Tips on what to tell stylist about cutting layers?

[Curlsgirl]

Okay any tips on what kind of layers I DO or DON'T want so I can tell my stylist tomorrow? My hair is 2c/3a at this length (about BSL curly since I cut several inches a month or so ago). It's still fairly thick but I have lost some thickness since a major shed this past few months too.

I am mostly just tired of one length and I don't do braids too much anymore so that's not really as much of a concern now. Mostly I want to revive the curl from being pulled down by the length and give it some "shape".

[kristymarie87]

You dont want heavy or choppy layers. You just want long layers that lift a bit of the weight off and enhance the curl. Dont let them razor cut it and make sure they show you how short they are cutting them so you can be happy!!
Godd luck I have my haircut appt tomorrow too

[UltraBella]

You want long, blended layers from what you are describing. My layers are done with a razor, and I don't know why so many people are against razoring. If the razor is dull it will damage your hair, but so will a pair of dull scissors, clippers, etc. I always just ask for a fresh razor and the stylist changes it out in front of me. There is no way for me to know if her cutting shears have been sharpened though.
Good luck, I love my layers !!

[Curlsgirl]

Well I do trust my salon and I am pretty sure they will do me well, always have before. I am not sure whether to get face framing layers as well or not. How long should I leave them if I do and what should I say?

[BattahZ]

I posted about this in the curly thread as well, but I'll throw it in here, too!

Re: face-framing layers, keep in mind those can give you a whole lot of frizz if they're not long enough to pull back when you do updos. Since they'll shrink up, look at your hair when it's curly and see where you'd like them to hit on your face, then stretch the curls out and see what that length would be. Then add a little to that, since shorter hair will curl more than long hair. I've made the mistake of getting my face-framing layers cut too short, and when they curled up I just hated them - they shrank up too much and were too short to be flattering. When they're long they can be really pretty.

I'd also ask the stylist to leave a lot of bulk at the bottom of your hair. I think the standard way stylists cut layers for straight hair (or at least the layers that almost every stylist I've been to has given me) cut way too thick of a short layer in, and don't leave enough hair at the bottom to balance. So you end up with what looks like a short layer at the top, and another layer at the bottom, without much gradation in between. That seems to look good with straight hair, but with curly hair the top layer gets expands and gets huge and doesn't flow well into the rest of the hair.

Re: what UltraBella said about razors, I used to go to a stylist who used a razor on me and it was just fine - I think she also made sure to use one that was really sharp. That cut a lot of shape into my hair without obvious layers, it was just lighter up-top and had wispier ends, which was really pretty when it was shorter. When she used to cut my hair, I never had split ends.

[Curlsgirl]

I posted about this in the curly thread as well, but I'll throw it in here, too!

Re: face-framing layers, keep in mind those can give you a whole lot of frizz if they're not long enough to pull back when you do updos. Since they'll shrink up, look at your hair when it's curly and see where you'd like them to hit on your face, then stretch the curls out and see what that length would be. Then add a little to that, since shorter hair will curl more than long hair. I've made the mistake of getting my face-framing layers cut too short, and when they curled up I just hated them - they shrank up too much and were too short to be flattering. When they're long they can be really pretty.

I'd also ask the stylist to leave a lot of bulk at the bottom of your hair. I think the standard way stylists cut layers for straight hair (or at least the layers that almost every stylist I've been to has given me) cut way too thick of a short layer in, and don't leave enough hair at the bottom to balance. So you end up with what looks like a short layer at the top, and another layer at the bottom, without much gradation in between. That seems to look good with straight hair, but with curly hair the top layer gets expands and gets huge and doesn't flow well into the rest of the hair.

Re: what UltraBella said about razors, I used to go to a stylist who used a razor on me and it was just fine - I think she also made sure to use one that was really sharp. That cut a lot of shape into my hair without obvious layers, it was just lighter up-top and had wispier ends, which was really pretty when it was shorter. When she used to cut my hair, I never had split ends.

Thanks so much! My hair is straightish at the top and curlier as it goes down. I'll ask her what she plans to do before she starts cutting and get her to show me the lengths too. She is supposed to be good with curly hair and in the past I find that this salon is very good at everything it does sooooooooo I am hoping she will know what she is doing. I doubt they use razors there so probably won't have to worry about that. I haven't had good experience with them in the past but maybe it was more the person who used them!