The 40 Best Haircuts for Thick Hair That Work with Your Glorious Volume, According to Stylists (2024)

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1. Long Layers

For those who prefer a low-maintenance cut, adding long layers throughout can break up the bulk without requiring much upkeep. As Henningsen explains, “The secret weapon to thick hair is long layers because they create movement and make your hair feel lighter.”

2. Blunt Ends

Isla Fisher’s lush curls look especially polished thanks to her clean-cut ends. (Note: This is also a good way to freshen up scraggly strands that have been damaged by too much heat or color.) However, if your hair is very thick, you might want to ask your stylist to use thinning shears to add discrete layers, as a straight blunt cut will potentially add too much volume.

3. Beachy Bob

Another option for thick and wavy hair? A beachy bob with blunt ends and some bulk removed from the inside to bring out that texture. When styling, Blakley recommends using a curling iron to smooth everything out and add shape.

4. Textured Bob

Here’s a 360 look of a similar style with slightly more textured ends. “I like to use thinning sheers to lighten up the ends, starting just a few inches from the scalp,” says Valles.

5. Sleek Bob

On the flip side, we have a sleek, straight bob that sits squarely above the shoulders. The weight is removed from the inside and cut in a slight A-line, so what you see is this flattering shape instead of the dreaded triangle.

6. Asymmetrical Cut

Thick curls do well with this style because there’s a balance between the natural weight of your hair and thoughtfully placed layers to give the whole look some shape. To style, blow-dry using a concentrator or a diffuser to ensure your roots dry completely and finish the look with a lightweight serum for added shine.

7. Shoulder-Length Lob

Dead ends weighing you down? A soft, layered lob that falls at or just below the shoulders is an ideal length for thick tresses that need a refresh. When styling, blow-dry with a flat brush to control the volume.

8. Face-framing Layers

No matter your texture, face-framing layers are one of the best haircuts for thick hair. They add a flattering shape—regardless of whether you decide to wear your hair curly one day and straight the next. Plus, the layers help manage density by reducing bulk and weight.

9. Curtain Bangs

Did you really think you’d make it this far into a hair story without seeing a mention of curtain bangs? Jokes aside, the parted fringe works especially well on thick hair (as seen to great effect here). Bonus: They’re easy to style. Simply blow-dry them away from your face with a round brush. As the bangs grow out, you can also play with the part and try a side-swept look instead.

10. ‘90s Layers

You know the look: long, otherwise sleek hair, save for the aggressively curled in ends. You can add the signature swoops with a flat iron, then finish the look with some hair serum to add a glossy sheen. This is a great cut if you don’t want to commit to a shorter look, but still want a little texture.

11. Textured Shag

Note: This cut will require more upkeep due to the different layers and their placement. However, if you’re seeking a funky fresh change, a textured shag certainly delivers.

12. Blended Shag

For a softer take on the look, opt for longer, blended layers and use color placement to break up the texture.

13. Shorter Shag

You could also go shorter with choppy layers and thinned out ends. Tip: Get yourself a texturizing spray to add some body and definition throughout.

14. Swept-over Pixie

Let the natural weight of your hair do the work for you by sweeping it over to one side. (Psst, this cut also has the bonus effect of highlighting your cheekbones, making it great for people with diamond and heart shaped faces.) To add the swoop, blow dry your hair with a round brush, while twisting it to create the soft wave on top. When dry, you can gently comb through the strands if there’s too much volume.

15. Undercut Pixie

Removing hair from underneath can keep the overall shape from looking like a mushroom cap. You can do this with longer hair as well. Either way, you’ll need a regular trim to maintain the buzz cut. This version of the pixie is great for round faces, which will balance the choppy layers and angular cut.

16. Defined Curls

If your locks are naturally coily, this is one of the best haircuts for thick hair. Let your natural texture shine by keeping the layers light and long so everything sits just above your shoulders. To style, apply some curl-defining cream and use a diffuser to ensure your hair dries at the roots.

17. Tucked-in Bob

Thick hair usually gets bulky on the bottom and behind the neck. Depending on your natural texture, ask your stylist about using a razor to take the weight out just behind the neck. When styling your new cut at home, use a flat iron to tuck the ends under for a chic, Old-Hollywood inspired look.

18. A-Line Bob

Show off your lush locks with a blunt bob and slight A-lined ends that graze your collarbones and gently frame your face. It’s a great way to highlight your cheekbones or balance width if you have a round, diamond or square face.

19. Curly Fawcett

What goes around, comes around—especially when it comes to beauty trends. If you have naturally thick curls, you could try a Farrah Fawcett-inspired cut to really let those ringlets shine. But even if you don’t have naturally curly hair, you can make this work with a blow-dry brush, curling iron and some hairspray.

20. Angled Pixie

Ask your stylist to keep the back and sides snipped close to your head to balance out the weight of the longer pieces on top. The angled pixie will work well for those who want to play up their cheekbones or who want to create an illusion of a longer face. The sharp diagonal line cut by the top pieces will help with that.

21. Mid-Length Magic

Torn between going short or staying long? Always. Luckily, a mid-length cut is a happy (and flattering) medium that does well with heavier hair. Just remember to ask for some layers, even if they’re discrete, as a blunt cut might be too voluminous. The best thing about this haircut is that it’s easy to style. Simply air-dry if you’re running out the door, or heat style for a formal event.

22. Mid-Length with Fringe

Again, mid-length cut = magic on thick hair. Full fringe (and playful highlights) add extra sparkle. Ideal for people with long and/or angular faces (oval, heart, diamond), as the width of the cut will add a soft balance to your features.

23. Sculpted Curls

This side-by-side comparison shows how much a good haircut can liven up thick curls. Similarly to the mid-length cut with fringe, the roundness of this hairstyle will lend balance to angular face shapes.

24. Swept-Over Waves

If your styling MO is less is more, you can’t go wrong with a swept-over style and barely-there layers. To achieve the look, use a curling iron or a flat iron and then set with hairspray. If you want to preserve it for a few days between washes, pin it up and sleep on a silk pillowcase.

25. Side-Swept Curls

Textured, piecier layers remove excess weight, while adding movement and shape. As with the sculpted curls, try this haircut if you have sharp or long facial features you want to balance.

26. French Girl Bob

Ooh la la. The flipped ends, the rounded bangs, the cheekbone-grazing ends. It’s all très bien, as proven by Taylor LaShae, queen of the French bob. Depending on how thick your hair is, you may need to thin out the ends instead of opting for a full blunt cut. To style, use a flat iron to create bends in the hair.

27. Full Fringe

You know who pulls off bangs like no one else? You, because you have the heft to keep them from looking stringy. Pep them up in the morning using a round brush and blow dryer.

28. Volume Waves

Again, work with your natural volume and have your stylist just clean up the ends and add a few, well-placed layers in the front to give your hair a little shape. You can create the loose waves with a curling iron.

29. Tapered Bob

This bob is like the undercut styles above, but with less contrast between the longer and shorter layers, so the overall effect is softer. Try it if the thought of a complete buzz makes you nervous.

30. Modern Mullet

If you’re looking for more of a statement style, one of the best haircuts for thick hair is the modern mullet, which has risen in popularity over the past couple of years (and works especially well with thick hair because the layers help bring out your natural texture, while removing some of the bulk).

31. The Mixie

The ‘mixie’ (a mullet and pixie) had a major moment in 2022, and with stylists saying the shag is back, you can’t go wrong here. It combines the two classic cuts to create an edgier style.

32. The Bixie

Halle Berry first made waves after she debuted her Bixie haircut in 2022, which—you guessed it—is a cross between a bob and a pixie cut. Since then, she’s transitioned to a mid-length cut, but the magic of the Bixie cut remains. The top layers make your hair appear voluminous, while the length around the neck frames the face beautifully and balances the overall shape.

33. The Wixie

We promise this is the last iteration of the pixie on the list (for now). The latest take on the cut is the Wixie, which is a winged pixie that consists of wispier pieces around the face, layers down the sides that flip upwards and longer tresses that hug the neck.

34. Octopus Haircut

Named for the way the cut is round and more bulbous up top and spreads out at the bottom (like an octopus head and its tentacles), this style shares many similarities with a shag. Ask your stylist for lots of layers—or better yet, bring in an inspiration photo like the one above.

35. The Italian Bob

Rounding out the list is one of our favorite style of the year so far: the Italian Bob (aka “The Boyfriend Bob,") which took Instagram and TikTok when Florence Pugh wore the look to Cannes last summer. The key to getting this look is to have your stylist snip in some interior layers to add separation and keep the overall shape from becoming too round.

36. Choppy Bob

“A choppy bob works well with thick hair since it usually involves lots of layers vs. a classic blunt bob that would be super heavy looking because there is no layering,” Dean explains. Applying mousse and a glossy serum can encourage texture and shine. On that note, when styling at home, Dean recommends either diffusing the strands or air drying and then setting your hair with a finishing spray to hold the shape.

37. Medium Shag

Both Dean and Stenson agree that the key to getting the best haircut for thick hair is layering because it removes weight—which makes the shag a great choice. Plus, it’s easy to style. Just apply styling cream and mousse to wet hair and then air or blow dry, Dean says. “Finish by misting a texturizing spray on your ends to accentuate the layers.”

38. Graduated Pixie

“Graduated cuts equal a boost of height and volume by stacking your layers,” Dean explains. “You don’t need to do a whole lot except use a styling creme and mousse on wet hair to set the foundation. Once dry, you can use a texturizing paste to define your style by piecing out sections, bangs or even adding extra lift underneath at the roots.”

39. Butterfly Haircut

The popular butterfly haircut is one of the best haircuts for thick hair, according to Stenson. Here, long layers are the name of the game and the key to wearing it well is how you style it. To begin, Stenson recommends applying mousse to damp hair, which will ensure control and longevity. Then, he uses a medium or large ceramic round brush (this provides maximum air flow), wrapping the hair away from the face while drying on medium heat. “Once hair is cool, use your fingers to rake through and finish with hairspray (like Matrix Vavoom Triple Freeze). If your hair is naturally curly or coily, you’ll want to switch out the mousse for leave-in conditioner.

40. Disconnected Inverted Bob Shag

The disconnected inverted bob shag is all about the layers, creating a striking A-line down to the jaw. You can even ask for some face-framing bangs. (Just don’t go too blunt with them, as the style will feel bulky.) To style, apply mousse to wet hair and blow-dry. Use a wide-barrel curling iron if you want to add waves and set your strands with some hairspray for additional volume and hold.

How to Care for Thick Hair

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