Ever since curtain bangs took over our social feeds, layered haircuts have been having a major moment, and our founder Frédéric Fekkai is a master of them. While not everyone can come in for an official Frédéric Fekkai haircut at one of our New York City salons, you can still get the magic of his genius with some salon-approved tips.
We've compiled a guide to help thin, thick, and curly hair types all find their perfect layered hairstyle with the master's signature eye for creating a look that perfectly suits your hair type and texture.
From long, romantic curly layers to the viral "wolf cut" (defined by shorter, more jagged tiers and parted bangs), layered haircuts for women are far from one-size-fits-all. Here's what to know before taking the plunge to ensure you look like you've walked out of the salon with a layered Frédéric Fekkai haircut no matter where you are in the world.
Layered Hairstyle Tips for Thick Hair
Thick hair—especially long and thick hair—sometimes lacks movement and can feel heavy. This makes it ideal for layers: for both long and short styles, layers help take some of the weight off underneath the hair.
For long, thick hair, starting the layers below the chin gives hair movement without adding puffiness. A short bob or lob (one of the signature Frédéric Fekkai haircuts) can also easily integrate layers. Try a side-swept or curtain bang and midshaft layers for a lob cut. For bob-length hair, go for asymmetrical layers that are longer in the front (think Victoria Beckham).
The best part of layered hairstyles for women with thick hair is that removing some of that weight creates a more air-dry-friendly style. Before air- or blow-drying, apply our Multi-Tasker Perfecting Creme from the ends to mid-lengths of your hair for a boost of moisture, shine, and anti-frizz protection to your newly layered look.
Layered Hairstyle Tips for Curly Hair
Like delicately shaping a bonsai tree, strategic cuts are vital to adding shape and dimension to curly hair. The trick is to avoid overly defined or choppy layers—opt for long layers over short, front-layered pieces. (It's one of the go-to FEKKAI moves in our salons for a reason!) Your stylist should go in and break up the layers with individual cuts to avoid harsh lines.
With the layers doing the heavy lifting of controlling your hair's shape and weight, styling is all about moisture and shine. To keep curls soft and smooth between washes, spritz our Shea Butter Curl Refresher from root to tip. Bonus: your hair will smell like musky florals, toffee, and coconut even on no-wash days.
Layered Hairstyle Tips for Thin Hair
While curly and thick hair types use layers to remove weight, thin hair types can use them to add weight and fullness—as long as those layers are in the right areas. For those with long, thin hair, a blunt cut with light layers on the bottom and face-framing layers in the front will add movement and volume without taking away fullness. The same can be said for medium- to shorter-length thin hair, which can also look great with bangs either cut bluntly or blended into the layered front pieces, almost like slightly grown-out curtain bangs.
The beauty of bangs and front layered hairstyles for women with thin hair is that your hair will have a natural shape and style even when you air-dry. Of course, you can amp up the volume by washing with our Full Blown Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, blow-drying with a roller brush, and adding a final mist of our Full Blown Volume Texturizing Spray.
Now you have the know-how you need to ensure you'll have that signature Frédéric Fekkai haircut look—easy, casual, chic, and totally effortless—no matter your hair texture or type. So book your salon appointment with confidence and tag us on Instagram to show your results.
