One-length hair at the shoulders tends to go flat at the crown on fine hair and bulky at the sides on thick hair, usually by the afternoon after a morning blow-dry. Short layered haircuts, from shoulder length up to a pixie, take weight out where it sits so the shape holds longer into second-day hair.
1. Shoulder-Length Cut With Layers
I start the layers at the chin and let the perimeter rest right on the shoulders for this cut. Each section comes out at 45 degrees and gets point cut at the ends so the layers run into one another. Of the short layered haircuts shoulder length clients ask about, this is the one I cut most. Fine to thick hair works, as do oval, round and heart faces. Round-brush the blow-dry and flip the ends. Trim every 8 weeks.
2. Lob With Long Layers
I cut this lob to land between the chin and collarbone and run long internal layers through it to take out bulk. The perimeter stays close to blunt so the ends still look full. Fine to medium hair and oval, round and square faces wear it well. Use a 1.25-inch iron through the mid-lengths and leave the ends straight. Among short layered haircuts, this one adapts to more occasions than most. Trim every 8 to 10 weeks.
3. Bob With Crown Layers
I cut the perimeter of this bob at the jaw first, then point cut short layers through the crown so the shape stays round and gains lift. Fine hair that needs volume takes it well, and oval or heart faces suit it. A medium round brush on the blow-dry and a light texture spray to finish are all it needs. Keep the shape with a trim every 6 weeks.
4. Choppy Layered Bob Cut
I cut this bob at the chin and point cut deep into the ends so the pieces separate, with uneven, textured layers through the top. Medium to thick hair, straight or wavy, carries it best, and square or oval faces suit it. Style it with texture paste and a bend from the flat iron. Grow-out hides better in this cut than in most short layered haircuts. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.
5. Stacked Layered Bob
I graduate the nape of a stacked bob so short stacked layers in the back build up into longer front pieces. The result is volume at the crown. Fine to medium straight hair and oval or heart faces suit it, and women over 40 wear it well. Blow-dry the back over a small round brush. A trim every 5 to 6 weeks keeps the stack tight.
6. Inverted Bob With Soft Layers
I graduate the back of an inverted bob so it sits short there and angles longer toward the chin, then blend soft layers over the top. Straight hair of medium density suits it, and so do round or oval faces, because the angle pulls the eye downward. Blow-dry it smooth with a paddle brush and tuck one side behind the ear. Trim every 6 weeks.
7. Pixie With Layered Top
I keep the sides and nape of this pixie short and leave the top around three to four inches, razored for soft, piecey texture. Oval and heart faces and fine to medium hair suit it. Styling is a small amount of matte paste worked through dry hair. None of the short layered haircuts in this list are shorter. Trim every 4 to 6 weeks.
8. Long Pixie With Swept Side Bangs
I leave the top and fringe of this pixie long enough to sweep across the forehead, taper the nape and point cut the bangs on a diagonal. Round and square faces and fine to medium hair suit it. Blow-dry the bangs across with a flat brush and finish with a light pomade. Trim every 5 to 6 weeks.
9. Pixie-Bob Hybrid
I cut a pixie bob with a short nape and longer pieces around the ears and jaw, halfway between a pixie and a bob. The back is graduated and the top is point cut into layers. Oval and heart faces and fine to medium hair suit it. Texture spray and a round brush at the crown handle the styling. Trim every 5 weeks.
10. Shaggy Layered Bob
I razor layers throughout a chin-length cut for a shaggy bob, with the most texture built at the crown, and finish with curtain bangs or a wispy fringe. Wavy hair of medium density suits it, as do oval or long faces. Scrunch in a sea salt spray and let it air-dry. This is one of the short layered haircuts that does not need heat. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.
11. Cropped Short Shag
I razor the top of a short shag into choppy crown layers, cut a heavy fringe and keep the nape short so the cut sits above the jaw. It works on thick hair that is wavy or curly, and on oval or heart faces. Diffuse with a curl cream or scrunch mousse through it. Styling takes less time than a bob. Trim every 6 weeks so the crown layers stay short.
12. Shoulder-Grazing Shag
I razor the top into choppy crown layers, add curtain bangs and point cut the perimeter so this shag grazes the shoulders. It is built for wavy and curly hair of medium density. Air-dry with a curl cream or sea salt spray. When short layered haircuts shoulder length wearers want more texture, this is what they pick. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.
13. Butterfly Cut, Mini Version
I pull the hair forward to cut short face-framing layers at the cheekbones, then blend them into shoulder-length lengths behind. Medium to thick hair and oval or heart faces suit it. Blow-dry over a large round brush and roll the front pieces away from the face. A trim every 8 weeks keeps the front layers short.
14. Wolf Cut, Short Version
I razor the top of a short wolf cut for shaggy crown volume and leave the back a little longer so the nape tapers into wispy ends. Thick, wavy hair and oval faces suit it. Scrunch in texture spray and diffuse, or let it air-dry, and skip heavy oils because they flatten the crown. Of the short layered haircuts, this one grows out into a shag. Trim every 6 weeks to keep the shape.
15. Layered Bob and Curtain Bangs
I cut this bob at the jaw with soft layers through the crown and blend a curtain fringe into them so it opens at the cheekbones. It works on fine to medium hair and on oval, long and square faces. Blow-dry the bangs over a small round brush. Trim the bob every 6 weeks and the bangs every 4 weeks.
16. Layered Lob and Curtain Bangs
I cut this lob at the collarbone, add long internal layers to remove bulk and blend the curtain fringe into the first layer at the cheekbone. Medium to thick hair and oval or oblong faces suit it. Wave the length and blow-dry the bangs away from the face. Short layered haircuts shoulder length or slightly longer like this need a trim every 8 weeks.
17. Shoulder-Length Layers and Wispy Bangs
I point cut deep into a thinned fringe so the forehead shows through, then run layers from the chin down to the shoulders. Fine to medium hair and oval or long faces suit it. Blow-dry the bangs flat and the length over a round brush, with a little dry shampoo on the fringe. Trim the bangs every 3 to 4 weeks.
18. Layered Bob and Blunt Bangs
I cut a heavy fringe at the brow and keep it thick, then run light, soft layers through the back of the bob. It works on straight hair of medium to thick density and on oval and oblong faces. Blow-dry the bangs down with a flat brush while they are damp. Trim the bangs every 3 weeks and the bob every 6 weeks.
19. Feathered Layers at Shoulder Length
I razor the front sections so the ends feather and angle back away from the face, the way the cut was done in the 1970s. Straight to wavy hair of medium density and oval or heart faces suit it. Blow-dry each section back over a round brush and set with hairspray. A big blowout suits this more than other short layered haircuts. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.
20. Razored Layered Bob
I slide the razor through each section from mid-length to ends so this bob has soft, tapered ends that move more than scissor work. Medium to thick straight or wavy hair suits it; frizz-prone curls do not. Use a smoothing serum and blow-dry or air-dry. Ask for a fresh blade every time. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.
21. Lob With Point-Cut Texture
I point cut through the ends and mid-lengths of this collarbone lob with light layers so the hair falls in separate pieces. Fine to medium hair that goes flat when cut blunt suits it. Twist small sections with a flat iron and finish with dry texture spray. Short layered haircuts shoulder length clients want for low-styling days usually end up here. Trim every 8 weeks.
22. Flipped-Ends 90s Layered Bob
I keep the perimeter of this bob slightly blunt and add layers on top so the ends flip outward at the jaw and hold. It works on straight hair of medium density and on round or oval faces. Blow-dry over a round brush rolled outward at the ends and set with hairspray. Trim every 6 weeks to keep the flip crisp.
23. Layered Bob Cut for Fine Hair
I keep the perimeter blunt for density on fine hair and add just a few short crown layers for lift, point cutting lightly rather than razoring. Oval and heart faces suit it. Blow-dry with volumizing mousse at the roots over a medium round brush. For thin ends, few short layered haircuts are safer. Trim every 6 weeks.
24. Short Layers Cut Into Thick Hair
I slide cut and use texturizing shears through the interior of thick hair to take out weight so the sides do not puff, keeping the perimeter at the shoulders. Oval and square faces suit it. Blow-dry with a smoothing cream. On thick hair, these short layered haircuts shoulder length cut drying time in half. Trim every 6 to 8 weeks.
25. Curly Bob With Layers
I cut this bob dry at the chin, curl by curl, so the shape stays round instead of forming a triangle. 3A to 3C curls of medium to thick density suit it. Apply curl cream and gel to soaking-wet hair and diffuse, then refresh with water on day two. Trim every 8 to 10 weeks.
One-length hair at the shoulders goes flat at the crown on fine hair, so I cut short layers to bring the lift back. FYI, a trim every four to six weeks keeps the shape honest. The oval face haircuts guide breaks down the rest of the shapes.
