Easiest Way to Layer Hair

Want to know a quick easy way to layer hair in the salon? Maybe you need an easy hair layering technique, or you want something fast so you don't run behind in the salon layering hair. 

We have a quick and easy guide on hair layering, taken from Matt Becks YouTube channel Free Salon Education, you stay up-to-date and in the know how. There's lots of different hair layer techniques and we suggest checking out the channel for more hair cutting inspiration. Cutting layers in hair is common in the salon, so finding an easy hair layering guide is super useful, and very wearable on guests. 

Section the haircut to simplify the layering technique 

Sectioning hair is really important to help achieve the hair cut your going for. It maps out the way you are going to cut. Matt sections the hair splitting the densities. The back and the sides. He will be doing some condensed cutting on the side sections, and working inside-out with his layer cutting. Starting in the back Matt demonstrates why It's important to work inside-out sometimes. 

We're cutting a long-layered hairstyle today 

This determines that Matt wants to start internally layering the haircut. That’s because he wants to protect the hair from becoming over-layered and losing the length of the layers. This can happen when you work from the outside inwards, but if you cut the shortest layer first, you have determined its length and gave yourself control of the haircut. 

Now think about the weight of the layers and how they will fall in the haircut 

Matt has just spoken about the vertical lines in the hair – the layers, now he wants to talk about the horizontal lines in the hair – the weight. Do you want the look more rounded? Or all pulled back, retaining weight at the corners of this layered hair cut? Matt doesn’t want the weight in the sides, so, he's working in a circular motion. If this terminology sounds a little confusing, it may be worth you checking out Matts fse digital haircutting system, explaining the different terminology, the whys of cutting hair and giving you all the basic shape knowledge, you need to create beautiful, simple and complex haircuts. 

Sectioning the back of the hair to layer 

So, we decided on a rounded layered look which means Matts sectioning will be pie shaped sections. And you need to think about – how much do you want to graduate the layer? When pulling out the layer, anything below 90° is graduation. Matt demonstrates he will be starting at a 90° angle at the top of the head for his 1st layer, but then he will be following the cut line directly.  

Working with a travelling guide while cutting the layers 

After figuring out where your sectioning in the back will be, you will be working with a travelling guide for this simple layer technique. Take your middle back section and cut at the 90° angle on the top, following the line, this is the first guide. Then you will move section 1 into section 2. You will see the previous cut hair and follow the guide and cut. Then, you will drop out section 1 and move section 2 into section 3. This method is repeated until there's no more sections in the back. Remember, to recreate the same pattern on the opposite side in the back and use section 1 as your guide. 

Layer the sides of the hair 

Once the back is cut, take the whole section of one side of the haircut. This is condensed cutting because the whole section is being cut in one. Comb the hair vertically up above the center part, and take a small piece from the top back section as a guide. You will follow this line ad cut the hair off in one section. Then you repeat the process on the opposite side, using the guide from the previous cut section. And that’s it! - the easiest layering technique. 

Style the hair forwards 

To show off the layers Matt talks about styling the hair with a blow-dry forwards. This means once the hair is flipped back it has volume and shows off the layer you have cut in. Check out the picture below. If you love educating yourself and want to see more of Matts free content, follow, subscribe and checkout his Tik-Tok, Instagram, YouTube and donate to his Patreon for fresh content. Thanks for reading – happy layering.