We often get asked in the salon. Should I have layers in my hair?
And will layers make hair look thicker? Will Layers Give My Hair More Volume And Look Thicker?
And the example I often give is it’s rather like going into a restaurant. And when the restaurant owner shows you the menu and asks you what you’d like to eat?
“You say food.”
And the restaurant owner reply yes, but what food, specifically, do you want to eat?
And that’s the issue with the question about should I have layers?
Layers are a way of creating a haircut for a hairdresser, understandably, a client’s understanding of layers is more simplistic, and they’ve been told that layers will give their hair volume.
Or it will give fine hair a much-needed boost, or it will make the hair appear thicker.
Does Hair Look Thicker With Or Without Layers?
So, is that true? Is Will having layers make your hair look thicker? Or create the illusion of having more hair?
Well, the really unhelpful reply to that is yes and no.
The problem with layers is…
What you see isn’t always what you get.
So what do I mean by that?
Well, when somebody brings in a picture into the salon, we’re happy to see images so that clients can give a clear idea of what they want.
Many clients will point out a picture, and I will ask this question.
What is it you see in that picture?
And I will let the client explain to me what they see. And, interestingly, they will say things like, well, it’s got short layers.
And I will say, well, actually that hairstyle, it hasn’t got short layers.
What makes you think that it has got short layers?
And they will point out a certain aspect of the haircut that it’s got width, or it’s got some height on the top.
So this really brings up a critical point is from a client’s perspective.
They want a result.
Be it they have thinner hair that they want to look thicker, or long hair they want more control over or create a more textured look. Or thicker hair they want control over or to be less bulky.
Or maybe a soft short hair haircut that looks feminine.
Whatever their desire, most clients have a result in mind that they want. Or something they want to avoid.
Such as the hair looking too thin.
So I quite often say to clients at the consultation.
When they show me a picture or they explain that they want layers, I say…
Well, what is the result that you want, and what, what do you want to have happen to your hair.?
And when they explain that to me, I know what level of layering I need to do or where I need to put those layers in the hair.
Because it’s not a case of just putting layers all over their hair, because think about a hair cut, like mine, which is all my hair is shaved off to a very short length, it’s the same length, all over. That’s not a haircut that really any woman would really want very often.
Do Layers Make Hair Look Thicker?
Yes, layers can help hair look thicker but what it’s really about is…..
Variation, and it’s about placement.
And the way that a hairdresser knows where to put those layers is based on your hair type hairstyle and the desires you have for a certain result. And that will determine how many, how few or no layers that you put into any haircut.
So what I would suggest to you is when you go to your hair salon.
Think about what it is that you like?
What it is that you want?
Or even what has not worked for you in the past.
Discuss this with your stylist, and a proficient stylist will be able to suggest the correct course of action for your hair.