Newbie - Fine wavy hair - question about layers

[Fine&Frizzy]

Hi all,

Does anyone here have what is known as 'box' or 'square' layers in their hair?

There are so many techniques and I usually have long layers but find they make the end of the hair really tatty and see-through.

I was advised to have box layers to counteract this and maintain weight through the length. Dont want to make yet another mistake!

thanks for sharing.
karen.

[Annibelle]

I'd like to know the answer to this, too... I'm interested in layers because I've heard that they can bring out natural waves, but I have thin, fine hair, so I want to make sure the layers don't make my hair look thinner.

[Hollyfire3]

I have long layers in my hair (my hair is wavy thick and crazy without them, heck its crazy with them), complelty for the opposite reason you want layer but i do know some people who have long layers and thinner hair, it makes the hair move, not look bad on the ends. Just be sure the shortest layer is about chin length (maybe longer depending on your current hair length) or else the layers will thin your hair out.

[turtlelover]

I have long layers in my hair to counteract the pyramid effect I get w/out them. I like them, though I don't think they would would as well w/ thin hair.

[Lilli]

I keep seeing that they are to keep thick wavy hair from looking too like a pyramid, and that they should only be on hair that is less than collarbone length. Sounds like a bad idea.

[Gingerbear]

I have fine hair as well and if I ever break down and let anyone put layers in it, I always regret it. I had to look up what square/box layers were, and it seems like most of the sites I googled said these are best for thick, wavy hair to help reduce bulk. I would be afraid they would give you the opposite effect than what you want.

[kdaniels8811]

I have thin, fine hair and whenI did have layers, my hair looked really thin on the ends. So the hairdresser wanted to cut that off to make the rest look thicker. For short hair, to APL it would look fine but for longer it just thins out the length. Oh, to have thick hair!

[Earth Angel]

I have fine wavy hair too and I'm desperately trying to grow out layers that I had got done a few years ago at the front of my hair.
They made my hair more wispy looking and caused it to frizz more too.
I did get the 'choppy' ones done but I think layers really only suit medium to thick hair because it tends to thin hair out, especially on longer hair :(

[torrilin]

My hair is fairly straight, and cutting layers in is always a mistake. They do not add volume to my hair. My hair is fine and straight, volume is something it laughs at. It's good at sleek instead. They also don't add "movement", which as near as I can tell is hairdresser-speak for enhances hidden waves. My hair is so fine my 1c wave pattern vanishes from finger combing. Layers don't make the waves show more, or make my hair move in a prettier way. They just make my hair flatter, sleeker and thin at the ends.

Natural layers, of the sort you get when you just let your hair grow with some judicious search and destroy to deal with split ends... those actually are pretty good. But it sounds like box layers are the polar opposite of that. Natural layering makes it easier for me to manage updos. The ends stay put better and are less inclined to worm their way out. And if my ends do poke out, it tends to look fashionably messy rather than like I can't do my hair.

Some curlies who hang out here don't search and destroy individual splits. Instead they trim each curl if the ends are in bad shape, which is another way of getting fairly natural layers. Some salons that focus on curly hair do similar sorts of cuts meant to enhance your natural curl, and when I've seen cuts in that style they look very good, and they tend to grow out well.

[long.again]

I have thin, wavy hair and added layers about a year ago (you can see a photo in my albums) and I've loved it. It does make me feel as if I've lost length but I have so much more movement to my hair. It just looks a lot better than it did when it was all one length. I have more subtle layers than a box layered cut though. I think that would show far too much on thin hair and I didn't want it to look like my daughter chopped off a chunk here and there - which is what I think a box layered cut would look like in my hair.

[UltraBella]

This article sums up how I feel about box layers :

http://karyn-howtoofhair.blogspot.com/2008/10/why-square-layers-really-bug-me.html

I disagree with a lot of the advice given about layers, but this article I fully agree with.
You can do layers on any type of hair and on any length of hair, but they have to be tailored to what YOUR hair needs and the stylist MUST be highly skilled. My hair has been layered at TBL with no problem at all. Layers make me live my hair, my shortest layer hits at the bottom of my ear right now. I can go that short because my hair is so thick, the thinner your hair, the longer the layer will need to be. And you can always ask your stylist to "drop" your bottom layer, it keeps more hair in your hemline, so it remains thick, not see-through.
Hope that's some help to you.

[Annibelle]

Thanks for the link and advice, UltraBella!

[holothuroidea]

Some hair likes layers and other hair doesn't. If you've found that your hair does not like layers, I don't see why any "special" variety of layers would work better.

I have fine wavy hair and my hair likes layers, my ends look thin anyway and layers give my hair movement, and the wispy look suits me. I've never had long hair before, though, so I am talking about ear-shoulder length hair.

[bunzfan]

I have fine hair i.e the strands but the overall hair is thick i had layers and found they made my hair look thin:( my hair looks much thicker now they are nearly all gone but, i don't have as much wave...