How to Cut Your Own Hair in Short Layers

Want to know how to cut your own hair in short layers at home? Check out this blog post for a step-by-step guide, complete with photos!

Checkout this video:

Gather your supplies.

To cut your hair in short layers, you will need:
-A sharp scissors
-A comb
-Hair clips
Start with clean, dry, and styled hair. If your hair is naturally straight, you may want to curl it first to help give your haircut shape.

Wet your hair and add conditioner.

Start with clean, wet hair. Towel dry it until it’s just damp, then add a conditioner. Use your fingers to work it through your hair, paying special attention to the ends. Rinse the conditioner out with cool water.

Cut your hair in small sections.

Start with dry, clean hair. Cut small sections of hair, no larger than the width of your scissors. Point cut each section of hair, angling your scissors in slightly towards the center of the section to create texture. Comb through each section before moving on to the next.

Trim the ends of your hair.

1.Start with clean, dry, and styled hair. If your hair is dirty, it will be more difficult to see where you need to make your cuts.
2.Gather your hair into a ponytail at the crown of your head. If your hair is very long, you may need to make a second ponytail halfway down the length of your hair.
3.Divide the ponytail into two sections with a horizontal part.
4.Cut the bottom section of the ponytail first. Take small snips until you have removed the split ends and desired amount of length.
5.Repeat this process with the top section of the ponytail.
6.Let down the rest of your hair and trim any uneven pieces.

Layer your hair.

Start with clean, dry, and styled hair. If your hair is naturally straight, you can add waves using a curling iron before you begin layering.

Divide your hair into sections. For shorter hair, use two sections: one from the crown of your head to just below your ears, and one from just below your ears to the nape of your neck. If you have long hair, you may want to divide it into three sections: one from the crown of your head to just below your temples; one from just below your temples to just below your ears; and one from just below your ears to the nape of your neck. Clip away the top sections so they are out of your way while you work on the bottom layers.

Start with small, minor cuts It is easier to take off more than to put back on, so start with small cuts and then take off more if needed. Work in small subsections (about 1 in or 2.5 cm wide) as you cut each layer so that the cut will be more even.

Pay attention to the direction of your scissors. Point them downwards as you cut in order to avoid choppy layers. As you layer the hair, make sure that each layer is slightly shorter than the one underneath it.[1] This will give you more control over how much length you take off and where you place each layer.

Continue layering until all of the bottom section has been cut. Make sure that all of the layers blend nicely together and that there are no choppy or uneven spots.

Style your hair.

Start with clean, dry, and styled hair. If you are starting with wet hair, blow dry it until it is about 80% dry. If you have time, let your hair air dry for a bit before blow drying. This will help to minimize heat damage. When blow drying, use a lower heat setting and a diffuser attachment to help prevent frizz.[1]

If you have straight hair, add some curl or wave with a curling iron or hot rollers. You want your hair to have some texture so that the layers will blend seamlessly.

Use a little bit of product to help define your hair and give it some hold. A light-weight mousse or styling cream will work well. Apply it evenly from roots to ends.

Start with small sections of hair.

If you have very fine or thin hair, start with small sections of hair no wider than 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm). If you have thick or coarse hair, you can start with sections up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.

Clip the back section of your hair.

Pull all of your hair into a ponytail at the crown of your head and secure it with an elastic band.[2] Use your fingers or a comb to divide the ponytail into two even sections. Take one section and clip it out of the way with a claw clip or bobby pins.[3]

Start cutting in small increments.

Starting at the base of the ponytail, cut off only about 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) at a time.[4] As you cut, hold the scissors perpendicular (at a 90 degree angle) to your head and point them down into the ends of your hair.[5] To get an idea of how much length to take off, hold up each section of cut hair against the rest of your ponytail as you go along.[6]