Long layered haircuts are timeless, making the hair look voluminous and carefree while maintaining glamorous lengths. If you’ve been struggling with getting your hair to grow or getting rid of split ends, sometimes taking some of that weight off with long layers is the way to go.
It’s the perfect style for thick or thin hair because different layering styles have different effects. By trimming the ends you can keep each strand looking healthy, while the layering itself really helps to structure the hair.
We’ll help you choose the perfect long layers for you, based on your face shape and hair thickness! Then it’s all about the inspiration, with some amazing photos of the different ways you can rock layered haircuts for long hair!
In this article:
- How to Choose and Style the Perfect Long Layers for You
- 67 Long Layered Haircuts and Hairstyles to Inspire
How to Choose and Style the Perfect Long Layers for You
Long layered haircuts are very forgiving, often suiting most face shapes and hair types. However, you can adjust your layers and styling a little bit based on your face shape and hair type in order to achieve the most flattering effects!
Long Layered Haircuts for Round Face
Long layered hairstyles are a great choice for those with round face shapes. If your face has soft features with width and height that are about equal to one another, then this is your face shape and you have a ton of options.
You will want the layers closest to your face to hang a little bit past your chin, or ideally at shoulder length or lower. Avoid gradual layers, as their rounded shape will only emphasize the roundness of your face. Instead, opt for very structured layers or just a two-layered look.
Keeping the layers only at the ends of the hair is another great option. If you like, you can also experiment with center parts that can elongate the face or side partings, which help to sharpen the features.
Long Layered Haircuts for Oval Face
An oval face is already balanced, so you don’t need to feel restricted at all. Oval faces, with wide cheekbones and a narrow jawline and forehead, can rock all sorts of layered haircuts for long hair. You can play around with both face-framing long layers and layers throughout the back that help to volumize the hair.
Long Layered Haircuts for Elongated Oval Face
If you have an oval face shape that is a little bit longer, then face-framing long layers can work beautifully to balance you out and widen your features. You want the layers nearest to the face to be the shortest, starting just above the chin. The following layers don’t matter as much.
You can opt for very gradual layering, which will draw attention to your face, or just opt for a touch of layering around the shoulder while keeping everything else long and feathered.
Long Layered Haircuts for Square Face
Long layered hairstyles are great for softening square facial features. If you have a very square jawline and forehead with sharp cheekbones, then look for looks that will balance out and soften your features. Your layers should start at the chin or lower, with graduated layers in particularly being great for softening the features.
Center parts are usually better than side parts for your face shape. Wavy and curly styling will have a very feminine effect while straightening your hair will help bring out your powerful features in a way that flatters differently.
Long Layered Haircuts for Diamond Face Shape
Like a diamond, this face shape is sharp and striking, with a narrow forehead and jawline and wider, angular cheekbones. Diamond faces are lucky because, like oval face shapes, they look great with all types of long layered haircuts. Per usual, wavy and curly styling will soften the features, while sleek styling will emphasize the angular features.
Long Layered Haircuts for Heart Face Shape
Heart faces are adorable, with narrow jawlines, wide cheekbones, and rounded foreheads. Those with heart-shaped faces often want to hide their foreheads, so bangs might be what you seek.
You can do straight-across bangs, along with all kinds of long layers – they can be gradual layers all around the face, or you can opt for a starker difference between the layered ends and bangs.
Long Layered Haircuts for Thick Hair
When you have thick hair the purpose of your layers should be to give your hair shape and to help take some weight off, while still maintaining your beautiful natural volume. The layering shouldn’t be too extreme on the inside, as that can actually volumize the hair weirdly. Instead, it’s all about creating layers of varying lengths, with graduated shapes being especially flattering.
Long Layered Haircuts for Thin Hair
The best layers for long, thin hair are extra structured, helping to create a rounded and volumized style. You can still have graduated layers around the face if you like, but keep graduated layering all around the head as that will help create the illusion of increased density. Styling is also very important, with blowouts and waves helping give bulk to the hair.
67 Long Layered Haircuts and Hairstyles to Inspire
Now that we’ve gotten some important tips out of the way, it’s time to show examples. These are some of our favorite long layered haircuts. Choose a few that you like, and bring them to your stylist for the next appointment!
1. Chocolate Almond Long Layers
Layered haircuts for long hair usually already look very lush and healthy, but once dyed the effect can be even more astounding thanks to the texture and brightness of balayage highlights. In this instance, it’s all about the almond layers over chocolate locks.
2. Creamy Long Layered Haircut
Creamy blonde hair is perfect for summer, but the bleaching can take its toll on the ends. That’s why layering and cutting the ends of the hair is so important – it removes any damage, gives a fuller look, and allows the hair to continue to grow long and healthy.
3. Sun-Kissed Brunette Long Layered Hair
This long layered hairstyle is very breezy thanks to tousled styling and a blonde balayage that gives a sun-kissed effect. It is a bi-layered style, with a shorter layer on the outside adding dimension to the look without taking away from the length.
4. Face-Framing Long Layered Haircut
There is a cascade effect at the front, with the strands nearest to the face ending just above the shoulders to frame the face, the second layer of strands ending a few inches below for a gradual effect, and finally, the rest of the hair hanging down to the bust in full glory.
5. Feathery Long Layers
Feather layered haircuts for long hair are subtle, helping to keep the hair looking natural and bouncy without being obviously multi-layered. This feathery style works well with the intense blonde and brown balayage.
6. Graduated Ultra-Long Layered Hair
Layers are a phenomenal way of taking away bulk from super long hair, which can get really heavy. These long layers seem dramatic since they start a few inches below the shoulder, but the graduated technique still keeps the impactful length.
7. Wavy Long Layered Haircut
Waves and long layers are a match made in heaven. These long blondes were layered and trimmed choppily at the ends, with a couple of nicely curled strands framing the face beautifully.
8. Copper-Touched Long Layered Hair
This long layered haircut shows us a subtler variation on graduated long layers, where the front is a little shorter but gets progressively longer towards the back. It works well with the shiny blonde and copper balayage.
9. Sleek Long Layers
Tousled and wavy styling is always safe, but it’s when you straighten your hair that you find out if your long layers really work. As you can see here, these bright blonde layers are minimal and subtle enough to work with any style.
10. Long Layers for Summer
There is something about blonde balayage hairstyles that makes us think of summer, and long layered haircuts certainly contribute to the effect. The chocolate roots add depth, but the overall effect is bright and lively, with subtle layering for extra bounce.
11. Piecey Long Layered Hair
These piecey layers do a great job of structuring and texturizing this ultra-long haircut. It’s worth noting that because of the way the hair was balayaged, almost all of the shoulder- and elbow-length layers look blonde, while the longest strands are brown.
12. Side-Parted Long Layered Haircut
Side parting long layered haircuts works especially well when the layers closest to the face are at about shoulder length since they act like side bangs without necessarily requiring too much styling. It’s worth mentioning the gorgeous dark brown to caramel brown colormelt going on here.
13. Illuminated Brown Long Layered Hairstyle
This haircut is ultra-layered, with extreme variation in length, which allows for maximal volume with minimal weight. The rich brown strands were touched with a bit of shiny blonde, which adds to the voluminous and shiny look.
14. Long Layers and Extensions
Long layered haircuts are really easy to embellish with dramatic hair extensions because the volume they add makes the point of adherence easy to hide. The result is a dramatic cascade of hair that is hard to resist.
15. Honey-Washed Long Hair
This layered hairstyle is hard to resist, thanks to metallic tones of honey gold, bronze, and brown steel, which are magnified by the smooth wavy styling. The layers themselves are quite long, only adding a touch of structure to the ends.
16. Feathered Platinum Hair
Feathered layers are great for the summer season because they add airiness and bounce to the hair. They are a great complement to these platinum-dyed locks because they ensure that the long layered hair looks healthy and full.
17. Bi-Colored Long Layers
Platinum and mousy blonde tones are a classic combination for a bright balayage, but in this look, the long layers make the balayage effect super unique. The shorter top layer is extra light, while the darker blonde tone of the long layered hair peeks from below.
18. Creamy Espresso Layered Locks
This combination of gradual layers and subtle balayage is elegant and natural. The shorter layers framing the face also brighten it with creamy blonde tones, while the bulk of the hair is a natural, healthy espresso that is easy to take care of.
19. Voluminous Blown-Out Layers
This is one of those long layered haircuts that add a lot of volume, even for those with thinner hair. This is partially because of the shoulder-length face-framing strands, but also because of the deep, dark roots contrasting against the bleached blonde locks.
20. Layered Beige Colormelt
This natural colormelt pairs well with long layered haircuts, because the layers blend seamlessly thanks to the gradual color changes. This volumizing style is great for all hair types.
21. Sleek Blonde Cascade
The cascade of layers in this look draws attention to the face beautifully, acting like a curtain. The sleek styling works just as well as waves would, while the blend of thin, brown lowlights add a ton of volume to the blonde look.
22. Tousled Copper Layers
This hairstyle is nearly a sombre, with grown-out dark brown roots and a balayage of copper on the ends. The hair was styled into tousled waves right where the piecey layering starts, which is a great carefree styling option.
23. Metallic Blonde Layers
The layering in this look was reserved for the last few inches, helping to keep the hair healthy and voluminous but without creating too much contrast. The metallic blonde coloring is astounding, with just a bit of darkness in the roots making for easy maintenance.
24. Blonde Colormelt Long Layers
The way these long layers were styled makes this look give the flattering effect of a long bob haircut along with the drama of long hair, since the layers next to the face fall just below the shoulders while the rest of the hair is very long. It’s a nice look, complemented by an awesome blonde colormelt.
25. Matte Balayage Long Layers
Matte hair colors are having a moment, though shine isn’t going anywhere, of course. These matte blonde streaks do a great job of texturizing the matte brunette locks, while gradual long layers add lightness and structure.
26. Sleek Tri-Layered Hairstyle
This tri-layered look frames the face beautifully and is especially flattering for those with narrow features, though when styled sleekly it’s also a good choice for oval faces. The layers near the face hit right at the chin, the next set of layers hits at the shoulder, and finally, the bulk of the long hair sits above the bust with feathered ends.
27. Subtle Gradual Layering on Ends
The subtle layering in this long layered hairstyle is perfect when the hair just needs a bit of a pick-me-up but length is still the ultimate goal. The subtle gradual layers frame the torso nicely and help to emphasize the nice balayage that really lights up the face.
28. J-Lo Long Layers
There is something about the blend of blonde and brown streaks in this look that really reminds of Jennifer Lopez. The long layers themselves are sexy and feathery, acting as the perfect camouflage for some extensions.
29. Romantic Baby Blonde Long Layered Hair
This long layered haircut really plays up the shiny blonde tone and romantic curls of this look. They create a perfect dimension and allow the curls to seem organic rather than overdone by adding a variety of lengths.
30. Long Layers and Babydoll Bangs
This great long layered haircut softens the features and hides the forehead. It features straight-across bangs styled into a rounded, babydoll style, and choppy layered ends that look full and voluminous. To avoid looking too twee, the styling was very tousled.
31. Choppy Sandy Blonde Layers
There is something extra rock and roll about very choppy long layered haircuts. Let your stylist go to town with the razoring effect, and make sure to style the look into tousled waves. It’ll work well with any color, but the sandy blonde tone is gorgeous.
32. Melted Gold Cascade
The transition from dark brown to gold waves is irresistibly shiny and multi-dimensional. Despite the piecey styling, the layering is kept to the front where it adds interest around the face. The ends were cut a little choppily which adds texture.
33. Platinum Flipped Up Layers
This cute styling technique gives a little twist on graduated long layers. By flipping up the ends of the layers that frame the face you end up with a whimsical look that draws attention to your features. It works well with all kinds of looks, but here it is eye-catching because of the platinum dye job and sleek styling.
34. Tousled Bottom Layers
This is an intense long layered haircut styled by an expert. The aggressive layering starts below the shoulders, adding a ton of texture and interest while keeping the top restrained. It’s a bombshell look made all the more astounding by the perfect waves.
35. Layered Waves with Gold Frame
If you’re thinking of trying something new, combing long layers with golden highlights is a great choice for any season. The layering focuses on framing the face, exactly on the same strands that have been highlighted with beautiful gold, adding brightness.
36. Lifted Blonde Long Layers
What you’re seeing here is hair that was lifted to light blonde, with slightly wavy layers that give the hair a lifted appearance. This unique layering is gradual, but only near the front of the face, with the rest of the hair sitting dramatically a few inches lower.
37. Platinum-Touched Blonde Layers
These are exactly the kind of curtained, gradual long layers worth trying if you’d like to draw all of the attention to your facial features. Those layers are accentuated by a few touches of cool platinum over the warmer blonde base.
38. Bombshell Blonde Long Layers
Almost everything has been said about long locks of blonde hair – it is by far the most aggrandized tone, and here it was styled to perfection. There are a few face-framing layers in this long layered haircut, but mostly the hair was allowed to fall long and sleek.
39. Peek-A-Boo Long Layers
Peek-a-book colors work great with long layered haircuts, because the shorter strands allow a bit of the fun color to peek through without being over the top. This bi-layered cut does just that, with a layer of pink hiding underneath. The sleek styling makes the whole thing feel extra modern.
40. Fired Up Long Layers
This volumized and feathered look channels the warmth of a fire, with a deep base surrounded with golden, flame-like tendrils. There are just a few shorter layers adding a crackling touch, but most of the focus was on keeping the ends nicely textured.
41. U-Shaped Long Layered Haircut
This look is a real head-turner! It’s a classic U-shaped cut that opens up the face while still maintaining an alluring wall of hair, with a few mid-length layers throughout adding some breezy vibes. The dye job is also worth noting, with a perfect balance of brunette and blonde tones.
42. Straightened Feathery Long Layers
The straight styling of this long layered haircut helps to give balance to softer features. The feathered ends are light and bouncy, so the overall effect is sleek but not severe. Paired with a blonde balayage, this is a chic, sexy look.
43. High-Glam Long Layers
Adding a few extensions to your long layered hairstyle is the best way of quickly elevating the glam levels of your look. The layered natural ends look stylish over the added length, while the subtle hand painting of the roots ensures seamlessness.
44. Onyx to Gold Layered Gradient
The combination of black and blonde colors is the most striking that can be, without channeling fashion colors. Here the gradient is truly astounding, creating an optical illusion effect with its intense dimension. This gradient is beautifully paired with a bit of graduating layering at the ends just near the front.
45. Long Layered Front with Blunt Ends
We’re used to all-over blunt cuts, but this long layered haircut shows how fun it can be to add just a few clever layers. The long layers near the front are random enough to add texture without changing the sleek silhouette, which is a great professional look.
46. Carefree Blonde Long Layers
These are lush, blonde locks that Rapunzel would be jealous of (partially because she can’t enjoy such clever layering). The waves are classic bombshell styling, drawing attention to the feathery layers that are varied enough to add dimension while still looking natural and carefree.
47. Tri-Layered Chocolate Caramel Melt
This balayage gradient really reminds us of chocolate and caramel, with brown locks transforming into caramel slowly through expert hand painting. This is complemented by three levels of layering just around the face, to remove a bit of bulk and open up the features.
48. Sleek to Tousled Graduated Layers
One way stylists can have fun with long layered haircuts is by changing up the styling at the point where the layers begin. Here, the top of the hair is blow-dried straight, while the bottom half where the layers start is fun and playful with a bit of tousling.
49. Wavy Ocean Long Layers
Long layered haircuts can come in all kinds of colors. The layering itself is a little choppy, in a long, graduated style that draws attention to the face, with a few upturned ends that give us ocean vibes. The teal and ocean blue balayage over black locks is dramatic and unique.
50. Dark Melt Balayage Layers
This balayaged long layered hairstyle feels a little darker thanks to slightly longer than usual roots, and very subtle highlights that still allow the chocolate brown base to peek through. The layering is softly gradual, with a wave that makes it feel organic.
51. Flipped Up Layered Waves
This extra femme look relies on a multitude of flipped up long layers to give a dramatic touch to the otherwise sleek, blonde-heavy look. There are some darker streaks near the top adding texture, while bi-layers lighten the load without adding excessive volume.
52. Macchiato Long Layered Hairstyle
Just like a delicious macchiato, this look features lots of coffee brown with just a touch of milky highlights. The layering is light and feathery but fairly short around the face, with choppier layers right at the ends everywhere else.
53. Lightly Flipped Front Layers
There is something super flirty about long layers that are just lightly flipped up on the ends. It adds a playful charm to straightened hair as well as to severe colors like this platinum colormelt.
54. V-Shaped Blonde Shag
This shaggy hairstyle shows how the pros do V-shaped haircuts, with a cut where the layers at the back are the longest, while gradual face-framing layers add shape and a few side layers add volume. This look is boosted by a honey touch to platinum gradual colormelt.
55. Long Layers with Choppy Top
This long layered haircut has a very unique silhouette, thanks to choppy layers at typical bob length adding a bit of bulk and roundness to the top of the head, with feathered ends balancing out the volume. This would be a great look for those with very narrow or sharp faces wanting to look a little softer.
56. Extended Platinum Layers
It’s important to disclose when a look features extensions, but it’s also a great chance to see how piecey layers improve the way extensions blend into the hair. This extended look is mostly platinum, with streaking over the roots helping with the transition and grow out.
57. Chocolate and Honey Layered Sombre
The layering in this look is super restrained since long thick hair is sometimes the most well-behaved when it can pull itself down. It was dyed in a gradual golden sombre, with a balayage-style longer strand brightening up the face.
58. ‘70s-inspired Long Layers
The way these long layers was styled really harkens back to dramatic blowouts from the ‘70s. Part of this effect comes from the graduated layers that start just above the shoulders near the face and get gradually longer, while the out-facing waves cement that retro feel.
59. Side-Swept Subtle Long Layered Hair
Subtle layers here add bounce to the straight hair, while the gradual technique used to shape them helps draw attention to the face. The look is styled with a side-swept side part that lengthens the face and is ideal for square and round face shapes.
60. Long Hair with Short Layers
This unique cut is extra-long, but the face-framing layers are kept to chin length. It has the flattering effect of a bob with the length of a traditional long cut and is a particularly good choice for those with elongated faces. A thread of bronze through the hair adds a bright, multi-dimensional touch.
61. Ash Blonde Volumizing Tri-Layers
Ash blonde is such a classy color for a balayage because it looks light yet also cool and sophisticated. Combined with feathery tri-layers, the overall effect is delicate yet volumized. Blowout styling with curled ends emphasizes the delicacy of the look.
62. Muted Caramel Layered Waves
This subtle colormelt enhances a chocolate base with muted and matte caramel tones on the ends. The layers are subtle yet face-framing, with another touch of volumizing layers at the ends that create a V-shape.
63. Choppy-End Long Layers
This super textured long layered haircut doesn’t take off much bulk. Instead, it relies on choppy layering at the ends to amp up the texture of the look. Thanks to blonde balayaging, however, the hair still looks totally delicate.
64. Lightened Load Long Layers
This long layered hair was lightened in two senses of the word. First, of course, there is the gleaming blonde balayage with some extra babylights near the top, which makes this look light and bright. Then there is lightness in reference to the layers, which makes this look lightweight despite the immense natural density of these locks.
65. Golden Ribbon Long Layered Hair
This hair was dyed in a ribbon balayage technique, which relies on extra-long streaks to add volume and glamour. This combination of honey and light gold tones is accentuated by a uni-directional wave and soft V-shaped long layers at the end.
66. Feathery Platinum Shag
This is one of those feathery long layered haircuts that transform platinum hair from plain feminine to punky and edgy. The ashy tone and piecey, feathery layers that frame the face come together to make the perfect hairstyle for a budding rockstar.
67. Volumizing Golden Long Layers
This is one of those shiny long layered hairstyles that are all about the volume. Some of the volume comes from the varied layering, which adds bulk and shape, and another part of it comes from the extra skinny brown lowlights that amp up the golden balayage.
Photos via Instagram
