If scrolling through Pinterest and TikTok is giving you major hair envy, we can relate. Our feeds are constantly filled with gorgeous, voluminous locks that look perfectly styled. While proper hair care and a good styling routine are part of the equation, good hair also has a lot to do with your cut, and layers make a big difference. If you’ve been wanting to refresh your look, a layered haircut can boost volume, reduce weight, and add depth and movement to your hair. Here are 9 layered haircuts for short, medium, and long hair!
4 Things to Consider Before Getting a Layered Haircut
- Gather inspiration. Before heading to the salon, look through lots of photos of people with layers (who have similar hair texture to yours) to see what looks best. The best layers for you will depend on your hair type, texture, face shape and commitment to styling and maintenance. Having inspo photos will help you and your stylist figure out the perfect layered cut for you.
- What features do you want to highlight? Layers can help you frame or hide your face. They can draw attention to your eyes, lips, or cheekbones, or can help slim your face if it’s round. Think about how you want your layers to work for you.
- Styling. Layers require maintenance, so you need to make sure you have the right styling products and hair tools. While some hair types air dry seamlessly with a layered cut, most need a foolproof styling routine. A round brush with a blow dryer or heated brush are often your best bet for layered styles.
- Maintenance. If you want to maintain the layered look, you should plan to get your hair trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows.
3 Layered Haircuts for Short Hair
1. Short Butterfly Cut
The butterfly cut is a voluminous cut that gives the hair volume at the roots and movement throughout, making it super easy to style. It became popular with longer hair, but it’s starting to transition to shorter styles. Apply a volumizing mousse to your roots when your hair is damp, then rough dry your hair 50% upside down to create lift at the roots. Use a blow dryer and round brush to create big bouncy waves away from the face, and finish with a texturizing spray.
2. Kitty Cut
A kitty cut is a lob-length cut with long, rounded layers. It has slightly shorter face framing layers, taking inspiration from the wolf cut and shag haircuts. It features a collarbone-skimming length and is more polished and “expensive” looking than its predecessors. This chic cut is great for adding subtle shape and extra volume. A hot brush is a great way to style the kitty cut, or you can always create bounce using a traditional round brush and blow dryer. Apply a styling cream while it’s damp for lasting effects.
3. Layered Short Bob
Bob haircuts don’t have to be blunt, in fact, they look super chic with a few layers thrown in. A layered bob is more laid back and relaxed than its blunt counterpart and adds subtle texture and movement to your hair. When it comes to short hair, remember to keep the layers minimal- this will create a slight “swing” effect. Use a flat iron to style or for added movement, try curling the ends slightly with a curing iron.
3 Layered Haircuts for Medium Hair
1. Feathered Layers
These feathered layers frame the face beautifully, adding volume and movement to the look. Ask for the first layer to start around your chin, then get layers throughout. A centre part will balance your facial features, making the cut even more flattering. Use a curling iron to add gentle waves to your hair- perfect for any casual or formal occasion.
2. Shag Haircut with Wispy Bangs
The shag haircut is very 60s, very rock n’ roll. It’s casual and totally effortless featuring choppy ends, layers around the crown, and lots of texture. Add in wispy bangs and you have a very cool look. For a shag haircut, you want to create volume at the roots by drying your hair with a round brush and blow dryer. Then add waves with a curling wand. Avoid the last half-inch of your ends and don’t worry about being perfect as it should look a bit choppy. You can use a flat iron to keep the ends really straight and achieve the choppy effect.
3. Long Layers with Curtain Bangs
Long layers give length to this medium cut, and we love how it’s paired with curtain bangs. Curtain bangs frame your face perfectly and offer some nice movement that gives elegance to this look. Use a round brush or hot brush to blow dry your hair, lifting at the roots and gently curling the ends of the layers inwards towards your face. When you move to your bangs, blow dry them away from your face and backwards. When they’re dry, use pomade and pinch them into the right place.
3 Layered Haircuts for Long Hair
1. Long Butterfly Haircut
We saw a butterfly cut for short hair above, but the cut also looks incredible on long hair. The longer version allows you to create more layers and offers a polished and refined look. The shortest layer should hit between the cheekbone and below the jaw, creating the perfect face frame. When styling this cut, you always want to curl the shortest front layer away from the face to create the signature butterfly wing.
2. Soft Rounded Layers
Long hair looks gorgeous with soft, rounded layers that flow down the length of your hair. To create the bounce and movement of this look, place your hair in hot rollers. Section your hair into pieces (larger sections will create looser curls) and roll your hair from tip to root. Make sure to apply a heat protection spray before applying the rollers. Leave the rollers in for 20 minutes then gently loosen your curls with your fingers or a wide tooth comb. Finish with a texturizing spray.
3. Long Layered Fox Cut
The fox cut offers a sleeker, sophisticated alternative to the wolf cut (a shaggy, layered cut that combines the 70s shag and the mullet). The fox cut is less shaggy and has a little more glamour to it. The layers are longer and more subtle, falling around the cheekbones, jawbone, and clavicle, and it’s a great option if you want something more polished that still has voluminous layers. It’s perfect for those with thinner hair who want a fuller look. To style, prep your hair with the JVN Blowout Styling Milk then use a hot brush to create an at-home blow out.
If you’re ready to refresh your look, a layered haircut is the perfect way to do it, no matter your hair length.
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