How to Layer Black Hair

Learn how to cut layers for black women's hair

Cutting layers into your hair is a good way to change the style of your hair without sacrificing its length. Having a layered haircut complements many different personal styles and face shapes. African American women's hair can be difficult to shape into layers, but a layered style is definitely achievable with a good stylist and a hairstyle that suits the hair. Working with wet hair makes it easier to shape the hair into a layered style.

Things You'll Need

• Hair-cutting scissors Wide-tooth comb Fine-tooth comb Mirror

Instructions

1. Wash your hair and comb through all of the tangles with a wide-tooth comb.

2. Decide which hairstyle you would like to have. Make sure that the type of layers you have chosen complement your face shape. Short layers that lie on the cheeks and around the face are not good choices for rounder face shapes. Short layers make the face look rounder and should be used on oval- or square-shaped faces. Square faces will gain a new softness with short layers. Use long layers to complement round faces. Oval faces can sometimes look too long if the layers start below the shoulders.

3. Comb the section of hair that you are cutting with a fine-tooth comb. Cut the layers along the face at a soft angle sloping downward. For short layers, insert the scissors facing downward on the outside layers of hair directly below the eyes. Cut downward away from the eyes to the ends of the hair to create uniform front layers. For this style of layering, you should only cut the first 1 to 2 inches of hair from the face toward the middle of the head; do not cut too far toward the center of the head.

4. Pull the hair at the back of your head to a 90-degree angle and hold it with your fingers to secure it in place. Cut the hair straight across to create layers at the back of the head. Continue cutting layers in this fashion from the middle of your hair down to the ends. Work in small sections instead of cutting large chunks of hair. For long hair, start the back layers just above the nape of the neck down to the ends of the hair.

5. Comb through the hair and use a hand-held mirror to check to see if the back of the hair looks right to you. Layers should have a slight curve to them. Some imperfections are fine; the layers should not be cut straight across in a blunt fashion. To blend the ends of the layers into the rest of the hair style, gather small sections of hair as before, holding them in your fingers. Instead of cutting across the ends, this time cut up into the ends, making sporadic small cuts, purposefully making the ends of the hair uneven. This allows the finished cut to lie and blend in properly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a razor to create edgy and chopped layers in your hair.

• Always exercise caution when cutting with scissors and creating layers near the eyes.

References

• How to Cut Black Hair: How to Cut Layers
• Hair Cut Advice