If you have longer and thicker hair, you know the right cut makes a difference. For instance, layered haircuts remove bulk while still keeping the overall length and show off the natural movement of the hair. The difference with layers depends on where the first layer is cut and how much texture is taken out of the “triangles”.
Real movement from a layered haircut versus a cut that simply looks layered is a conversation that should happen more. One of my clients had hair cascading down to her waist and it was sad to see how all of her previous stylists had just left the back of her hair at one length. There is a lot of under-layering that occurs when thick hair is used. The layers that provide movement are the ones created by skillfully knowing where to take out the weight so that it is fluid and where it needs to be released from the inside.
In the case of thick hair with blunt layers, the ends can make the hair look wider unless they are paired with some interior thinning or some softer feathering around the face. Additionally, if your hair is prone to frizz, you may want to ask for slide cutting instead of point cutting since it closes the cuticle and reduces the puff more effectively. The examples of layered hairstyles I’ve compiled below are what I value the most. These styles make it so that hair feels lighter and easier to style while preserving all the length you have worked to grow out.
#1: Soft Flowing Curls on Long, Dark Layers
With this cut, I like how the curls look natural. The stylist did the cut in a way that all the curls could form freely. The dark color adds a lot of dimension to the cut. It helps to show the shadows between the curls as well. If your hair is at least partially wavy, this is a great cut. Just be ready to spend some time drying those long curls as you’ll need a good diffuser to do so.
#2: Straight and Shiny with Layers That Catch Light
It may look as though there was a simple cut made here, but with a closer look, you can see how the ends are bent up, and how layers are used to stop the style from looking completely flat. The color has a great depth to it that is similar to dark glass when light hits it. In terms of style, I’d keep it simple because it can be done with a bit of smoothing serum on damp hair, and a round brush to curl the ends. Cuts like these are great for day three hair because it still looks good, and that is the goal here.
#3 Long and Sleek with Just Enough Body
This particular haircut demonstrates great layered textures that don’t overly call attention to themselves. This cut will have onlookers say “your hair looks amazing”, just without being able to place what it is. These layers are internal, creating a more uniform to the bulk, even distribution of weight throughout the cut. This length maintains it’s shape throughout the week really well, in that it doesn’t lose it’s shape quicker than other cuts do as the days go on. This gloss is mostly the result of healthy ends along with some sort of finishing product, nothing crazy.
#4: Long Layers That Let Natural Curls Do Their Thing
I’m excited about the results from this cut. Dividing the layers while respecting the curl pattern instead of going against it is huge. The curls are bouncy but not crunchy, so I’m thinking the leave-in conditioning is on point. The cut was done dry or at least finished dry, and I like that because I recommend that for curly textures since cutting wet is so misleading with shrinkage. I love the dark color, it’s rich and warm and honestly I wouldn’t touch it with highlights, it doesn’t need them. This cut is all about letting the texture be the star.
#5: Warm Highlighted Curls with Strategic Layering
The most important caramel chunks are on the topmost layer which means as the hair moves and splits, you get incredible dimension that makes this look even more high end. The layer is done so that the ends are heavy and mid lengths are lighter which is exactly why the curls are so bouncy and there’s no frizz or poof at the crown. This look is going to take a bit of effort and your best friend here will be a curl cream that you scrunch in while your hair is still sopping wet. When it dries, don’t touch it or you will lose all that definition and break up the clumps.
#6: Bouncy Layered Curls with Lots of Personality
I really enjoy the energy in this cut. Because the layers start from the shoulders, the curls can freely spring up and move on their own. The shape is super full and bouncy, and with this cut it looks like you’re having such a great day. The color being deep and rich enough keeps everything looking classy even when the texture is wild. With thick curly hair, if it’s long and all one length, having someone take some weight out strategically will change how the hair sits and how it feels. This is a great example of that.
#7: Soft and Shiny Layers That Move When You Do
I appreciate the way the layers start at the collarbone and fall softly from there. This gives the hair a natural swing you could never create with a flat iron. The shine is beautiful and natural and not gross and coated. Just healthy hair being healthy. I think a lot of thick haired people avoid layers because they are worried about losing fullness, but this is evidence that you can have both! The layers create the illusion of more movement and life without thinning the hair too much. I would say keep the styling simple. A blow dry with a round brush and you’re good to go!
#8: Deep Chocolate Waves That Wear Easily
I love the effortless vibe this hairstyle has. The chocolate color is rich and the waves look super nice and all the more impressive with no highlights (right?). This is a great style for people who don’t want to put a lot of thought into their hair during the week because soft layers will hold a wave from a little mousse and some braids overnight or it’ll air dry into a soft bend. If you have thicker hair, you may need a little internal texturizing to get this same feel.
#9: High-Shine Layers with a Gorgeous Flow
I especially love how shiny the hair is. It shows off the layers and gives the cut a liquid look as it moves. The mid-length layers are great for thick hair because they add volume without making the ends too thin and wispy. I’m guessing a good heat protectant and a finishing spray were used, but the cut is really doing most of the work. This style definitely needs regular trims because the ends split and the shine diminishes along with the effect.
#10: Healthy Flowing Layers with a Soft Sheen
The cut is balanced, and the layers are blended just enough, but are short enough, that you see movement and separation when the hair falls naturally. I like the subtle balayage, it’s done well and isn’t stripey or obvious, but it catches the light and warms it up. I always tell people, for balayage on dark hair, go warm not ashy, and this exemplifies that the best. The maintenance on this is pretty reasonable, you’ll want trims every ten weeks or so to keep those ends clean.
#11: Warm Chestnut Layers with Soft Bangs
This hairstyle looks great because of the bangs. They aren’t heavy or blunt, but airy and wispy. They integrate seamlessly with the face framing layers which makes the whole cut come together beautifully. The chestnut color is warm and gorgeous, and I think with other skin tones you could definitely go warmer. If you get annoyed by hair in your face, just a heads up, these bangs will really test your patience around week 4 when they’re that awkward length and you’re going to be having to trim them a lot. The layers at the ends of the hair are beautiful and give a nice flow and movement without making the hair look thin.
#12: Polished Straight Layers with Soft Volume at the Ends
This haircut is what I would call a ‘your hair but better’ type of deal as it is quite simple and not too dramatic or trying to be super trendy. It is a really nicely done layered cut on thick and straight hair, and really pulls everything together to be more polished and sophisticated. The volume at the ends is subtle but it adds so much more energy and interest, and really prevents the look from getting flat and heavy. It deserves to be getting tons of compliments, and questions about what products you use. With a gloss finish, it looks stunning. I think there is a lot of the work done for you with this specific haircut. Particularly with straight fine hair and when the layers are done really well, you sort of get this little natural flick at the ends which is fab and doesn’t require much styling.
#13: Thick Cascading Waves with Warmth and Dimension
The waves in this look are the definition of ‘I woke up like this’ effortless style. This is mainly because the layers are long enough to create separation but not so short that it disrupts the flow. The color is so warm and dimensional it gives an incredible effect, and there are definitely some hand painted highlights that are sun-kissed to perfection. The fact that this style looks incredible the day of and then fabulously the day after and the day after is a sign of a great haircut. You will want to style it with a large barrel curling iron to enhance the waves, but you definitely won’t have to do it every day.
#14: Caramel Waves on Long Layered Lengths
The caramel shade here is great. It provides warmth without being too brassy. Also, it gives a lovely glow to the hair, and I think enhances the definition of the waves more than they actually are. Warmth to elevate texture is a great trick. The layers are cut through, which is good for thick hair because if you just layer the top, you get a shelf of hair underneath that doesn’t blend. I would consider this style to be medium maintenance. The color will need toning every few months, and you will need a color-safe shampoo so the caramel tones don’t fade. However, the cut is pretty forgiving.
#15: Full and Curled with a Beautiful Gloss
I think the softer and more glamorous curls look amazing! I love how a little more relaxed the look feels too. I think the layers are perfect because they make the curls look stunning and also keep the hair from looking frizzy. That is especially hard with thick curly hair. I really enjoy the gloss treatment you did because I can tell it really enhances the richness of your hair color and makes your curls look shinier. I also appreciate the gloss treatment on thick hair because the extra smoothing of the hair cuticles really helps how the hair feels and moves throughout the week.
#16: Long Flowing Layers with Soft Wispy Bangs
I love the bangs! They look light and wispy and won’t overwhelm the face like some thicker bangs can. The warm gradient in the hair is gorgeous and really adds to the overall style. It’s that laid back California effortless look so many people strive for but tend to over bleach! This cut has obviously been designed to fall with the hair’s natural fall and blend in beautifully. The layers aren’t really shaped into a style they just gently encourage the hair to move as it would naturally. That’s that spot. Minimal styling, maximum pay off!
#17: Clean Layered Cut with a Healthy Shine
At times, the hair cut which will be the most obvious will actually feel as if nothing was done at all. For thick hair, a layered cut will feel clean, healthy, and intentional. The slight layering means the volume is kept in check without adding any visible steps or a choppy look. The warm tones in the color provide a natural richness to the hair and it photographs very well. This is the type of cut that is very satisfying to do because even though the technique is very subtle, the results can be amazing. It will grow out beautifully over a few months without looking awkward.
#18: Classic Layers with Soft Textured Ends
The ends of this haircut are helpful because they keep ends from being heavy and blunt which thick hair needs to avoid that triangular shape everyone worries about. The rest of the haircut is simple and is not trying to be anything that it is not, it is just good solid haircutting that works with the natural fall and density of the hair. I would recommend this to someone who is wanting a change, but does not want to feel like they made a big decision because it will come across as, “I just look really good” rather than “I just got a super big haircut.” If your hair is cooler, some subtle highlights through the ends would be nice dimension here.
#19: Deep Dark Curls with Long Layers Throughout
In certain lights, the rich, dark color may seem as if it has a blue-black quality which is gorgeous for the curls as it enhances all the shadows and highlights in the texture. The layers are placed beautifully as they minimize bulk in all the right places without interfering with the curl pattern which is a real skill; honestly, a lot of stylists don’t cut curly hair well so if you’ve found one, hold on to them. The actual cut will make your life so much easier, maybe with a good leave-in conditioner along with a gel or custard for definition; the curls will fall into place instead of fighting each other.
#20: Sun-Kissed Blonde Layers with Effortless Waves
These highlights look super realistic and natural like they really came from the sun. I could easily believe they came from the beach rather than the salon. But this does have to do with placement, as these are very intentional. A lot of thought was really put into them to determine how light interacts with them and creates shadows. The waves and the beach layers are also ideal. All of them together create movement without losing any of that gorgeous length. I will be honest; dyeing thick hair blonde requires a lot of commitment. It is a tough to maintain. It will require a nice purple shampoo and a deep conditioner to keep it looking healthy. When this process is done as well as this one, it is worth all that effort.
#21: Long Layers with Feathered Face-Framing Bangs
We love this face-framing cut! The bangs are very soft, and gently blend into the longer layers, creating a very smooth transition. Everything flows nicely here! This cut is also ideal for someone who has considered bangs, but hasn’t taken the plunge yet. These bangs are also long enough to tuck behind the ear or sweep to the side, and the length is perfect for an updo or braid. With the layers, it won’t feel like dead weight when you wear your hair down!
#22: Bouncy Voluminous Layers on Long Thick Hair
I love how the bounce is in this cut! You can see the layers were cut to create some lift without the hair poofing, which is a really important difference that most people don’t know about. The face framing layers are subtle, but they really help, and the overall shape is nice and full, which is what’s needed with thick hair. You want to people to notice the movement and not the layers. An honest lightweight volumizing spray at the roots before blow drying will enhance this even more, but the truth is that most of the work goes to the cut (pun intended).
#23: Silky Straight Layers with a Fun Fringe
This style shows why I love the look of long hair with bangs. The contrast created by the fringe is different and helps the hair look more put together even if it’s a simple style. The hair is very silky and straight, and layering is done very nicely so it doesn’t look too thick. The highlights create subtle texture, which is very nice. If your hair gets frizzy easily, you may need to do a little touch up with the flat iron on humid days. But it should be fine with just a blow dry to keep the hair sleek on normal days.
#24: Smooth Flowing Layers with Natural Shine
This is a cut that has a very seamless blend meaning you can’t really see where the layers start and stop. It all looks like one long fluid movement with just the right amount internal lightness so thick hair won’t feel heavy. You can really tell the hair’s condition by its shine, the healthier your hair is the better the cut is going to look. It doesn’t matter how amazing of a cut you get, if the ends are dead it’s going to look bad. It’s a very simple cut but it is really elegant and is the type of cut that you can go from a work meeting to dinner without having to change a thing.
#25: Long Feathered Layers with Soft, Easy Movement
The feathery ends provide a pretty, soft touch that I find far more flattering than straight cuts. It has an elevated and light feel with the same amount of density. Straight hair with a little bend at the ends suggests that it was blow-dried with a round brush or it has a light wave. It looks great either way because it makes the hairstyle look less stiff and flat. This hairstyle is super adaptable. It looks great, no matter what you do with it. You can wash it and let it air dry, and it will look good. You can blow dry it, and it will look good too. You can put it in a ponytail, and it will still look good. The layers give it shape no matter how you decide to wear it.
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