Medium-length layered haircuts are the perfect blend of versatility and style.
They offer a variety of looks that can be tailored to fit any hair type, texture, and face shape. Layers add movement and volume, making your hair appear fuller and more dynamic.
Whether you have straight, wavy, curly, or fine hair, there is a layered medium-length haircut that can enhance your natural beauty and provide a fresh, modern look.
Key Takeaways
- Discover versatile medium-length layered haircuts suitable for various hair types.
- Learn how to style medium-length layers to enhance your natural texture.
- Find inspiration from trending styles that can be personalized to fit your look.
Why Choose Medium Length?
Medium-length haircuts are highly versatile and easy to maintain.
A shoulder-length haircut strikes a balance between the ease of short hair and the versatility of long hair.
With the right layers, medium-length hair can be styled in numerous ways, from casual and tousled to sleek and sophisticated.
The Magic of Layers
Layering is a technique that can transform the look and feel of your hair.
By cutting hair at different lengths, longer layers can add volume, reduce bulk, and enhance the hair’s natural bounce and texture.
This makes layered haircuts ideal for anyone looking to update their style without a drastic change in length.
1. Classic Layered Cut
Description and Benefits
The classic layered shoulder-length cut is timeless and elegant. It involves subtle layers that blend seamlessly with the rest of medium length cut the hair, adding just enough movement and volume.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for straight and wavy hair.
- Styling Tips: When blow-drying, use a round brush to build volume at the roots. Finish with a light-hold hairspray for a polished look.
2. Shaggy Layers
Description and Benefits
Shaggy layers provide a relaxed, tousled look that’s perfect for a casual, everyday style. These layers are uneven and choppy, giving your hair a lived-in vibe.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for wavy and curly hair.
- Styling Tips: To make the shaggy look even more appealing, use a texturizing spray. If you want a natural look, let your hair air dry.
3. Wavy Layers
Description and Benefits
Medium-length wavy layers add movement and dimension to your hair, enhancing its natural wave pattern. This style is effortless and beachy.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Ideal for naturally wavy hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a sea salt spray to define waves and add texture. Scrunch your hair while drying to enhance the waves.
4. Curly Layers
Description and Benefits
Curly layers are perfect for those with natural curls, adding shape and reducing bulk. Layers help to define and separate curls, creating a bouncy, voluminous look.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Perfect for curly hair.
- Styling Tips: To define curls and lessen frizz, apply a cream that enhances curls. Diffuse your hair to maintain volume and shape.
5. Blunt Layers
Description and Benefits
Blunt layers combine the sharpness of a blunt cut with the softness of layers. This style offers a sleek, modern look with subtle highlights and added volume.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for straight and thick hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a flat iron to achieve a smooth, straight finish. Apply a shine serum for extra gloss.
6. Feathered Layers
Description and Benefits
Feathered layers are light and airy, giving your hair a soft, flowing look. This style is perfect for adding subtle volume and movement.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for fine and straight hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a lightweight mousse to add body without weighing down your hair. Blow-dry with a round brush for a feathered effect.
7. Textured Layers
Description and Benefits
Textured layers add a bit of edge to your style. These layers are more defined and can be styled in various ways to suit your mood.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a texturizing spray or pomade to enhance the layers and add definition. Play with different styles to see what works best for you.
8. Choppy Layers
Description and Benefits
Choppy layers are bold and edgy, providing a modern, slightly messy look. These chunky layers are cut at varying lengths, giving your hair a lot of movement and texture.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Great for thick, straight or wavy hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a styling cream to define the choppy layers. Tousle your hair for a relaxed, undone finish.
9. Wispy Layers
Description and Benefits
Wispy layers are delicate and soft, adding a touch of femininity to your style. These two piecey layers are subtle and create a gentle, flowing look.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for fine and straight hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a lightweight styling spray to add texture without weighing down your hair. Blow-dry with a round brush for a soft finish.
10. Long Layers
Description and Benefits
Long layers add dimension and movement to medium-length hair without compromising length. This style of medium hair is versatile and easy to maintain.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a large barrel curling iron to add soft waves. Finish with a light-hold hairspray for a natural look.
11. Face-Framing Layers
Description and Benefits
Face-framing layers accentuate your facial features and add a flattering shape to your haircut. These layers can be subtle or bold, depending on your preference.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a flat iron or curling wand to style the face-framing layers. Add a bit of shine serum for a polished look.
12. Side-Swept Layers
Description and Benefits
Side-swept layers create a soft, romantic look. These layers are styled to one side, adding volume and movement.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for wavy and straight hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a round brush to blow-dry your hair to one side. Finish with a medium-hold hairspray to keep the style in place.
13. Layered Bob
Description and Benefits
The layered bob is a chic, modern haircut that adds volume and movement to the classic bob. This style is versatile and easy to manage.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a blow dryer and a round brush to add volume. Finish with a texturizing spray for added movement.
14. Layered Lob (Long Bob)
Description and Benefits
An extended variant of the bob that maintains the same stylish appearance but adds length is the layered lob. For those who desire a little more variety in their mid-length hairstyle, this is the one.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a curling iron to add soft waves. Finish with a light-hold hairspray for a natural look.
15. Layered Pixie
Description and Benefits
The layered pixie is a bold, edgy haircut that adds volume shoulder length hair, and texture to the classic pixie cut. This style is perfect for those who want a low-maintenance, high-impact look.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for fine and straight hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a styling cream to define the layers. Tousle your hair for a relaxed, undone finish.
16. Layered Bangs
Description and Benefits
This medium-length layered haircut with bangs adds a fun, youthful touch to any haircut. These bangs are cut at varying lengths in curled layers, adding texture and movement.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a flat iron to style the bangs. Finish with a light-hold hairspray to keep them in place.
17. Layered with Highlights
Description and Benefits
Adding highlights to layered hair can enhance the texture and add dimension. This style is perfect for those with dark roots who want to add a bit of color without a full-dye job.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner to maintain the highlights. Style with a blow dryer for a smooth finish.
18. Layered with Balayage
Description and Benefits
Balayage is a hand-painted highlighting technique that adds a natural, sun-kissed look to layered hair. This style is perfect for adding depth and dimension.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner to maintain the balayage. Style with a curling iron for a beachy, tousled look.
19. Soft Layers
Description and Benefits
Soft layers add a gentle, flowing look to your hair. This style is perfect for those who want a subtle change without losing length.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for fine and straight hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a lightweight mousse to add body. Blow-dry with a round brush for a soft, voluminous finish.
20. Voluminous Layers
Description and Benefits
Voluminous layers add body and fullness to your hair. This style is perfect for those with fine or thin hair who want to add volume.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for fine and thin hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner. Blow-dry with a round brush for added volume.
21. Retro Layers
Description and Benefits
Retro layers add a vintage, old-Hollywood feel to your haircut. This style is perfect for those who love a classic, glamorous look.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a large barrel curling iron to create soft curls. Finish with a shine spray for added gloss.
22. Edgy Layers
Description and Benefits
Edgy layers add a modern, bold look to your haircut. This style is perfect for those who want to make a statement with their hair.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for thick and straight hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a texturizing spray to add definition. Style with a flat iron for a sleek, edgy finish.
23. Asymmetrical Layers
Description and Benefits
Asymmetrical layers add a unique, avant-garde look to your haircut. This style is perfect for those who want a bold, artistic look.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a flat iron to achieve a smooth finish. Finish with a light-hold hairspray to keep the style in place.
24. Layered with Curls
Description and Benefits
Layering curly hair helps to define and separate curls, creating a bouncy, voluminous look. This style is perfect for enhancing natural curls.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Perfect for curly hair.
- Styling Tips: To enhance curls and minimize frizz, apply a cream that enhances curls. Diffuse your hair to maintain volume and shape.
25. Layered with Straight Hair
Description and Benefits
Layering straight hair adds movement and dimension, making it appear fuller and more dynamic. This style is perfect for adding a bit of flair to straight hair.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for straight hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a flat iron to achieve a smooth, straight finish. Apply a shine serum for extra gloss.
26. Layered with Waves
Description and Benefits
Layering wavy hair adds movement and dimension, enhancing its natural wave pattern. This style is effortless and beachy.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Ideal for naturally wavy hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a sea salt spray to define waves and add texture. Scrunch your hair while drying to enhance the waves.
27. Layered with Thick Hair
Description and Benefits
Layering thick hair helps to reduce bulk and add movement. This style is perfect for making thick hair more manageable.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for thick hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a texturizing spray to add definition. Style with a flat iron or curling iron for added movement.
28. Layered with Thin Hair
Description and Benefits
Layering thin hair adds volume and texture to thicker hair, making it appear fuller. This style is perfect for adding body to fine hair.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Best for thin hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner. Blow-dry with a round brush for added volume.
29. Layered with Frizzy Hair
Description and Benefits
Layering frizzy hair helps to reduce frizz and add shape. This style is perfect for taming frizzy hair and adding definition.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for frizzy hair.
- Styling Tips: Use a smoothing serum to reduce frizz. Style with a blow dryer for a smooth finish.
30. Celebrity-Inspired Layers
Description and Benefits
Celebrity-inspired layers are perfect for those looking to emulate the latest trends. These layers can be tailored to fit your personal style.
Suitable Hair Types and Styling Tips
- Hair Types: Suitable for all hair types.
- Styling Tips: Use a styling cream to add definition. Finish with a light-hold hairspray to keep the style in place.
Styling Tips for Medium-Length Layered Haircuts
- Use a round brush to add volume and smoothness: This helps create a polished, salon-like finish.
- Style with a blow dryer for a sleek, polished look: Direct the airflow down the hair shaft to reduce frizz.
- Add texture and movement with a curling iron or flat iron: Create loose waves or define layers.
- Emphasize layers with a light-hold hairspray: This keeps your style in place without weighing down your hair.
- Enhance shoulder-length layers with styling products: Use mousse or texturizing spray to add dimension, volume, and movement to your shoulder-length layers.
Hair Texture Considerations
Thin Hair: Adding Volume with Layers
- Use light, airy layers to add volume and texture: Avoid heavy layers that can weigh down thin hair.
- Avoid heavy, thick layers that can weigh hair down: Opt for soft, feathery layers.
- Style with a volumizing shampoo and conditioner: These products can add body and lift to thin hair.
Thick Hair: Taming with Choppy Layers
- Use choppy layers to break up thick, heavy hair: This reduces bulk and adds movement.
- Add texture and movement with a curling iron or flat iron: Create defined layers.
- Style with a thickening shampoo and conditioner: These products can add definition and manageability to thick hair.
Fine Hair: Enhancing with Soft Layers
- Use soft, gentle layers to enhance fine hair: Avoid heavy layers that can weigh down fine hair.
- Avoid heavy, thick layers that can weigh hair down: Opt for soft, feathery layers.
- Style with a light-hold hairspray and a volumizing shampoo and conditioner: These products can add body and lift to fine hair.
Adding Bangs and Fringe
Wispy Bangs for a Soft, Feminine Look
- Wispy bangs can add a soft, feminine touch to a layered haircut: These bangs are light and airy.
- Use a light, airy fringe to add texture and movement: This style is suitable for most face shapes and hair types.
Blunt Bangs for a Bold, Edgy Style
- Blunt bangs can add a bold, edgy touch to a layered haircut: These bangs are thick and straight.
- Use a thick, blunt fringe to add texture and movement: This style is suitable for those who want a bold, edgy look.
Curtain Bangs for a Chic, Sophisticated Look
- Curtain bangs can add a chic, sophisticated touch to a layered haircut: These bangs are long and flowing.
- Use a long, flowing fringe to add texture and movement: This style is suitable for most face shapes and hair types.
Conclusion
Medium-length layered haircuts are incredibly versatile, enhancing any hair type and texture. They add movement, volume, and dimension, making your hair look fuller and more dynamic. Whether you want a classic or edgy look, there’s a layered style for you.
Regular trims and the right products are key to maintaining your layers. With the right cut and a bit of styling know-how, you’ll achieve a chic, effortless look that suits your unique style. Explore the options and find the perfect medium-length layered haircut that makes you feel confident and beautiful.
FAQ Section
What face shapes suit medium-length layered haircuts?
Medium-length layered haircuts are versatile and the cut layers can suit most face shapes. Face-framing layers can be tailored to accentuate your best features.
How often should I trim my layers?
To maintain the shape and health of your layered haircut, it’s recommended to trim your layers every 6-8 weeks.
Can I add layers to any hair type?
Yes, layers can be added to any hair type. The key to adding layers is to tailor the layers to your specific hair texture and desired style.
How do I maintain volume in layered haircuts?
Use volumizing products and avoid heavy styling creams that can weigh down your hair. Blow-dry with a round brush to add lift to the roots.
What products are best for styling layered hair?
Lightweight styling products like mousse, texturizing spray, and light-hold hairspray are ideal for maintaining the shape and movement of layered hair.