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The difference between a good and bad hair day is simply your haircut. Hair is everything; from being an accessory to your look to framing your face, a good haircut and style can really elevate your look and personal style. Before you get into styling your hair, it’s important to get the right cut in place. Whether they have long, medium, or short hair, women across the globe commonly ask for two popular haircut styles – step cut and layer cut.
Both cuts add a bounce and volume to the hair making them evergreen choices. Gaining popularity in the ‘80s and '90s, the step and layered haircuts are popular to this day among women. Let’s learn the difference between these haircuts so you can tell your hairdresser exactly what you want instead of showing them a bunch of references that don’t exactly end up looking good on you.
What Is A Step-Cut Hairstyle?
A step style is when your hair is cut in visible steps with ample space between each layer along the length of the hair. This haircut looks good on hair lengths but not all hair thickness. If you have thick hair it will make your hair look like cascading waterfalls that seamlessly give your hair movement. This haircut technique usually involves 2–3 step cuts to make it look more naturally flowing and elegant. This haircut technique also focuses on giving your full mane some shape instead of adding volume. It focuses on adding a bounce that makes your hair a personality of its own.
Who Should Opt For A Step-Cut Hair?
Since a step cut focuses on individual steps by leaving enough space between each cut to give every cut its moment, the right hair type for this haircut is people with curly or wavy hair. On the spectrum of manageability, curly and wavy hair is less manageable because of the natural frizz. Instead of blending every step, the cuts remain edgy giving curly and wavy hair some movement. Step cuts on thin, flat, or straight hair will look harsh (almost like terrace mountains) because these layers blend in with textured hair and not smooth hair. Tame wavy and curly hair with this haircut technique and give yourself the iconic ‘90s Rachel Green hair.
How To Style Step Cut
Here are a few ways you can style your step haircut.
Step 1: Prep
Before you start styling your hair with any products or heating tools make sure you prep your strands. A step-cut hairstyle gives your hair ends sharp edges making them thinner than the rest of your hair, making them more prone to breakage. Rescue any hair damage with a nourishing hair serum that will lock in moisture and create a protective barrier around hair follicles.
Step 2: Definition
Step haircut adds bounce and movement to your hair, but the best way to flaunt your new cut is to curl your hair in the end. This way you end up with cascading curls that fall elegantly on your back, elevating your whole look. If you have wavy or frizzy hair, you can use heatless curling tools overnight, but we recommend using a precision curler for long-lasting locks.
Step 3: Sealing
Once you have styled your hair it is time to now seal the deal with a hair-setting spray that will maintain your locks all day long. Add extra bounce, firm hold, and strength to your strands with a setting spray that will lock your hair and its freshly cut and styled look.
What Is A Layer Cut Hairstyle?
This type of haircutting technique involves cutting multiple chunks of hair in an angular direction instead of a straight cut seen in a step-cut hairstyle. The distance between each layer is minimal creating a blended look instead of defined steps. Imagine layers cut to be like a ramp that slowly cascades while a step cut is like staircases with defined layers. A layer cut looks like a feathered back with soft pointed cuts instead of sharp edges.
Who Should Opt For Layer Cut?
A layer cut will suit people with straight, non-textured, or thin hair. It adds volume and makes your mane look fuller. The cuts are more frequent thus making it look like a seamless fall that looks natural and healthy. This haircut suits all hair lengths since you can have multiple cuts instead of just 2 or 3. You can also choose this hairstyle if you have wavy or curly hair. It will make your hair look more voluminous than bouncy.
How To Style Layer Cut
Here’s how you can style your layer cut.
Step 1: Prep
Start by softening your hair strands, a layer cut looks gorgeous when your hair is soft and smooth. Use a cream-based hair serum that has moisturising agents to soften hair follicles.
Step 2: Style
Make your layers look like small feathers coming out of your mane with the help of volumising thermal tools. Instead of curling your hair, use a volumiser to curl your hair ends in an outward concave-esque direction. The layers in your hair will look like big Cs that will make your hair look fuller and thicker.
Step 3: Set
Finish the look with some hold spray that will make sure the volume added to the hair remains the same. It will make your hair bounce every time you move while also looking thicker.
What Is The Difference Between Step Cut Hair And Layer Cut Hair?
Even though they might look alike, there are a few differences when it comes to step cut v/s layer cut, let’s look at them here.
Step Cut Vs Layer Cut
Cutting Technique
Step-cut is cut with sharp edges with distance between each cut to create a cascading effect. Layer-cut is cut with multiple soft, closely spaced, and angled cuts. Step cut appears more horizontally divided with reducing volume as you descend. Layer cut boasts textured features as you go along the hair length.
Hair Type
Step cut suits wavy and curly hair and doesn’t suit straight and thin hair because it tends to reduce volume and add bounce and movement. Layer cut suits straight thin hair as it adds volume and texture.
Final Look
Step cut reduces volume and offers a tamed look, it also adds movement to your textured hair. Layer cut adds volume and texture to your otherwise thin and straight hair.
Which Is Better – Step Cut Vs Layer Cut?
Step cut vs layers, both are good haircuts to try. If you want to change the way your hair looks, opt for the step cut, a step cut looks more visibly styled as opposed to a layer cut. When it comes to a layer vs step cut, layers are more natural looking and angular, the way our hair organically grows. If you want to reduce volume and frizz and at the same time increase bounce and movement opt for the step cut, if you want to increase volume go for the layer cut.
Parting Thoughts
There is no debate when it comes to step cut vs layer cut, they both look good depending on your hair type, texture, and thickness. Curly and wavy hair will look good with a step cut whereas a layer cut suits thin and straight hair more. No matter what your hair type is, we hope this article will help you make an informed decision before you visit the salon.
FAQs
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Which face shape is best for layer cut?
A layer haircut suits a round-shaped face, diamond-shaped face, and heart-shaped face. But more than the shape of the face, get a layer cut if you have long, straight, and thin hair.
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Does step cut make hair thicker?
A step cut is not the most ideal cut to make your hair appear thicker, a layer cut can instead make your hair look fuller if you have thin hair.
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Is step cut good for frizzy hair?
Yes, a step cut is a good cut for frizzy hair. It is the ideal cut for wavy and curly hair that experiences the most frizz.
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Is layer cut good for a chubby face?
Yes, a layer vs a step cut is a better choice for chubbier faces, as they frame the face better. The hair looks thicker making your face appear more contoured.
