When Is The Best Time To Get A Haircut According to Astrology?

Mercury in retrograde may be the most well know time of discord and dysfunction caused by the movement of the planets, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the other astrological vibe shifts that occur throughout the year. In fact, astrologer Alice Bell thinks we all should be factoring in our star charts when it comes to the high emotional stakes decisions around changing up our beauty routines. Perhaps the most feared amongst all potential beauty snafus is the dreaded bad haircut, so Bell recommends being extra thoughtful when it comes to picking a date for any major hair changes. Her advice comes from personal experience: “I got a horrible haircut in 2021—a bob cut, but the ends were all jagged—back before I was checking the astrology when scheduling these things,” she says. Ever since then she’s been diligent when it comes to planning visits to the salon, “I like to make sure there’s good energy on that day.”

In May, Bell posted a guide for using astrology to schedule your next haircut on her Instagram. She soon sparked a discussion in the comments about the connection between astrology and hair. It seems many people have their own theories about how to align their beauty appointments with the stars. “My mum always gets her haircut right before. Full moon because she swears by it that it grows quicker,” one person commented. “Leo rising here. I have been waiting for venus to enter my 1st to get my hair dyed,” another wrote. To help clear up any celestial confusion you have around scheduling your next hair appointment, we spoke to Bell, as well as astrologers Susan Miller and Bruna Maia about the best and the worst times astrologically to get a new haircut—or make any other dramatic beauty decision, for that matter.

What astrological dates and events should you avoid when scheduling a haircut?

When Venus is in retrograde

Bell says that the worst time for beauty appointments, astrologically speaking, is when the planet Venus is in retrograde. This phenomenon occurs every 18 months, with those dates falling from July 22 through September 3 in 2023. While many know that Venus is the planet closely associated with love and romantic relationships, “it also connected to personal taste and appearance,” explains Bell. Therefore when Venus goes retrograde you’re more likely to experience mishaps relating to your looks. “Venus being in retrograde is a time when even routine stuff can get messed up,” warns Bell. “I’ve had regular haircuts that end up way shorter than I wanted during that time.”

When Mercury is in retrograde

Those that dread Mercury being in retrograde will be pleased to hear that time is not quite as problematic for beauty as when Venus is in retrograde—which is lucky considering Mercury in retrograde happens much more frequently throughout the year. But because Mercury in retrograde is related to miscommunication, you’re still not totally in the clear. “Mercury might bring up communication issues about what you do and don’t want related to a hair change,” says Bell. So unless you’re getting regular maintenance with your regular stylist, your much more vulnerable to being on different pages with the person behind the salon chair. Because of these increased opportunities for misunderstanding, Miller recommends avoiding large changes during Mercury’s retrograde, if you can. “If I’m trying a new hairdresser, I'm not gonna do that when Venus is in retrograde or even when Mercury is in retrograde,” she says. “During Mercury retrograde, I even forget to tell the girl at my nail salon that I don’t like to cut my cuticles.”

What if I can’t avoid either Venus or Mercury in retrograde?

Of course many people keep regular appointments so it’s important to devise a plan, if your scheduled maintenance needs to happen at an unfavorable time. Miller’s advice? “A retrograde planet is at its worst, at the beginning and end. So if you must schedule a root touch or eyelash extension fill something in the retrograde, do it toward the middle,” she says. She also says that keeping maintain the status quo, i.e. sticking with the same colorist or beautician, will be helpful during appointments close to any retrograde.

When is a good time to get your haircut according to astrology?

During a New Moon or Full Moon

Maia says the first cosmic energy to consider when booking a hair appointment is the rhythm of the moon cycle. “According to the symbolism of the Lunar cycle, the new moon and full moons are the most potent times to get a haircut,” she says. Because the new moon is a time for new intentions, “if you want to ritualize your haircut as a symbol of a new beginning in your life, it can be a wonderful alignment for you and your new phase.” Full moons on the other hand, “represent the release of what no longer serves us”.

Bell says that she often sees her clients getting more dramatic haircuts or changing their appearance when there’s a new moon or a full moon during the time of their rising sign. For example, “if you’re an Aquarius rising, when there's a new moon or full moon in Aquarius, that's when you might want to make a change,” she says. There are even lunar haircutting calendars online, for those that want to sync their regularly scheduled appointments to the moon—just watch out for that pesky Venus in retrograde coming up.

When Venus is in your sun sign

Aside from avoiding Mercury and Venus in retrograde, the best times to go for a bold new haircut will vary depending on your chart. Miller says it’s ideal to time major hair changes for when Venus is in your sign. She says you can find this out by searching when Venus is in your sun sign (also known as your zodiac sign) this year. Venus is in each sign for about 30 days before transitioning into the next. “Venus is the goddess that rules our sense of style, we might feel the desire to change up our look when she moves into a new sign,” says Maia. She also says that looking for any powerful astrological transits happening in Uranus in your natal chart can be a way to spot the best time for a big change, including when Uranus might be communicating with your Sun, Moon, Rising, or Venus sign.

When Venus is in Aquarius

If you’re still a little hesitant, Maia offers a few dates to mark on your calendar: next February 16 to March 11 of 2024, the next time Venus will be in Aquarius. She explains, this particular celestial event looks favorably on experimentation. “It might just be the perfect time to go rogue and try out a completely different unexpected look that makes us feel unique in the world.”