How to Cut Layers in Wavy Hair.

This tutorial is all about cutting hair with texture. Maybe you want to know how to cut wavy hair so it curls better? There's a few little tips and tricks we can help cutting wavy hair with here... 

The technique is slightly different to your usual cutting so get ready to try something new! The video below is a link to our YouTube channel Free Salon Education. Here Matt Shows you how to cut layers in wavy hair. Watch the video for a full visual or check out our blog below. At Free Salon education we have new content uploaded super regular. It's free and means you have access to keep informed, confident and knowledgeable in your hairdressing. 

Educate yourself with our curl cutting techniques. 

We have many classes on cutting curls and a whole community to get involved in. If you're looking for specific education, go to freesaloneducation.com. 

You can utilize our search tool and look up wavy hair cutting or curly hair cutting to locate tutorials suited to your needs. You can sign up with us as a stylist, student, barber or brand to get involved with live classes and maybe even get interactive with questions you may have! Join us and learn new things to bring back into the salon for your guests. 

Dry cut the curls 

Now this isn't a strict rule, and we get different scenarios with cutting layers in wavy hair. Cutting curls or textured hair needs to be assessed on whether we go in dry or wet. 

We are dry cutting today to preserve texture. This is because of a number of things. Cutting layers in wavy hair can be better done dry. You see the texture where it lives, meaning you can cut visually. Water can pull out the wave with weight. Disrupting the wave/curl pattern. Our mannequin isn't natural waves too but styled, so we cut dry this to preserve the waves while cutting for educational purposes. Cutting with more precision will need to be done if you guest ever wears their hair straight. So, have a good consult prior to cutting. 

Look at the shape of the haircut dry 

Check out the height and weight distribution of the wavy hair. Think about where you want the wavy layers to fall to create shape in the haircut. 

Cutting layers in wavy hair is a lot of fun. Look at the length of your layers and asses where you want them to sit. We want a mid-weight to create a rounder look. We want to create a little more width as the wavy hair is bottom heavy. The higher the elevation the shorter the top layer will fall. So, we decided to go in at 90-degree angle to keep some weight in the mid area. We also decided to avoid over direction to keep a good balanced all round wavy haircut. 

Use dry cutting scissors 

Believe it or not it's best to have two types of scissors on wet and dry. Cutting curls can take it out of your precision scissors so be mindful of what you do. 

You want a scissor with a thicker blade for your dry cutting. This is because the thickness helps with the strength of your blade. Thicker blades smoothly go through dry hair cutting and it's sharpened a little differently to your usual precision cutting scissor. Cutting dry hair can dull your scissors a bit. 

Our cutting sections are taken loose with structure 

We use our fingers to section and a wider-toothed-comb to avoid disturbing the curls. We take our sectioning using the round of the head for an even expanded shape. 

We start at the very front of our hair cut and work our way around the head taking segments. We have slack in the hair when we pull it up to cut. This will keep the hair in its wavy form. We are then deep point cutting in our length of layers. This creates space in the ends and gives the waves a much softer effect, showing off that texture. No over direction in our layers. The haircut is pulled out vertically from the head. The fall in the hair cut will have even weight distribution, giving a nice rounded textured effect.  

Use your scissors to detail the curls 

Once you have created your basic shape, use your creative eye to spot areas where the wavy hair needs extra hair cutting. Look at the layers and the shape. Does the top layer need more softness? 

Matt works a technique called tease cutting into this haircut. It can moderate the look like point cutting but it creates more softness, taking away the edge and alleviating the look from harder lines. Use the mouth of your scissor go in from ends working in an upwards motion just half closing the scissor. It etches out pieces of hair giving different levels of hair. 

Finish the wavy hair cut with curly bangs. 

Once you're happy with your refinement of the cut, we now work on opening up the face a little. Knowing how to cut wavy hair with layers this way offers versatility. 

We take a triangular section around the front of the look to create space and layers around the face. This look can be took shorter or longer for different styles in the salon. Great for some texture and definition. Take the section and over direct to the opposite way that it falls. Tease cut and work in the same manner as before but remove weight and length to create lift around the face. Repeat on the opposite side and you have your finished look! 

It's as simple as that! 

This was a short sweet tutorial on how to cut layers on wavy hair. Keeping the waves intact and using creative flair. 

Join us on our FSEnow app or YouTube free salon education to keep informed on all thing's hair. We have a great hairdressing community you can get involved in and lots of content to keep you educated! And remember – Have fun!