Can You Layer Fine Hair?

Absolutely you can! BUT, it's not a matter of if you can layer fine hair - it's a matter of how do you layer fine hair? In the hairdressing world, as many stylists would know all rules are broken either intentionally or not. So of course some stylists may say no you can't put layers in fine or thin hair and some will say the complete opposite that you can! So who do you listen to? That's easy - Yourself! Generally you'll use your discretion on whether or not the fine hair you're working on should or shouldn't have layers put in.

So while we say yes you can put layers into fine hair, we also urge you to use your hairdressing knowledge to determine if the fine hair will suit the layers or not. So we're here to break down the pros and cons of adding layers to fine hair along with best suited styles to suit fine or thin hair without compromising the overall look of the hair. So let's get into the pros and cons.

Pros

• Can add texture therefor making the hair look fuller
• Can add volume to hair that may look like flat hair or stuck to the scalp due to no movement
• Choppy layers can create optical illusions of fullness if on a pixie cut or a short haircut
• Layers added to a blunt cut with blunt ends can help the root area and the ends blend better rather than the ends looking too heavy and weighed down.
• Shorter hair can be made to look more fuller/thicker
• layers on fine hair can give it a natural texture look to it
• Can help to maintain density of finished style
• Volume Volume and more VOLUME which means no Volume spray needed to add lift

Cons

• Too many layers on fine hair can lose density to style.
• Cutting layers into super fine hair can make it look even thinner or completely change the style intended to cut
• Too long or too short layers can throw the style off.
• Can be tricky to blow dry and hold style
• More products may be needed to help style the layers

Best haircuts suited for fine hair?

Whether or not you're choosing to add layers to fine hair, you'll certainly need to consider the above pros and cons along with the different hair types you'll come across. For example; there can be fine hair but a lot of it, meaning that the density at the root may look fine but there are lots of strands of hair. This type of finer hair texture is good to add long layers to it if it's at a reasonable length.

Another great example is finer hair types that are all round fine tend to be better off with no layers and keep the ends blunt, if your client is persisting for layers then best to add soft layers or some may refer to it as light layers - again you'll need to judge it by your hairdressing eye on what you think the hair can handle without destroying the style.

Most fine hair types often end up in a bob of some sort, whether it's a pixie cut or a long bob or even shoulder length can be classed as a bob style. Why? simply because the more blunt and shorter the hair is the better the optical illusion is at making the style appear thicker and fuller with the right amount of movement once its finish drying and styled appropriately. No matter if there's layers or not to the style, the fuller the hair will look at a shorter length.

Still unsure?

If you're still unsure on what to do with your clients fine hair we suggest you ask about their previous haircuts. If they have had layers before? If they liked the layered look to their fine hair? Would they be interested in trying layers? Whatever the outcome of the answers to those questions, if you're heading down the path to add layers to their fine hair then please start off light with the correct cutting technique to avoid disappointment or mistakes made to your clients hair.

and if you're still REALLY unsure then just don't - stick with what you know or ask a colleague's advice before committing to any cutting of fine hair. We here at scissor tech will give our best thought advice but by all means don't feel that you have to take it. Happy cutting of fine hair!