Learn how to do anything: How to Cut Face Framing Layers

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

How to Cut Face Framing Layers

Soft, face framing layers look great on everyone. They’re also easy to do at home, no hair stylist necessary! Start by deciding if you want short or long layers. If your hair is medium length, go with shorter layers. If you have long hair, opt for long layers that swing softly around your face. Once you’ve narrowed that down, it’s just a matter of making a few snips!

EditSteps

EditCutting Short Face Framing Layers

Get your hair damp. For best results, cut these layers on damp hair. A good time to cut is post-shower, right after you’ve towel-dried your hair. Another option is skipping the shower and misting your hair with a water-filled spray bottle. You can approach it either way.^[1]
- Even if your hair is curly, go ahead and get it damp for best results. When deciding the length of your layer, you'll be going with an adjusted measurement to account for spring-back.
Detangle your hair with a wide-tooth comb. Before you start cutting on your hair, it’s important that you detangle it thoroughly. Knots and tangles will slow you down and possibly contribute to uneven layers. Start at the ends of your hair and gently work your way up to the roots with the comb. Then, smooth your hair down with your hands.
Comb the hair at the crown of your head straight down. This is the hair growing right above your forehead. Use the midpoint of each eyebrow (right above the iris of each eye) as a guide. The hair that falls between those two midpoints is what you want to work on. Comb the hair straight down over your face.^[2]
- When sectioning your hair, only go as far back as you would if you were cutting regular bangs -- a few centimeters back from the hairline.
Grab that section of hair and twist it. This will separate the section from the rest of your hair. Then, clip the rest of your hair out of the way. Now you can concentrate only on the crown section of hair, which will become the short, face-framing layers.^[3]
Decide where you want the layer to fall based on your hair type. If you have straight hair, aim to cut the layer at around the mouth area. Wavy and curly hair both spring up once dry, so you need to cut off less to get the same effect. For those with wavy hair, cut right below your mouth, between your mouth and chin. If you have curly hair, cut at chin-level.^[4]
- You can always go back and cut more if you aren’t happy with the results.
Tighten the twist and hold it directly in front of your face. The twist will run between your eyes, down your nose, and down to your chin. Twist the hair tightly and hold the very end of twist with your non-dominant hand.^[5]
Use a sharp pair of barber’s scissors to snip through the twist. Hold the scissors horizontally. Double check where you’ve decided to cut. Then, snip right through the twist in a straight line. The twisted hair will ensure you end up with soft ends rather than bluntly cut ends.
Release the twist and shake out your hair. The hair you removed will fall away. Comb through the newly-cut section of hair. Then, grab a round brush and comb through them again.
Style your new layers with a blow dryer and round brush. Using the round brush, brush the hair inward toward your face. Blast your hair with the blow dryer as you roll the length of the hair through the brush. Then aim your blow dryer downward to finish drying the new layers so they fall smoothly around your face.^[6]
- Style the rest of your hair as usual.

EditCutting Face Framing Layers for Long Hair

Brush your dry hair thoroughly. Start with dry hair and use a paddle brush to work through any knots. You want to start with smooth, detangled hair.^[7]
Lean over slightly and brush your hair forward. Direct all of your hair forward to the crown of your head. Gather all of your hair at the crown, almost at your hairline. Hold it there with your non-dominant hand.^[8]
- Once you've gathered all your hair, you can stand back up again.
Secure the hair at the crown with a hair tie. You are basically forming a ponytail at the crown of your head. Hold the hair securely with your non-dominant hand and use your dominant hand to twist the hair tie into place. Try to keep your hair as smooth as possible.^[9]
Hold the ponytail right in the middle with your non-dominant hand. Grab on to your ponytail about mid-way down, so that the ends are exposed. Twist it gently and decide where you want to make the cut.^[10]
Snip off the end of the ponytail in one straight motion. You don’t need to do anything special, just make a blunt cut straight across the ponytail at your chosen length. Let the cut pieces fall to the floor and let go of your ponytail.^[11]
Remove the hair tie and brush out your hair normally. Brush your hair into your usual part. The freshly cut hair will fall around your face softly. The layers will look uniform and professional. Style your hair as usual and enjoy your swingy, face framing layers!^[12]