How can I get the layers at the front of my hair to swish backwards without doing a massive flick?

[thelongroad]

I want the shorter layers around the front of my medium length hair to sort of swish backwards rather than curl forwards and inwards, or go dead straight (if using irons).
I cannot figure out how to do it.
If I blow dry outwards then they flick out like Farrah Fawcett etc.

See diagram (the grey represents the shorter layers).

TIA

You can just gently bend the ends backwards with your straighteners. Adjust the tightness of the flick to whatever you want it to be.

I use my straighteners for this works well... I kinda run them down at an angle, hard to describe but play about with it and see

I just can't do it, they either end up curling (sort of like beach waves) or flicking, I can't get a gentle backward curve! Aaarrgh!

maybe try a little backcombing on them?

I dry my bangs over a big round brush over my forehead, then separate them with my fingers, that gives the nice backwards curve I think you're talking about.

Amazing diagram. I think it depends on your hair. I have a slight wave, but there is one bit of my hair that has resisted being blow dried into shape by even the best hairdresser, it pings out eventually after being straightened even when all the other hair was poker straight. You might be a fellow stubborn haired person.

Amazing diagram 😆My hair will basically only ever do No. 3 - there's too much wave in it. I asked the hairdresser to do No. 2 once to see if it was just me, but it still comes out as No. 3.

I'll hang around to see if anyone has a miracle solution for both of us, OP!

@Anoana You might be onto something there....if I comb those layers to the front with my fringe and then dry them under (like my fringe (or fridge as I have just repeatedly typed) then maybe they'll do that gentle backwards curve when I put them back in place....hmm, I shall need to experiment with that idea.

Is this the look you’re going for?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4P62piDY6VY

Obviously I now can't find any sodding pictures although I see it all over the place all the time. A bit like this so the front layers sort of sweep backwards:

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhairmotive.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F05%2FMedium-Short-Layered-Haircuts.jpg&tbnid=wGVFAyrhEL2-OM&vet=10CIsBEDMopwFqFwoTCJDT4J-yjv8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAC..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fhairmotive.com%2Fshort-layered-haircuts%2F&docid=DTpc-CS63X6pBM&w=500&h=500&q=medium%20hair%20with%20shorter%20layers%20at%20front&client=opera&ved=0CIsBEDMopwFqFwoTCJDT4J-yjv8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAC

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.wixstatic.com%2Fmedia%2F045ee3_3c0114a368444799abc7b6b7caaff0de~mv2.png%2Fv1%2Ffit%2Fw_320%252Ch_1000%252Cal_c%2Cenc_auto%2Ffile.png&tbnid=cUJay-GAyB8DFM&vet=10CIcBEDMopQFqFwoTCJDT4J-yjv8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAC..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shampoolounge.com%2Fpost%2F50-cute-haircuts-for-girls-to-put-you-on-center-stage&docid=Te3WDMGw3CWHdM&w=320&h=415&q=medium%20hair%20with%20shorter%20layers%20at%20front&client=opera&ved=0CIcBEDMopQFqFwoTCJDT4J-yjv8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAC

Fantastic diagram!

my daughter washes her hair at night and puts the layered bit in a roller which sits at the top of her forehead. I think that will do what you want.

Years ago I had a fab hairdresser that cut my layers so they naturally went backwards. Theses days every hairdresser seems to cut them so they curl forward, like picture 1. I have to frazzle them with the straightener these days to get them back, it’s so annoying.

I'm old school and use a round brush to curl them under then run my hands through my hair so they go back. No sticky outy bits.

Either big round brush bring it forwards and then curl it towards the back of your head or similar with a roller should get what you want I think. It may look over what you want when first done but likely to drop fairly swiftly.

I just came on here to say your diagram cheered me right up!
I especially liked the colour coding for the hair that was troublesome, brilliant stuff!
question: why are the no diagrams (of you?) smiling whereas the yes is not? 🙃

Definitely use a curling wand. I use one just to do that because I could never do it with straighteners 😂

I dry my hair straight and then kind of angle the straighteners so layers go back and it work.

Years ago I twirled hair around a round brush while drying then straightened to flatten it a bit.

Maybe you need your layers shorter?

I quite like the Farrah/ Madonna American Pie look myself but I know that's a niche opinion! 🤣

Thank you for all the suggestions and it is good to see that I am not alone here.

The diagram was almost as difficult to do as the sodding hairstyle :D

Does anyone have a link to a youtube of someone doing this? I just don't seem to be able to get the angle right and it just ends up going back under or flicking properly out (also a look I like, @QueueEtwo but don't always want).

I don't have a curling wand, my hair has a lot of natural curl in it that I am usually trying to tame (it's not the good sexy kind of curl).

I do it by curling them under and forwards (ie the opposite of the way I want them to go) using a Revlon All in One, then run my hands through to push it back. Works about 4/5 times with the occasional massive cock up that leaves me with a dodgy Richard III page boy. I appreciate this may not be helpful, but it’s the best I have.

I have this heated round brush and it gives me that swept back look:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ouwWND0defk

Super easy to use.

😂Richard III page boy

@GulfCoastBeachGirl See, I don't get why her hair isn't ending up flicking outwards, which is definitely what mine would do if I did that. She literally curls it outwards and upwards (see pic 3 on my diagram).

I'm now wondering if maybe it's to do with the cut of the layers....

I use a curling wand. Loosely wrap the very bottom or the piece of hair in the direction away from your face. Hold the want downwards vertically not horizontally.

I think the trick is not to put too much of the length of the hair around the wand, literally just an inch or so

Do you have a lot of shorter layers? Mine is shoulder length with longer layers so when I use the largest curling brush (1-1/2") it does create a Farrah Fawcett roll (😂) but then I brush thru with my fingers and I get that swept back look.

I wonder if you maybe need to grow out those front layers a bit?