How to Cut Curly Hair in Layers

Author: Ashley Adams / Source: wikiHow

In this Article:Getting Your Hair Ready to Be Cut Removing Overall Length Cutting Layers into Your Hair Community Q&A 24 References

Adding layers to curly hair can make your hairdo springier and more vibrant. Cutting them yourself can save you a lot of money, but giving yourself a haircut can be intimidating.

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It’s not that hard, though, if you start with the right tools. Remember to cut curly hair while it’s dry so you can see the shape of your haircut as you go. Work slowly in sections to add layers that completely transform your look!

1 Find some sharp shears and a wide-tooth comb. Don’t use just any scissors—find some shears especially made for cutting hair, as these will be sharp enough to avoid tearing the ends of your hair when you cut it. A wide-toothed comb is also important when working with curly hair. In fact, the wider the better! This will detangle your hair and it won’t stretch out the hair as much and will help prevent frizz.^[1]
- Make sure you only ever use your shears for cutting hair. Using them on other objects makes them become dull more quickly.^[2]
2 Wash, condition, and detangle your hair. Add conditioner and detangle your hair completely. Depending on the kind of conditioner you use, you can comb it through or just apply it and wash it. Detangling your hair will allow you to work with it more easily. Making sure your hair is properly moisturized will help you better identify what hair is damaged and needs to go—sometimes the ends of your hair appear damaged when, in fact, they’re just dry.^[4]
3 Dry your hair. Air-dry your hair, or dry it with a microfiber towel, which is gentler on your hair. Air-drying or gentle towel drying will allow your curls resume their ordinary shape and length. Cutting your hair while it’s dry allows you to see immediately what the final cut is going to look like. Furthermore, curls spring up and get shorter as they dry, so you’re at risk of cutting your layers too short if you chop them while they’re wet.^[5]
- It’s okay if your hair is a little damp, as long as it is not wet.
- Cutting dry hair gives you less control over it, so if you’re finding it too hard to manage sectioning and cutting completely dry hair, you can lightly dampen it with a spray bottle.^[6]

1 Divide your hair in half into two sections. Make a part down the center of your head, starting in the middle by your forehead and continuing all the way back to the nape of your neck. Pull the sections forward over your shoulders.^[7]
2 Put hair ties on each section where you want to make a cut. Tie a hair band over the entire section, and slide the ties down until they’re just above where you want your final length to be.^[8]
- If you have shorter hair, use clips to section your hair into two or more pieces, and place a clip just above where you want to cut.
- At first, aim to trim off an inch or two less than you plan to ultimately cut. You’ll probably have to cut more as you even out the length, and you don’t want to end up with too-short hair. You can always remove more later.
3 Cut the sections off under your hair tie. Chop your hair in a straight line. Use multiple cuts to get all the way through the section. This will leave you with blunt-cut ends.^[9]
- If you want to thin out the ends of your hair and make them look more blended, cut upwards into each section, at a slight angle.^[10]
4 Undo the sections and tidy up the length. Remove your hair ties or clips and visually assess your hair. If you see any extra long strands, give them a quick chop. Use two mirrors to look at the back of your hair and straighten out any uneven edges.
- Make sure your hair…