Last year, I decided I’d finally had enough of the bob haircut. Not in general — (have you seen how good it looks on Julianne Hough?) — just on me. While hairstylists insist it’s low-maintenance and easy to grow out, my experience was the opposite. Every morning, I’d smooth out the bumps that popped up overnight, but straightening them gave me more split ends than I could shake a bottle of Dream Lengths at. And so began the long slog of growing my hair long again.
Thanks to a few clever hair-growth products (shoutout to Typebea), it didn’t take too long for my hair to reach Rapunzel-level lengths, but I hadn’t given any thought to the style I’d like once it got there. My first stop was Pinterest, of course, and as if the app knew exactly what I wanted, it served up a handful of long, swishy, and intentionally layered cuts. I knew right away I had to take the photos to my hairstylist, Steve Braithwaite, at Larry King in London.
@jisu_sunny Soft bangs and layered cut Transforming flat straight hair into a light, airy style #jisusalon #melbournehairdresser #melbournehairsalon #hairtransformation #hairgoals #hairstyles ♬ Winter Ahead (with PARK HYO SHIN) : Silent Carol Ver. – V & Park Hyo Shin
Braithwaite’s approach is collaborative — as all good haircuts should be. Before reaching for the scissors, he hit me with a bunch of important questions: Do I like a clean, blunt finish on the ends, or some separation? (I went with clean.) Do I want layers in the back as well as the front? (Yes, for extra volume, as a recent keratin treatment left my hair feeling flat.) Do I wear my hair up? (No, so the face-framing pieces could be as short and swishy as possible.)
“Let’s aim to bring the feathered vibe through the internal shape,” Braithwaite said, adding, “Not too many layers, but enough if you want a little volume — a touch of something messy and textured. It’s nice to have options.” For the face-framing layers, he wanted to make them “a bit more connected through the front,” so they “flow” into one another instead of looking disjointed or fluffy.
What is the J-shape haircut?
Braithwaite started by sectioning my hair and cutting the layers at an angle to create a curve, so the first layer cupped my bottom lip, and the last ended at the center of my chest. When I took a closer look in the mirror, I noticed that those perfectly cut layers formed a soft “J” shape. If traditional layered cuts swish outward, the J-shape curves inward, gently cupping the face. It’s much looser than the C-shape haircut that recently took salons by storm — and lower-maintenance as a result. Of course, the J-shape cut has been dominating salons long before any of us gave it a playful name, but the visual cue certainly makes it easier to request (especially if your stylist likes to take creative license).
How do you style the J-shape haircut?
To style my hair, Braithwaite removed as much moisture as possible by rough-drying with a blowdryer on medium heat, then used a medium barrel brush and the dryer to smooth everything out, curving the ends under (rather than outward) to create that effortless J-shape.
Styling this haircut at home is even easier with a hot brush. After rough-drying my hair to about 80% dry, I section it and use my trusty Shark SmoothStyle Heated Comb & Blow Dryer Brush to smooth each piece under, creating that loose, face-framing shape. On days when I want to refresh the style, I reach for a flatiron — it’s just as good at curving each layer inward, especially when I’m in a rush. You might also like the Dyson Airstrait Straightener, which takes hair from wet to dry quickly and easily.
Of course, heat protection is a must. I love K18 HeatBounce Conditioning Heat Protectant, which acts like a shield against high temperatures and leaves my thick hair feeling soft and manageable.
@rosalierouge Haircut for the flat/straight/ fine hair girlies! #finehairstyles #finehairtips #straighthairstyle #midlengthhair #haircut #hairstyleideas #hairtips #hairroutine #hairtok #creatorsearchinsights ♬ original sound – Kelsey Martin
How do you ask for the J-shape haircut?
Asking for the J-shape haircut is simple. Braithwaite suggests requesting “connected” layers throughout the lengths and back, with face-framing layers to finish that sweep toward the face. Thanks to the swishy finish, these layers look best when blow-dried straight and tend to suit medium to long hair. Layers like these are also a great way to take some of the weight out of thick hair like mine, but if TikTok is anything to go by, they work equally well on fine hair, as the feathering lends the illusion of volume and fullness.
I can safely say that the J-shape haircut is a compliment magnet. As Braithwaite finished up — working a bit of A Social Life For Your Hair cream through my roots and ends for extra polish — a few of the salon’s stylists came over to check out the final look and admire his handiwork.
Happily, I no longer dread styling my thick hair post-shower, and even if I wear it natural, I find that the relaxed J-shape layers work with my wavy texture rather than against it, giving my hair dimension and movement. It’s taken a few haircuts over the years, but with this one, I’m convinced I’ve found my forever style.
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