How to Make a Hair Calendar for Your Next Hairstyle Journey

Whether you’re growing out bangs, transitioning from a bob to long, luscious locks, or simply trying to shake up your look, the in-between phases of a new haircut can be, well, awkward. Your once chic cut can morph into an unintentional mullet in an instant or those curtain bangs you adored now resemble floppy dog ears. And let’s not even start on that weird length where your hair just…exists, refusing to cooperate with any styling tool in your arsenal.

Enter the “hair calendar”—a game-changer for anyone looking to master their mane over the next 12 months. Think of it as a beauty vision board but for your ‘do. More and more people are mapping out their trims, treatments, and color refreshes in advance to sidestep those dreaded in-between stages by strategically planning out cuts every few months and penciling in deep-conditioning treatments. 

Sound like something you can get on board with? Read on below for how to perfectly map out your personal hair journey.

What Is a Hair Calendar?

Simply put, a hair calendar is your personal cheat sheet to good hair days all year long. It’s a 12-month plan that helps you map out everything. “It’s not only useful for gradually planning your cuts and color to keep up with trends, but it’s also great for maintenance,” says Sarah Potempa, Celebrity Hairstylist and founder of The Beachwaver Co. From trims to color refreshes to deep-conditioning treatments to bold style changes, this planning strategy ensures you never get stuck in an awkward grow-out phase again. 

The real magic comes in when planning hairstyles that actually transition well into each other. Thinking of going from a bob to long layers? Your calendar can ensure you get the right in-between cuts to avoid that dreaded shaggy, awkward stage. Growing out bangs? Schedule strategic trims so they blend seamlessly instead of hanging at that weird ‘too long to be bangs, too short to tuck’ length. By staying ahead of your hair’s natural growth cycle, you can easily make every phase look intentional. 

Drawing Inspiration

When building your hair calendar, inspiration is everything—and luckily, there’s no shortage of it. For 2025, Potempa recommends trying out a few of the latest trends, like curtain bangs, long layers, and textured bobs. But you can also get inspired by scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest to find styles that match your hair goals, whether it’s effortlessly blended layers, the perfect balayage or a chic blunt bob. You can also take notes from your favorite celebrities and influencers, as they often document their hair transformations, giving you a roadmap for what works (and what doesn’t). 

Of course, the number one resource at your disposal is your hairstylist. Turn to your go-to gal for expert advice—but be sure to bring in reference photos so they can help you map out a timeline that’s personal to you, your hair type and your overarching hair goals. And for color changes specifically, your stylist can consult on “how frequently you need to schedule color appointments depending on how dramatic the change is and how fast your hair grows,” says Potempa. Your stylist can also help you take seasonal trends into consideration, adding rich tones in the fall or going lighter for summer.

The net-net? Choose styles that work with your hair’s natural growth, so every transition looks polished instead of painful.

How to Build a Hair Calendar

Creating a personalized calendar is all about thinking ahead and treating your strands with the same level of planning as your skincare routine (because let’s be real…healthy, stylish hair doesn’t just happen on its own). 

Start by identifying your hair goals for the year. Are you growing out a pixie cut? Transitioning from highlights to a rich, all-over hue? Maintaining a sleek bob? Once you have a vision, break the year into strategic checkpoints. Mark down when you’ll need trims to keep your style looking fresh (typically every 6-8 weeks), color touch-ups to avoid any dreaded roots and deep-conditioning treatments to keep your locks thriving, says Potempa. If you’re planning a major transformation—like going from short to long or dark to platinum—be sure to map out the necessary steps so you don’t end up with breakage, brassiness or that dreaded in-between stage.

Most importantly, you need to tailor your calendar to your lifestyle. If you have a wedding in six months, be sure to schedule a cut that will grow out gracefully by then. Or let’s say you’re planning a tropical getaway—book a gloss treatment beforehand to keep your color vibrant and frizz-free. If you’re unsure about timing, you can always consult your stylist. They’ll be able to help you plan out trims and treatments that make your hair journey seamless. 

How you organize yourself is completely up to you, and what works for keeping yourself accountable. You can go old-school with a physical planner, use your phone’s calendar for automated reminders, or even download a beauty scheduling app. The goal is to never get caught in a hair rut again. With a little planning, every phase of your hair’s evolution will look effortlessly chic, so why not take that extra step?