The Professional Guide To Getting Layered Hair (Plus Tips On How To Style It)
From Nineties icons to modern fashion muses, the layered haircut has long been hailed as the quintessential 'cool girl' style. Whether it's adorning the heads of models in a tousled, undone à la Alexa Chung way, cascading down the shoulders of a Victoria's Secret angel in the form of a bouncy blow-dry, or posed in a timeless throwback pic pinned to your beauty mood board (Jennifer Aniston's iconic 'Rachel cut', we're looking at you), layered haircuts are vast, varied and versatile. Think wolf cuts, choppy bobs and French hair, as well as the classic voluminous bombshell 'do.
How do you decide which snippy styling will work best for you? We consulted expert hairstylists Leah Hill, Neal Moodie and Larry King on what to ask for, who to reference and how to style a coveted set of hair layers.
What Are Hair Layers?
'A layered haircut involves cutting the hair at various lengths to create dimension, movement, and volume,' says hairstylist Neal Moodie. 'Instead of cutting all the hair evenly, sections are trimmed at different lengths, with the shorter layers on top blending into the longer layers below. This technique reduces bulk and creates a textured, more dynamic look.'
He notes that the style of layers range from subtle to dramatic, depending on how much contrast there is between the lengths. 'Layered haircuts can be tailored to different hair types, face shapes, and lengths, working especially well when it comes to adding fullness to fine hair or reducing weight in thick hair.'
If you're looking for some historical references, look no further than Jennifer Aniston in the late nineties; her choppy cut varies from a stacked, shoulder-length styling to a feathered, bouncy look all throughout the decade. That era of hair is also responsible for the dramatic supermodel layers we see circulating on TikTok today. Add Tyra Banks, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford to your list of references, in this case.
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For modern ideas, try Daisy Edgar-Jones, Kaia Gerber or Dakota Johnson for straight-to-wavy hair and Simone Ashley, Zendaya and Gugu Mbatha-raw for natural texture and curls.
How To Cut A Layered Haircut
There are many different ways of cutting a layered cut, and the outcome is dependent on a number of factors, from texture to length.
'Layers are something added to a cut to give your hair movement, shape, texture, help to add dimension and style. They can be personalised to you and depending on the way your layers are cut into your hair. It all depends on the angles you take,' says Fenty Hair education specialist, Leah Hill.
'You’d lift the hair up and depending on the angle, for example, a 90 degree angle will determine the length and how the layers will sit. For instance, for a shag haircut you would angle all the hair forward and cut the layers towards the face. For a rounded curly cut, I would layer the hair, in the way of almost like orange segments. In sections all around the head. The most common layers people may have even if they don’t have a lot of layers throughout their head would be a face framing layer where again you would bring the hair forward and cut to your desired length.'
In Hill's opinion, wispy fringes and longer lengths (Fenty's 'vibey and voluminous' service is currently its most requested) are the trending layered looks of the moment.
How To Style Layered Hair
In the same way that you would hydrate your skin before applying make-up, hair preparation is essential to creating a lasting look.
'You want to make sure your hair is prepped really well with a good shampoo to remove all build up (there’s nothing worse than lank layers). I’d recommend The Rich One Shampoo from Fenty Hair which helps to remove product build up whilst still moisturising the hair. Follow with The Comeback Kid Bond Building Treatment, which you can either leave in replace of your conditioner for around 5/10 minutes or as leave in conditioner which is incredible to give strength and shine to the hair. Apply your heat protector and style as desired either straight, wavy or embrace your natural curls or coils!'
How To Style Curly Layered Hair
If you have curly hair, Hill recommends Fenty's The Home Curl, a gel cream used to create shine and definition in textured hair types. 'Brush it through once your hair is really wet, fresh out the shower, using either a curl defining brush or your fingers; your waves, curls, coils will pop and your layers will thrive. I have curly hair myself and I like a lot of layers to add a round shape.'
How To Blow-Dry Layered Hair
By now, it's no secret that an air styler is key to creating that classic supermodel bounce.
'When you add layers to your hair, they remove weight and add volume instantly, so a big bouncy blow dry is easily achieved on layered hair with the right products,' says hairstylist and Dyson Global Ambassador, Larry King.
He recommends using the Dyson Chitosan Pre-Style Cream on damp, towel-dried hair and rough drying to create lots of volume and bounce through the root.
'To style longer layers, use the Dyson Airwrap multi-styler with the 40mm barrel attachment through the longer pieces of the hair, and the smaller 30mm barrel on the shorter pieces, to coil the layers up even shorter than they are naturally, which will give the hair a really full effect. Once you’ve finished, shake it all out, add the Dyson Chitosan Post-Style serum, and you’ll be left with a really glamorous, party season look.'
Alternatively, opt for a round brush and rollers to ensure a long-lasting curl. This is also effective, but will require a little more practice, patience and skill.
Layered Hair Inspiration
As with bobs, extensions and colour, trends come and go when it comes to layers, so finding a timeless (or incredibly current) styling that works for your face shape is essential.
'The trendiest layered haircuts right now are face framing layers. These compliment different face shapes as they are pretty versatile. You can have the side swept fringe and also add volume and dimension to longer hair in general,' says Moodie. 'Whispering layers are also very popular at the moment as they’re more of a non committal layering technique for people with longer hair who don't want to lose length but create some volume.'
Below, he outlines the different methods of layering hair, so you know exactly what to ask your stylist for.
Long Layered Haircut
'These often start below the chin or even at shoulder-length for longer hair. Effect: Long layers are ideal for adding movement without sacrificing length. They work well for creating a subtle, flowing look.'
Choppy Layered Haircut
'The hair is cut using point-cutting or slicing techniques to create uneven, textured layers. Effect: Choppy layers give a more edgy, modern look with lots of texture and definition. It’s great for adding dimension and volume to fine hair.'
Uniform Layered Haircut
'All sections of the hair are cut at a consistent 90-degree angle from the scalp, creating even, balanced layers throughout the head. Effect: This creates a soft, rounded shape with lots of movement and is great for adding volume.'
Feathered Layered Haircut
'When your stylist uses a razor or thinning shears to soften the ends, creating a feathered, wispy effect. Effect: Feathered layers create a light, airy feel with plenty of movement. This technique is ideal for medium to long hair lengths.'
Face-Framing Layered Haircut
'Layers are cut to highlight the facial features, with shorter sections at the front and gradually blending into the rest of the hair. Effect: This technique softens the face and enhances facial structure, often complementing different face shapes.'
Disconnected Layered Haircut
'Layers are cut with distinct gaps or longer pieces left intentionally, creating a contrast between sections. Effect: This adds drama and boldness, often creating a more avant-garde or edgy look by enhancing texture and volume.'
Texturising (Thinning) Layered Haircut
'Thinning shears or razors are used to reduce bulk in thicker hair, often without drastically altering the overall length. Effect: This technique lightens the hair and helps remove excess weight, allowing for more movement and a sleeker finish, especially in thick or curly hair.'
Whispering Layered Haircut
'These are soft, subtle layers that are delicately blended into the hair to create a natural, barely-there effect. Unlike more dramatic or choppy layers, whispering layers are meant to gently add movement and dimension without being too noticeable or disrupting the overall length and shape of the hair. The layers are often finely textured, which helps the ends taper softly.'
Internal Layered Haircut
'Layers are cut within the interior of the hair, leaving the outer layer of the hair longer and less disturbed. Effect: Internal layers help reduce weight and add volume from within, while the outer part of the hair still looks smooth and polished.'
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