Q&A for How to Layer Cut Your Own Hair

Do what works best for you. In time, your family will adjust to your new look!

If your hair is naturally curly, it would be better to cut if when it's dry. If your hair is naturally straight, it can be cut wet or dry.

The back top part of your head is the crown. It is the part of your head just before it starts to curve down to the back of your head.

When you're blow drying your hair, dry the roots first. This will add lift to your hair.

The scalp is the skin on your head that hair grows out of. The crown is just the top part of your head/scalp.

I don't see why not. The short portion may not get caught in the ponytail or may fall out of the ribbon before the cutting point. If that happened, it would stay the same length there and the rest would layer. I don't know for sure, but I am trying to grow fringe bangs out and usually pull them out of the ponytail before I cut so they can get a little longer/more even.

You could wet down the crown of your head, apply some hair mousse or gel, and then use a paddle brush to pull the hair down to prevent parting.

Do it with wet hair so it will be straight and the haircut will be as even as possible.

Having “short layers” means that the distance between the shortest layer and the longest ends isn't very much (maybe 1-2 inches). Long layers, on the other hand, are more dramatic, with several inches between the shortest layers and the longest ends of the hair.

3 layers is usually the minimum: a short layer at the front, a slightly longer layer on the sides, and the longest layer at the back.

Create two parts on each side of your head and gather up the hair in between. This is called the top box. Divide the top box into a front and back section. Pull the front section straight up from your head by holding it between your index and middle finger. Slide your fingers down to the place where you want your layer to be cut, and use your scissors to cut off the hair below your fingers. Repeat this with the back section of the top box.

It's essentially the same process. When you're cutting the back layer, be sure to use a handheld mirror to check your progress frequently, since it may be harder to bring your hair around to the front over your shoulders to cut it.