet cut, says Ungaro. You’re likely to shed fewer strands during the whole process if you have a dry cut, notes Labrecque, which is important for people with thinning hair or who are concerned about breakage.

Because hair is so stretchy when wet, it looks much longer, and this is especially true for people with very curly hair, says Labrecque. Cutting the hair when it’s already dry allows the stylist to trim just the right amount off – and eliminates the shock factor that can come right after a cut, when it can bounce up way more than anyone expected. What you see is what you get when you out it dry, and that can cut down on any miscommunication between client and stylist, says Ungaro.

When you dry cut you really get to see the movement of the hair, where most of the weight is and how much really needs to be cut off, says Ungaro, making it an ideal choice for fine or thin hair as well. One more bonus: You can see split ends more clearly when the hair is dry!

When hair is cut wet, many stylists are just following a formula and doing the movements that they were taught in school, says Ungaro. “But when you cut dry, you are creating a completely individual, custom haircut especially for the client sitting in your chair,” says Ungaro. “I cut by eye and create movement within the hair so no matter which way the wind moves it your hair will look amazing and fall into place.”

An eye for contrast, tone, and depth, with a particular fluency in the art of foiling-super up-close and personal with the root, mind you.