Long Layered Hair Cut

Posted by: Dan D on March 13, 2006

It's a staple of the stylist's arsenal, and probably the most versatile and basic haircut in history. When you master the circle cut you realize how easily it can be modified to a wide variety of possibilities and looks. A short circle cut is sassy and bouncy, while a long circle cut gives volume to the style.

1. Wet the hair and section it in the standard seven-sections: left side, top, right side, left crown, right crown, left nape and right nape. Leave approximately ¼ to ½ in. (1-1.5 cm) free along the perimeter of the hairline.
   
   
2. Starting at the nose, decide how long to cut the hair. Remember that wet hair will shorten as it dries - as much as an inch to an inch and a half (4 cm) for straight hair, and as much as 4 inches (10 cm) with very curly hair. Cut a guide approximately one inch (2.5 cm) wide. Work your way around the head following the perimeter. Hold the hair with light tension as you go and make sure to follow the hairline. Work from the front to one side, stopping at the ear, and repeat this process on the other side. Next, move to the back center of the head, decide how long you want the hair to be. Start cutting the hair along the perimeter of the hair using light tension to hold the hair down with no elevation. Work from the center back to the ear on one side, return to the back and do the same on the opposite side. As you meet with the front side at the ears, blend the two lines together to form a single continuous line.
   
   
3. Let down the left and right nape sections. Comb these sections down and once more starting in the center back, slice a section of the hair vertically and comb it out-ward at a downward angle. You should clearly see the guideline you cut at the bottom of the section when you cut the perimeter. Hold the slice at an angle with your fingers and cut it. Re-comb and take a new slice of hair that includes part of the section you've already cut. Hold the slice at the same angle and cut, using the already cut hair as a guide. With this method, work your way in one direction and then the other.
   
   
4. Take down half of the left and right sides and left and right crown sections. Comb them out and re-wet if needed. Starting at the back again, comb a slice of the hair that includes a segment of the hair below it for use as a guide. Hold the hair straight out from the head and cut the hair vertically. Follow as before, working from back to front, first one side, then the other.
   
   
5. Next, free the top section and comb it out. Beginning at the front of the head, comb a slice of the hair up from the forehead on both sides to assure that the seg-ment is centered on the head. Using the perimeter length as a guide, cut the segment from the forehead back and repeat the process, working backward to the crown of the head. (It is important that you comb the crown section straight up on both sides or risk having a lopsided effect.)
   
   
6. Finally, take down the upper halves of the left and right sides and left and right crown sections. Start in the center back of the head and blend the lengths by connec-ting the line of shorter lengths from steps four and five. Work back to front, one side then another. When completed, you can cross-check your haircut, by combing the hair out from the head and holding it horizontally, and carefully clip away any protruding "corners" or segments that may have been missed. Once you've checked the haircut thoroughly, style the hair as desired. The result is a style consisting of uniform layers.

Advice: Practice this hair cut on a mannequin before trying it out on a real person.

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23 Response to 'Long Layered Hair Cut'

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charle - Fri, Apr 17th, 2009 Would if work if you have naturally curly hair but use Straightners i dont wanna get layer hair cut and it comes out looking worst. 1 | 0 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

crabbyabby - Sun, Mar 8th, 2009 Quote: Originally Posted by Danielle okay i am really tired of these hairstyle websites that rarely show galleries of their haircuts. every 2 months i go in for a new haircut (my hair grows fast) all i want is to be able to look on the internet for a PHOTO, not the discription of one, that i can take in to my hair dresser. -- me too i really just want a picture of small side bangs and layers for a long haired person(me)and with one hour on the net a total of 1 ok picture 3 | 0 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Danielle - Wed, Jan 14th, 2009 okay i am really tired of these hairstyle websites that rarely show galleries of their haircuts. every 2 months i go in for a new haircut (my hair grows fast) all i want is to be able to look on the internet for a PHOTO, not the discription of one, that i can take in to my hair dresser. 11 | 1 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Raquel - Fri, Nov 21st, 2008 Well, it be better if you put pictures beside the text. Thanks. 3 | 2 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Tami Whitehead - Sun, Oct 12th, 2008 I am a cos student too, only 150 more hours to go!!! and honestly, I thought it was a very good step-by-step, and with permission, would like to print it and give a few of my fellow students. I am a good cutter, but long layers has been one of my weaknesses, I always loose it around the front, but with this method, I think I know how to avoid that now. The description of cutting a guide in front and then blending it on the sides while cutting the guide, and doing the back at basically a low 45' and the sides at a 90' made sense to me. To Dan, thanks, and don't stress over these beauty school drop-outs and kitchenticians who don't know how to take good advice and tailor it to their needs for a particular cut. They probably bombed basic hairdressing anyway, or they would see how this cut is very adaptable to suit assymetric or boldly angled styles. They are just hatin' on you. Hope to see more of your contributions. 0 | 1 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Liz Daniels - Sun, Sep 21st, 2008 I'm in cosmetology school, and I would like to give some advice to everyone...IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN EDUCATED ON HOW TO CUT HAIR, PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF. it will look absolutely horrible and you will have to go pay a hairstylist to fix it for you, and you are going to look really stupid in the process. and to everyone who thinks those hairstyle pictures are ugly, you are stupid. You must not know what "creative" hairstyles are. i'm sorry you're too fat and lazy to get off your ****and flat iron your hair so it will look good. seriously. get a life. I think those hairstyles are beautiful. 1 | 14 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Samantha - Tue, Apr 29th, 2008 Don't just add styles for women who are slim. Not every woman is made the same and what is good for a slender woman is or does not look good on a woman of size. 20 | 4 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

***anni*** - Thu, Apr 10th, 2008 to be honest dnt cut your hair yourself or cut someone elses from a guid like this go to a proper hairdressers im a hair student and that explination aint the best it could be anyway its how people end up with bad hair 9 | 8 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

The Queen - Sun, Mar 23rd, 2008 Great info, if you don't understand then you shouldn't be cutting on anyone. Made perfect sense to me. 2 | 6 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

shelby - Tue, Mar 11th, 2008 ummmmmm u need hair cuts for angles and stuff that teens like sooooo ummmm i really didnt like these pics AT ALLLLLLLLLL!!!!! 6 | 11 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

puggly - Sun, Mar 9th, 2008 LOL if they are ugly or "fugly" why do ya'll need a pic??? 0 | 8 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

melina - Fri, Mar 7th, 2008 the middle ones great but honestly is sum1 really gana be botherd to straigten there hair everyday 2 hav hairstyles lyk that....... 2 | 8 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

nellieh - Mon, Feb 25th, 2008 the last one is bumm ...x...<3 3 | 5 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

ANONOMOUS - Fri, Jan 18th, 2008 You need to get some hair styles that teens, and everyone else would ACTUALLY want. Honestly, i think i just puked a little. :D 10 | 7 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Manda - Wed, Jan 16th, 2008 i like da middle one alot! 2 | 3 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

gorgeosu - Thu, Jan 10th, 2008 ok...half a these l;ook weird 2 | 7 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

joakfh - Thu, Jan 3rd, 2008 YUCK THESE AHIRSTYLES ARE DISGUSTING !!! i would not get paid to have my hair cut like this 3 | 7 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Katelynn - Wed, Jan 2nd, 2008 Sorry but these haircuts are fugly. You should loose the rubbish and give us some real styles!!! 4 | 9 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Molly-Bre - Sun, Dec 16th, 2007 This was very helpful to me. Needs Pictures to go along with directions. 5 | 3 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

Alisha - Sun, Dec 16th, 2007 Yes I agree putting pictures next to each step would be very useful Thank You 3 | 2 | Quote | Post to Blogs Post this to Blogs

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