Choppy Layers for Long Hair Tutorial

by JATAI Academy, 22 Aug 2025

If you're looking to create choppy layers for long hair, you'll want to go through this tutorial. Layered haircuts can come in various forms as not all layers are made the same. Choppy haircuts are hairstyles with a lot of separation which creates more distinct layers.

These styles are trendy and have a more rock and roll feel. They work on short, medium and long length hair so the techniques described below apply to all lengths. Whether it's straight or wavy hair, choppy layered hairstyles can work for most hair types. Watch this long hair with choppy layers tutorial and follow along with the transcript.

Choppy Layers for Long Hair:

Welcome back to Jatai Academy. Today we're going to be doing a study on long hair choppy layers. But we don't want choppy layers like it was a mistake.

We want choppy long layers that looks good, balanced, and creates a lot of texture. This haircut's all about getting separation and pieciness and getting that kind of lived-in layered feeling.

So, we're going to show you how to section it. We're going to show you how to build the right texture by doing some deep channel cut with our razor. And we're going to show you how to do a nice little face framing around the front.

So, we're going to start here working on our perimeter shape and the overall length of the whole haircut. Natural part to the occipital, occipital to the mastoid. And then we're going to section off a center section.

Channel Cutting the Perimeter

I'm going to go through and use my Feather Styling Razor. And I'm using the limited edition wood look. I'm also using the R-Type Blade . And the R-Type Blade exposes more of the cutting blade so I can cut thicker sections of hair and it gives me a little bit more control.

Now I'm taking horizontal sections and taking very very deep solid severe channels because I want this hair to separate. So I want to leave it a little longer than I think I need in order to give me the overall length that I want.

Because I'm taking such severe channels out of it, it's going to make the ends look and appear a little bit thinner, which is going to make it appear a little bit shorter. So, cleaning up my shape there.

Now, we're going to go through and take a parallel section as I work up the back of the head. So, every section is going to be parallel.

Choppy Layers for Long Hair Tutorial - Channel Cutting the Perimeter

And I'm going to start the exact same way. Start right in the center. Comb everything clean and then a very deep solid channel cut all the way through to force that separation, to force that texture to pop into these tendrils.

If I take the channels much closer and much finer, I'm not going to see as much separation. It's going to diffuse the texture and I'm going to be more product dependent to get that separation.

So here I'm just cleaning up a few pieces that got a little bit longer that I want to make sure that it's not sticking out too severely. So it looks like it's longer on one side than the other.

And I'm just going to go through and follow the same methodology. The deeper the channel, the more hair I take. The stronger the gap becomes, the more separation that I force into each section.

So, my layering that I'm doing here is really only going to be in the last six/eight inches of the hair and just following through exactly the same methodology to cut the entire perimeter shape to get the texture like I want.

Sometimes the hair in the middle didn't reach so I'm not going to cut so much in the middle. Where it gets longer on the sides, I still want to get everything the same length all the way across.

As I pull some of the neck sections down, there's not a whole lot of weight removal that needs to happen. So, I'm just taking off any kind of length that hangs over my perimeter shape to make sure we get the lengths the same.

But then on the sides, it does need a little bit of weight removal and a little bit of channeling to make sure that the textures pop just like the center and the underneath sections.

Face Framing

Now, we're going to move on to the front. And I'm going to take the first bump from the hairline and take that all the way to the top of the ear. That's going to section out where the hair falls in the face.

Now I'm going to take a center section right where her hair parts. I'm going to pull that forward and that's going to be my length for her shortest layer around the front.

I'm taking that little triangular section right where her hair separates and splits. Now I'll split that in half. I'll take the left and the right so I can have a guide for each side.

Choppy Layers for Long Hair Tutorial - Face Framing

Now here, working on the left side of her head, I will take a diagonal section, pull that over to the opposite side, and use my length from underneath to create a really steep angle for my shortest layer around the front where her bang section is to blend in with all the face framing that I'm going to start to introduce as I work into the sides.

Now, the steeper that angle is, the faster the speed of movement that I create going from short to long. And just continuing that all the way down to the perimeter length that I have at the ear.

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Now, we're going to go through and do the exact same thing on the other side, but in the opposite way. So where on the left side I was pulling everything to the right, here on the right side I'm pulling everything to the left because I want that increase of length to force it out of her face right at the fringe bang section and then that blends into my face framing layers.

Now I'm not going through and putting a lot of texture into this section because it's already a little bit finer and thinner. And if I need to create more channeling, then I'll do that where the sections get a little bit thicker. Check our lengths. They look pretty good.

Now, we're just going to comb everything down. And anything that hangs over my face framing, I'm just going to cut that off.

Now, I want to be mindful of my perimeter shape right at the ear section. So, when I worked on my perimeter in the back, I've cut everything all the way around, and now I'm working on my face framing.

I want to make sure I don't cut that perimeter length right at the top of the ear. If I cut that, that shifts the weight behind the ear and it no longer hangs full around the front.

So, still taking a long razor stroke to make sure that I have a nice soft texture to it. If the hair gets thicker, then we'll go through and channel it and make that a little bit lighter and thinner.

Now, let's go through and work on some layering in the back of the head. And this is really what's going to make the haircut pop. Taking a triangular section right in the crown, hold the first section up. Find out where I want my layering to start.

And then just like I did underneath, I'm going to go through and take some really deep, severe channels to force that hair to separate when it falls. And because I'm holding it straight up in the air, that's going to add layering to it as well and airiness and softness.

So that deep channel will give me a little bit of weight. So when it falls, it pops. Now, here where the layering, I'm sorry, where the razoring stopped on the previous section is going to be the beginning of the razoring for the next section that I cut.

And I'm still going to follow the same methodology I was doing before. We'll separate the right half of the back from the left half of the back. Hold that straight up using my guide from underneath to start the razoring.

And still continuing that really severe deep razor channel. Just keep holding everything straight up, section by section by section, letting any kind of shorter hair underneath fall out. And there we see my guide from underneath. And I'll start the razoring as I go forward.

Checking our razoring on the left side, seeing how it looks before we move on to the right. Now, we're going to follow through with the exact same thing we did on the left side. We're going to do on the right side.

Where the razoring stopped from my previous section is where the razoring is going to start for the next section. So, I don't have to be real precise with this sort of layering because not only am I elevating it to the maximum elevation that I can get, which is going to remove the most weight, but because I'm using a razor and I'm going for a choppier look with this really deep kind of choppy channel cutting , it's going to blend smoothly throughout.

You're not going to see any kind of real hardcore lumps. It's going to have a smooth gradation in my layering. But because I got that deep channel, it's going to pop out and be a choppy type of layering.

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Check our layering. See how it looks. And I think it looks pretty good. I am going to remove a little bit more weight right through the center. I pulled everything up and I pulled everything down.

So, I got a little bit of weight build up right in the middle part of the entire back of the head. So, I'm going to take a little bit more weight out through there.

And I'm going to go through and continue on with the same sort of deep severe channeling that I was doing underneath just to make sure that we can get those layers to pop and separate like we want.

And I want to be mindful of how I'm applying this channeling technique. Where the hair is thicker, I'm going to take a little bit more. Where it's thinner, I'm obviously going to take a little less because I want the weight distribution of her hair to be as consistent as possible.

Addressing the Top of the Head

So, now we're going to move on to the top of the head and I'm going to take a parallel parting right to her natural part. I'm going to pull the hair up in the crown as my guide.

And then I'm going to go through and channel it just like I was doing in the back on the side of the head to make sure that all the layering from the back blends into my face framing layering around the front.

Choppy Layers for Long Hair Tutorial - Addressing the Top of the Head

And then just continuing to channel that through and not trying to be real precise and real meticulous about this. This haircut demands a looseness, a fastness of the razor application, and I can't be real precise.

This is more of a haircut about feeling. So, I want to make sure that I put that deep channel in it as consistent as possible throughout.

Now, we're going to continue on the opposite side, pulling everything up. Anything that that hangs out, that doesn't look right, that doesn't feel right, I'm going to take a little bit of that out.

Blowdrying

Now, let's go through and start to blow dry. And when I start blowing dry, I'm going to start right around the front. I'm going to pull everything forward, blow everything back so it kind of gets confused because I want this hair to have some volume, but I don't want it sticking straight out.

So, I'm going to start at the bangs because that's the most important part of a blow dry is how it looks around the front. Now we're going to work in the back. I'm going to blow dry everything at the roots to get it off of the scalp so it has a natural fullness.

Choppy Layers for Long Hair Tutorial - Blowdrying

And then I'm going to go through and polish it off from the mid-shaft and the ends with a little bit of a round brush. I want just enough bend to force the layers to kind of separate, but not so much that it starts to look real glamorous.

Around the front, I'm pulling everything forward with a little bit of bend moving back away from the face. And then I'm gonna take a cold air shot and blow everything around to get some air in it so it has a more natural kind of look to it.

After I got everything dry like I want, I'm going to put a little bit of styling cream on my hands and go through and just encourage those pieces to separate so we can really see our layering pop. And I think that that looks pretty good and everything's popping really, really well.

Final Look

Here's our end result. And I think we're looking pretty good. I like the way that the texture really fits with her natural texture. And we got a lot of separation to it. So, this is a type of long choppy layers that still blends and doesn't look too chunky.

You got the separation from all the layering in it. You got the pieciness from all that deep channel cutting. And the face framing lays perfect around the front.

And this is not about being super smooth. It's about getting some pop from the layers. So, it looks a little lived in and a little more rock and roll than a glamour type of layering.

So, I think it works really well and it fits on most types of hair. On all but the curliest types of hair this shape would work really, really well on.

Please check out the Jatai Academy . There's all kinds of fantastic information on there that will make you better hairstylist and barber. Also, let us know if you have any ideas for what you'd like to see in the future. Any suggestions would be great. Thank you so much. We'll see you next time.

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14 Back to School Haircut Inspiration Ideas for Kids

by JATAI, 23 Aug 2023

When it comes to kid's hair, sometimes it's easy just to cut their hair at home if it's a simple trim. But sometimes having a professional do the work is necessary and maybe a fun splurge or even a back-to-school look. Without being over the top, here are some cute inspirational cuts for kids that set the tone for a fun, fresh look for the kiddos. Girls @halcyonsalonshelby What's more classic than some curls. This cutie looks ready for her first day back to school with her hair color and beautiful curls on point. It's not too short but not super long either. This is a great look for any little girl. @impactbeauty_byshay A simple bob is always in style. Sometimes a little girl just doesn't want to fuss with long hair. With a one length pretty bob that's curled at the end, this little girl is rockin' it. It's low maintenance, can be styled in various ways and shows off her youthful, feminine energy. @topnotchbeautycorner Adorable, trendy and cute. This little girl has got it going on in a stylish, fun way. The small details like the gold crown trinkets and gold coil around the braid make any little girl look and feel like a princess. @definitionssalonspa Say yes to the curtain bang. Simple curtain bangs that frame the face add some style and depth to long straight hair. Part the hair down the middle for curtain bangs or style them for a side swept bang with a side part to change it up. The curtain bang is versatile! @hairby_angelina_ine This little girl is beyond her years with this asymmetrical bob that is to die for. And with straight one length bangs, her look is sassy and fun. It's sure to catch a lot of adoring attention...from the parents. @balayagemary A heavy chunky bang is always super cute on little girls. They can somehow pull it off much better than adults. Why is that? Combine it with some waves and you've got a feminine, sweet look. It's easy to maintain and very versatile. @holykale.hair Is she growing up too fast? This little girl looks like she has an adult haircut. With a cute French bob, highlights and slight wave, she's letting everyone know she's the queen of trending hair. Maybe not easy to maintain, but it sure is cute! Boys @luiselbarber Doesn't he look sweet? This gentleman's...or should we say gentleboy's haircut is clean, classic and tidy. It's short on the sides with a little length on top and combed to the side. This little man is ready for school. @salonsuccess This little guy is just cool. While it's temporary, a little hair art shows off his creative side. This kid has great hair so having his hair very short on the sides but longer on top makes his look more edgy and stylish. It's a bit higher maintenance, but it's fun! @machitong Can we say mullet? It's not for every little boy, but they sure look cute with one, much cuter than adult males. This kind of cut looks best when the hair is naturally a bit textured. He's pulls it off well. @xv.josh How cute is this little boy? That smile is adorable and the precise and clean lines of his haircut are on point. The extra design at the top just set this hairstyle off. A bit high maintenance, but it's mainly just the outlining that needs regular attention. @hairbiz.withizz Scroll through all the images and you'll see this haircut is more than it seems. At first it looks like a pompadour, but when you look at the back, it's a whole other story. This look works well on a boy with a great head of hair. It's edgy, relatively easy to maintain and stylish. @a1errthing This little boy looks so happy and he should be! This haircut fits him perfectly. It's clean and stylish at the same time. He definitely looks school ready with his perfectly razored outlined hairline and simple hair design in the back. @hairbyscheila For a more tidy, classy look, try a side hard part. It's easy for any barber to create with a razor and it gives an extra pop to any boy's hairstyle. Comb the top of the hair to the opposite direction of the part and use a little product. He's ready to go!

The Evolution of Hairstyles Throughout the Decades

by JATAI, 16 Aug 2023

Hairstyles have always been a significant aspect of human culture, reflecting the trends, values, and social norms of different eras. Let's explore the history and evolution of hairstyles over the decades: 1920s The Roaring Twenties introduced a major shift in women's hairstyles. The iconic bob haircut became popular, characterized by short, straight hair that was often worn with a side parting. This style symbolized women's liberation and a break from traditional gender roles. 1930s The 1930s saw a transition from the boyish bob to more feminine and glamorous looks. Soft waves and curls were fashionable, and women often used hot rollers or pin curls to achieve the desired effect. The Hollywood influence played a significant role in popularizing these glamorous hairstyles. The most popular look was the Hollywood wave which has continued to be a popular look in the 2020s. 1940s The World War II era influenced hairstyles as practicality and functionality became essential. Victory rolls were popular among women, involving rolling and pinning sections of hair to create a prominent wave at the front. Shorter, cropped hairstyles were also prevalent due to the practicality of working women. The victory roll is a popular hairstyles for pinup girls of today. 1950s The 1950s embraced femininity and elegance. Women's hairstyles often featured voluminous curls, poodle cuts, and the iconic bouffant. The advent of hair spray helped maintain these elaborate styles. Men's hair was often slicked back or styled into a pompadour. 1960s The 1960s brought about a revolution in hairstyles, influenced by the counterculture movements and the rise of British pop culture. Women started to experiment with shorter haircuts like the pixie cut and the mod bob. The beehive hairstyle, popularized by icons like Audrey Hepburn, was also a notable trend. 1970s The 1970s showcased diverse hairstyles influenced by the hippie movement and disco culture. Women embraced long, flowing hair, often with center parts. The Afro hairstyle gained popularity among African-Americans as a symbol of pride and identity. Men's hairstyles became more relaxed, with longer hair, shaggy cuts and facial hair. 1980s The 1980s were characterized by bold and dramatic hairstyles. Big hair was in, with women teasing their hair to achieve volume and using copious amounts of hairspray. Perms, mullets, and feathered hairstyles were all the rage. Men also sported voluminous hairstyles, including the famous "mullet" style. 1990s The 1990s witnessed a more casual and grunge-inspired approach to hairstyles. The "Rachel" haircut, popularized by Jennifer Aniston's character on the TV show "Friends," became incredibly trendy. Short, pixie cuts also gained popularity among women. Men's hairstyles ranged from long, unkempt looks to shorter, textured styles. 2000s The turn of the millennium brought a mix of hairstyles. Straight, sleek hair became fashionable, often achieved through the use of straightening irons. Emo and scene subcultures popularized asymmetrical cuts, choppy layers, and bold colors. Men's hairstyles varied from buzz cuts to spiky hair. 2010s The 2010s embraced a diverse range of hairstyles. The ombre trend gained popularity, with hair transitioning from dark to light colors. Buns, braids, and top knots became go-to styles for women. Men's hairstyles incorporated undercuts, fades, and more intricate beard grooming. 2020s And finally, we reach the modern day hairstyles. The 2020s have seen a diverse range of popular hair trends. These trends reflect a blend of past styles with contemporary influences and individual expression. These types of cuts and looks have all been popularized so far. Natural Textures There has been a growing emphasis on embracing natural hair textures and celebrating diversity. People with curly and wavy hair have been encouraged to let their natural textures shine, leading to the popularity of hairstyles like the curly afro, twist-outs, and braid-outs. Bob and Lob Haircuts The bob and lob (long bob) haircuts have remained popular in the 2020s. These versatile styles can be customized to suit different face shapes and hair textures. The blunt bob, textured bob, and asymmetrical lob have been particularly trendy. Pixie Cuts Short pixie cuts have made a comeback in the 2020s, offering a bold and chic look. This style allows for low-maintenance haircare routines and can be customized with different textures and lengths to suit individual preferences. Curtain Bangs Curtain bangs, also known as Bardot bangs or '70s bangs, have gained popularity. This style features long, face-framing bangs that are parted in the middle, creating a soft and romantic look. Curtain bangs can be paired with various hairstyles, from long waves to updos. Shag Haircuts The shag haircut, inspired by the '70s, has been a popular choice in the 2020s. This layered cut adds texture and movement to the hair, often with feathered or choppy ends and best achieved with a razor. The modern shag offers a versatile and effortlessly cool aesthetic. Balayage and Face-Framing Highlights Balayage, a technique that creates soft, natural-looking highlights, has continued to be a sought-after trend in the 2020s. Face-framing highlights, where lighter tones are strategically placed around the face, have also gained popularity as they can brighten and accentuate facial features. Sustainable and Low-Maintenance Styles With increasing environmental awareness and thanks to the pandemic, sustainable and low-maintenance hairstyles have become popular. Effortless, air-dried looks, minimalist haircuts, and styles that require minimal product usage have gained traction. This trend aligns with the desire for a more eco-friendly and time-efficient approach to haircare. Throughout the generations, hairstyles have changed dramatically. Every generation has been characterized by different looks and styles. As people continue to express their creativity with their hair, as new products are developed and as social and political climates change, these all influence how we decide to express ourselves through our personal styles. While some trends have lasted for decades, others have come and gone. Who knows what the rest of the 2020s or 2030s will bring. Whatever it is, we're sure it's going to be memorable.

Bobs, Bobs and More Bobs: The Trend of 2023

by JATAI, 24 May 2023

It seems 2023 is starting off with some fun looks. After a couple years of shagadelic haircuts and mullety styles, the trending looks are taking a more classic approach these days. While shags and mullets may have had their run, the bob is turning out to take centerfold. The great thing about a bob is that it's so versatile. There are many ways to cut and style a bob to match a personality or persona. Bobs can be long or short, blunt or textured, curled or straight with or without bangs. The creative possibilities are endless! Let's look at 10 popular bob styles that get the most love. The Graduated Bob The graduated bob is a type of bob with stacked layers in the back with longer strands in the front. The back of the hair tends to be more curved instead of a hard angle. It is it a difficult haircut to achieve but it looks great when done right. It's a very common and popular short haircut. It can be achieved by using scissors or a razor. A-Line Bob Alternatively, the A-Line haircut refers to the perimeter of the haircut. It is the same as a graduated bob in that the hair is shorter in the back and longer in the front. However, it does not have the stacking of layers in the back. And the front is usually more pointed than a graduated bob. Asymmetrical Bob This type of bob's distinct characteristic is that one side in front is longer than the other. It can have layers or no layers and it can be stacked or not stacked in the back. There are different renditions of an asymmetrical bob, but it's usually a style for someone who wants a little edge to their bob style. French Bob The French bob is a classic bob hairstyle characterized by very short hair, either at the chin line or above. Sometimes it's paired with short bangs too. Think of the movie Amelie and you'll know what this looks like. It usually has lots of layers and texture for a choppy look. For the extra texture, a razor works well. Italian Bob Similar to a French Bob, the Italian bob is slightly longer, usually grazing the chin or below but above the shoulders. It's sophisticated and elegant and has a blunt straight edge. The Italian bob carries weight at the bottom with a lot of volume. It can be achieved by using scissors or a razor...or both at the same time. Lob Lob stands for 'long bob' so the hair generally skims the shoulders or goes slightly past it. This is a popular look in modern times as it gives a happy medium between having short and long hair. When curled it can look shorter and resemble a traditional bob, but when straightened it can look more like medium length hair. Straight Bob A classic, simple no frills bob is the straight bob. With no layers, no texture, no curls or stacking, this look is very basic. It can be cut with bangs if desired, but the general look is one of sleek sophistication. The look is completely symmetrical and lays flat against the head. It can look quite sultry and sexy if done right. Layered Bob This style is also known as a textured bob. Simply stated, this type of bob has more body and movement to give volume. While the straight bob has no layers or volume, the layered bob is all about the extra lift. The extra texture is often achieved by using a razor. Curly Bob With even more texture is the curly bob. The curly bob is full of bounce and volume. It could be layered but it doesn't have to be. This bob is fun and full of life and energy. The curls could be natural or intentionally made with a curling iron or curling tool. The curls can be tight and small or big and loose. There are so many ways a curly bob can look! Modern Bob The modern bob is so 2023. It's what has been trending for bobs in the last few years. And it's THIS bob. While it won't last forever, it is the 'it' style as of late. The modern bob is characterized as casual, cool, soft and feminine. It usually has a slight curl in there and a little volume. It's a simple yet stylish bob that's attractive and eye catching. It's no wonder the modern bob has become so popular. So that's it! 10 bob hairstyles for 2023. Although most of these bobs have been around for many many years, it just goes to show how classic the bob really is. It will never go out of style and there will always be new innovative ways to cut and style a bob. Here's to short hair in 2023. Hair Trends, Women

Women

Choppy Layers for Long Hair Tutorial