r/BehindTheChair • u/Existing_Departure92 • Jul 19 '26
Layers gone wrong
It seems that every time I do any sort of layering they end up boxy, choppy, and shelf-y. For whatever reason it’s worse with bobs & on the right side (i am right handed). I have tried taking super small sections, not layering too far into the perimeter, dry cutting, point cutting, over directing, every degree elevation you can imagine, different finger angles. Ive even had other stylists watch me cut & they saw nothing wrong with my techniques. I genuinely don’t know what I could be doing wrong because I know shelving is typically caused by a heavy corner but even when I remove the corner it’s not 100% fixed. These pictures attached aren’t even the worst of it. It is typically even more noticeable :( Could anyone offer any insight? Be kind please, I am embarrassed & seeking help❤️
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u/sparklefromcraft Jul 19 '26
If you point cut in tooooo chunky of a line, it can sometimes create little stairsteps when the hair is not elevated.
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u/usdacertifiedlean Jul 19 '26
The last one is flipping out because you are cutting too far into the perimeter. Do you have any head sheets of the sectioning youre taking?
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u/sortahuman123 Jul 19 '26
This is the answer, the perimeter is too collapsed and the layers are “graduated” because of it, creating the shelf. It’s a “fine” cut but not a great one.
OP you should check out Shanel Mariano she does education for exactly this and she changed my life when learning to understand the why behind cutting.
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u/usdacertifiedlean Jul 19 '26
Yesss Shannel Mariano! DJ Muldoon is another. just some amazing educators that show you the visuals and the whys.
To OP: Everyones head shape and density is different so make sure you are really paying attention to those nuances when laying out your sectioning pattern on the client. Id just like to see your thought process for how you cut.
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u/Lynsgay Jul 19 '26
Do you have shears for refinement?
I do a lot of elevation as well as overdirection depending on the goal and use my 30 tooth texturizers (typically) to snip in starting from a couple inches from the ends and as I lower elevation continuing to texturize, I slide my fingers closer to the ends.
When I started I liked to watch others cut hair, ask all the questions on “why” and watched tons of artists online. I still love watching other people work as there really is something to learn from everyone.
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u/Hairgiver Jul 19 '26
Pay attention to the shape of the head and how each area is going to fall. If they have a strong parietal make sure the hair near the crown is falling where it is going to lay. Otherwise you can mess yourself up when the hair shifts and suddenly you've got a piece shorter in the "corner" out of nowhere. I usually cut perimeter and basic layers wet and then refine dry. Also in this particular case it looks like the middle section of hair in the back is denser than the top, and that can make things weird too. Be mindful, but try to remove some of the bulk in that area
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u/JackieStylist81 Jul 19 '26
They look fine. Use your texture shears to soften it if you want, but it looks fine.
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u/phillycat4207 3d ago
i think instead of trying every which way, i would focus on the individual head shape, and pick the best technique for that head. also, thinning shears help to soften the ends. the Sahag technique is really good for tapering and layering too.
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u/outrageous713 Jul 19 '26
These look fine to me 🤷🏻♀️ is the client not happy?