25 of the Coolest Medium-Size Cuts and Kinds for Positive Hair
We have stated it earlier than, and we’ll say it once more: Medium-length hair is essentially the most versatile size. It is lengthy sufficient to tie again right into a ponytail or bun—but brief sufficient to model with out spending an excessive amount of time or effort (talking of styling, try our favourite braided hairstyles for medium-length hair).
For these with skinny and positive hair, a medium-length coiffure is a superb selection. If hair grows too lengthy, it begins to look scraggly and stringy. If minimize too brief, it appears unhappy and limp. A medium-length minimize provides motion and life to skinny hair, whereas additionally retaining any little quantity of pure quantity intact. However there are solely so many cuts you may dream up by yourself, which is why it’s useful to have a look at celeb photographs for salon inspiration.
Under, uncover a few of our favourite shoulder-length hairstyles and cuts for positive hair—together with professional styling recommendation from hair trade execs Melanie Bolton and Gretchen Friese.
Notice that a few of the haircuts beneath are featured on thick-haired celebrities; nonetheless, the main focus ought to be on the logistics of the minimize, that are all suited to skinny hair.
Blunt With Gentle Layers
Whereas it is good to keep away from over-texturizing hair with a number of layers with a purpose to preserve and amplify fullness, that does not essentially imply that you simply should not have any layers. “A shoulder-length minimize with gentle layers will nonetheless have a blunt perimeter however can have quantity and motion,” says Friese. All you want to model this look is Kérastase L’incroyable Blow-Dry Reshapable Lotion ($37) and a spherical brush.
Romantic Waves
Nicole Richie’s medium-length hair appears glossy and polished, because of massive barrel waves and many shine—we like Sachajuan Shine Serum ($36) for replicating the latter. Richie is proof that you simply needn’t pretend large quantity for a sublime, purple carpet–worthy end result. And fortunate for us, this look can be “quite simple to realize,” says Bolton.
“On damp hair, apply a volumizing product to the basis so as to add carry. Subsequent, blow-dry hair easy with a big paddle brush, directing sections upward and drying the basis from beneath to amp up quantity. Lastly, use a large-barrel curling iron to create unfastened ringlets and end the look with an all-over spritz of dry texture spray to maintain curls from releasing all through the day.” See? Simple peasy.
Take into account including mushy child lights to maximise the phantasm of dimension and fullness to your look.
Wavy and Barely Tapered
If you happen to’ve bought positive locks and a shoulder-length haircut, take a web page out of Zendaya’s e-book. Right here, her hair is softly tapered off on the ends and curled all through. The waves add texture and motion, which may help positive hair seem fuller and more healthy. The marginally tousled texture lends an undone really feel, making it the last word cool-girl look.
Beachy Waves
Lily Collins emits youthful, beachy vibes together with her hair’s lived-in texture. Her seashore waves are perfect for these with limp strands since they work to carry and undulate hair, creating the phantasm of additional physique. That purple lipstick and people daring brows do not damage both.
Inside or Invisible Layers
Whereas regular layers can have the impact of constructing hair look thinner—a particular no-no for these of us with already-thin strands—inside or invisible layers work to create texture and fullness. And based on Friese, they’re additionally an awesome possibility for the one that desires to maintain their hair on the longer facet. “As a result of brief hair helps lengthy hair, including shorter items underneath the overlaying longer items will create loads of quantity. I like to recommend blow-drying with the BosleyMD Fashion+ Blow Dry & Styling Gel ($19) and a spherical brush to realize quantity,” she says.
Softly Curled Ends
The key to Elle Fanning’s bouncy hair appears to be the softly curled ends, which maintain any indication of limpness out of the image. Use a 1.5-inch curling iron, like T3 Voluminous Curls 1.5″ Clip Barrel ($100), to get that mushy, seamless wave. We additionally recommend washing strands with charcoal shampoo—our under-the-radar secret for clear, bouncy hair.
Lengthy Layers With Smooth Waves
Whereas these with positive strands ought to keep away from a layer-heavy minimize, there’s one other kind of layered-look that may give you the results you want, and it’s one which we extremely encourage. Ciara reveals us how incorporating lengthy layers with a slight wave provides the looks of additional quantity, density, and to not point out, romance. Feathery tapered ends additionally assist breathe motion and bounce into her mane.
Child Bangs
When you’ve got positive hair and also you keep away from conventional bangs for worry they’re going to make your hair look sparse, Emma Watson’s child bangs could be the reply. Taking a extremely textured, razored strategy, the brief feathered strands are eye-catching and never stringy within the slightest.
“You will need to apply a contact of medium-hold texture cream on damp hair on the fringe for management and to directionally blow-dry this part from roots downwards, utilizing fingers to separate,” says. “As soon as the perimeter is dry, you may transfer onto styling lengths. End with a spritz of hairspray (Bumble and bumble Spray de Mode Versatile Maintain Hairspray, $32) throughout, to lock in your look.” Simply know this fringe requires common upkeep by the professionals, so if you happen to’re not dedicated, we propose passing on this model.
Straight and Tucked In
Jessica Alba’s collar-bone grazing hair appears wholesome and full styled straight and tucked in. “There’s nothing extra elegant than an awesome medium-length minimize to maximise quantity, texture, and elegance,” says Bolton. Flipping ends inward is an easy, but efficient, trick in making hair seem to have extra physique. Full the look with a assertion headband.
Face-Framing Fringe
January Jones reveals us how one can add bangs to a shoulder-length coiffure. In accordance with Bolton, “[It] is the right various for positive hair, because it has sufficient size to maintain from turning into stringy and sufficient texture to maintain from falling flat.” The bangs are lengthy and wispy, which mix into the remainder of her wavy hair completely. Though bangs can typically make positive hair look even finer, you may keep away from the stringy look by styling them with a texture spray like Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray ($30).
“This fringe has a stand-alone model, which permits versatility in the way you select to put on your lengths,” says Bolton.
“To model, apply a volumizing product to damp hair on the roots,” says Bolton. “Blow-dry the perimeter directionally, focusing airflow from the roots downward, and utilizing your fingers to tousle. End by styling lengths into the specified look and making use of dry texture spray to the perimeter to offer lasting separation and management.”
Aspect-Parted Wavy Lob
Kerry Washington’s lob appears thick and wholesome, because of a number of shine and tiny alternating waves. The facet half brings quantity to her roots whereas the blunt ends carry density all the way down to the underside. Principally, it is perfection.
Lengthy, Volumized Layers
Sure, Doutzen Kroes’s hair appears majorly volumized right here, however as fine-haired women know, typically a bit of volumizing spray or hair-heightening dry shampoo works wonders on second-day strands. We love OGX Bodifying + Fiber Full Physique Renew Dry Shampoo ($12), which accurately boosts hair up earlier than our very eyes. Nonetheless, her lengthy layers construct upon one another, making the mid-lengths of her hair look majorly dense.
Thick Fringe
These with positive hair needn’t keep away from bangs for worry that they may make strands seem stringy. Actually, the proper of bang could make hair seem thicker than it really is and look tremendous stylish whereas at it.
“If the hair is thick sufficient within the entrance, a deep, thick fringe is a pleasant approach to carry the main focus ahead to a thicker part of the hair,” says Friese. “Being minimize above the eyes will assist these stunning peepers stand out. I like to recommend utilizing the BosleyMD Volumizing and Thickening Styling Mousse ($9) on moist bangs and blow-drying with a flat brush back and forth after which all the way down to create that full blunt look.”
Pinned Retro Lob
Selena Gomez pins her long-layered shoulder-length ‘do to the facet for a retro really feel (the polka-dots and inexperienced shadow additionally help). “Any minimize with a blunt perimeter will create the phantasm of thicker hair than a minimize with extra texturized or feathered ends.,” says Friese.
An all-one-length is a superb possibility for skinny hair, however it’s additionally versatile. “It may be worn straight and glossy in addition to wavy and tousled, which may be very common proper now,” she provides.
Shag With Curtain Bangs
Is there anybody extra certified to put on this ’70s shag haircut than Georgia Could Jagger? We do not assume so. Her waterfall layers add further physique to this medium-length coiffure, particularly once they’re curled again.
“For positive hair, this look is about encouraging quantity and mild texture at each step,” feedback Bolton. “On damp hair, apply a volumizing product like Circulation Boundless Physique Plumping Lotion ($22) to the basis so as to add carry and a medium-hold texture cream (Verb Sea Texture Cream, $25) by means of the lengths for definition. Create a middle half and dry hair upside-down to 75 %, flipping the hair upright to dry utterly. Lastly, utilizing a flat iron, twist layers from mid-shaft all the way down to create a slight flip on the fringe and mild waves all through.”
The important thing to styling this look is to maintain it unstructured and textured, notes Bolton. Use your fingers to tousle on the root all through put on fairly than brushing or combing, which is able to trigger positive hair to lose texture and flatten.
Slight Wave With Razored Ends
Cara Delevingne one in all our go-to sources of hair inspo as a result of she by no means disappoints. And whereas lots of her finest hair moments may very well be described as daring and daring, this minimize is straightforward and understated, but simply as properly makes a press release. Blunt-razored ends flatter by making strands look thick and dense, which is one thing these with fine-hair can normally solely dream of. The alternating back-and-forth wave lends dimension and motion.
Gentle, Tousled Layers
Emmanuelle Chriqui’s shoulder-length haircut appears fashionable with out making an attempt too onerous. “A medium-length minimize may help to provide positive hair the phantasm of size and dimension whereas decreasing styling time and offering longer-lasting quantity,” says Bolton. “The trick to retaining medium-length positive hair wanting its finest is to maintain the model simplistic and supported by the fitting light-weight merchandise.”
We propose setting this model with R+Co Vicious Robust Maintain Versatile Hairspray ($32) after curling hair outward for a extra tousled look.
Blunt Lob
Margot Robbie’s blunt lob goes from polished to rock ‘n’ roll relying on the purple carpet she’s strolling. Even nonetheless, it by no means appears skinny or scraggly, and we’re pondering that has to do together with her blunt minimize, which makes ends seem thicker. Scissored ends showcase texture and the flexibility of this model, which could be worn fashionable and edgy.
“An effective way to provide the phantasm of dimension is to create a mild shadow root impact,” notes Bolton. She recommends working together with your colorist to that finish.
Recreating this look is straightforward. All it takes is working a bit of volumizing product by means of damp hair, based on Bolton. After air-drying, apply a texture spray on dry hair, scrunching all through, and end with a spritz of hair spray.
Lived-In With Deep Aspect Half
Parting your hair deep on one facet may give the looks of extra quantity—particularly if you happen to tease your hair on the root earlier than combing the highest down. “Particularly when the hair on one facet of the top is extra sparse than the opposite, a facet half is a superb possibility,” says Friese. “When the hair on the thicker facet is parted to the thinner facet, it should fill that facet in a bit to create stability and thicker-looking hair.” Ouai Quantity Spray ($26) is nice for retaining that one facet parted.
Lengthy, Face-Framing Layers
Ever since she sported “The Rachel” again within the ’90s, Jennifer Aniston has remained massive on face-framing layers. Though there are not any layers within the again, the entrance is sheared little by little, making a curtain impact. It is flattering at each angle.
60’s Glam
Keke Palmer’s blunt bob will get the retro therapy with the flipped ends and facet half, which is clipped again with a jeweled hair clip, such because the Tzoxal Rhinestone Hair Clips ($13). To repeat her look, blow dry your hair with a spherical brush and flip the finally ends up. Use a large barrel curling iron as wanted to provide these flipped-up ends a bit of extra endurance. End off your 60s glam look with a contact of hair spray.
Wavy Shag
Miley Cyrus’ wavy shag is a contemporary and enjoyable approach to give your skinny locks some quantity. In contrast to the retro shags with the longer bangs, Cyrus retains her bangs a shorter fringe and performs up her pure curly texture to make her hair look thicker. Preserving your roots a bit of darker than the remainder of your hair is one other trick to provide your hair extra dimension and to pretend fullness.
Modern and Shiny Lob
Olivia Munn’s lob haircut has minimal layers, child caramel highlights and many shine! All of those components assist to provide skinny hair the phantasm of fullness. Her glossy and glossy model isn’t solely simple to drag off, however stunning. To repeat her look, work in a straightening balm, corresponding to Bumble & bumble Straight Blow Dry ($32), whereas hair continues to be moist and dry with a paddle brush to easy hair.
Flipped Bob
Bobs are a flexible minimize as a result of you may put on them straight, curly or flipped on the ends, as seen on Reese Witherspoon. Spray in some Bondi Enhance Warmth Protectant Spray ($20) to guard hair from injury. Blow dry hair with a spherical brush and flip the finally ends up, adopted by a curling iron on the ends to strengthen the flip. Half your hair on the facet and tuck behind your ear for the right party-ready look.
Quick and Straight Shag
The face-framing layers on Billy Eilish’s straight shag are minimal sufficient to maintain her hair wanting thick, whereas additionally giving her look some motion. This haircut can be worn wavy, as seen on Miley Cyrus. A shine serum helps to provide your hair this glossy look, nonetheless these with positive hair want to verify they use a light-weight product and use it sparingly. One nice possibility for these with positive hair is Oribe Apres Seashore Wave and Shine Spray ($44).
