22 Styling Ideas for Long Bob Hairstyles in 2023
From hair care to styling here's all the tips and ideas you need for long bob hairstyles.
Medium-length hair hasn’t been the same since the long bob cut. Ever since it hit the scene a few years ago, the “lob” has revolutionized how women think about wearing their hair. In particular, it made the bob less intimidating, for one, and made it more accessible to those who never thought to wear this length.
A compromise between the conventional concave bob and a shoulder-length hairstyle, the long bob style isn’t relegated to merely straight hair. On the contrary: Its length makes it a legitimately versatile hairstyle that works just as well with a wave as it does with an all-out perm hairstyle.
Long Bob Haircuts: Styling Products to Keep in Your Arsenal
Paying homage to another strong year for the lob, we’ve put together a few of our fave ways to wear this all-around new classic style. Plus, some of our favorite styling tips. Keep scrolling down to find your lob inspo which might just work for the years to come:
1. Invest in a Straightening Cream
Long bobs look sexy and sophisticated, as it gives your hair a prim and polished vibe that’s totally chic. But while straightening irons and blowdryers are essential to achieving this ‘It Girl’ look, using a good straightening cream can keep your hair shielded from frizz and flyaways throughout the day. Before you heat-style your hair, use a good straightening cream, like Bed Head by TIGI Straighten Out Straightening Cream, to get that smooth and straight look you crave.
2. Play Up Your Texture
A wavy, texturized long bob style makes for a flirty and romantic look — it allows you to show off some natural texture without having to turn to additional heat styling. And while you can wave your hair with a curling iron, opting for an air-dried look that’s full of texture also looks gorgeous.
3. Care for Your Ends
If you constantly style your long bob, you’ll probably find that your ends can feel dried and super-brittle, making it important to invest in a product that keeps your strands smooth and hydrated. To repair damaged ends, make a hydrating leave-in conditioner, like SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner, part of your regimen (post-shower, pre-styling): It helps soften and detangle while controlling frizz, too.
4. Hydrate Your Locks
Like finding a good split end-protecting product, investing in a hydrating moisture mask is also key, as it keeps your strands healthy and nourished in between salon visits. To give your hair the essential deep conditioning treatment it deserves, apply the Suave Professionals Almond + Shea Butter Moisture Mask once a week after you shampoo and condition for best results.
5. Finish With Hairspray
Whether you wear your style straight or wavy, long bob styles can always add a little more oomph to straight and fine hair types. To keep your styles full of body and movement, use the TRESemmé Compressed Micro Mist Smooth Hold Level 2 Hair Spray after your style for a full and beautiful finish.
Long Bob Hairstyles for Any Season
Keep reading for some long bob inspiration:
1. Voluminous and Shiny Lob
Want to take your natural hair texture and turn it into a seriously stunning hairstyle? Try out a long bob that’s voluminous and shiny. The best way to add lasting shine is to use some serum. Apply the serum to damp hair and do a voluminous at-home blowout.
2. Fun Twisted Updo
This twisted updo is so easy you can probably do it at your desk. You just need to section your hair into three parts. Then, make each section into a bun, placing the next bun underneath. When you’re done, you’ll have three stacked buns and a cute party hairstyle for your long bob.
3. Easy Half-Updo
For an even easier hairstyle idea, try out the chic, twisted half-updo. Check out our step-by-step twisted hair tutorial to learn how to easily create this look. All you need is a few minutes and a couple of small pins to secure this fun hairstyle.
4. Polished Updo Bun
To create a polished bun on long bob hairstyles, you’ll need to coil your long bob into a sleek and tight chignon or top knot. Pairing it with a chic and festive bow completes this fun hairstyle. For the full scoop on how to create this look, check out our polished updo with bow tutorial.
5. Braided Updo
If your long bob is just a bit too short to fit into a high ponytail, try this braided alternative. Upside down braiding makes all those tiny little hairs fit into your ponytail or bun. Just flip your hair over and braid it up to create this style. Master this style by trying out our upside-down braid tutorial.
6. Top with a Bobble Hat
For the winter holidays, you can keep warm in style by wearing a super cute bobble hat. We love all kinds of winter hats, but the bobble hat looks especially cute on long bob hairstyles, especially when you’ve got just the right amount of tousled, textured length sticking out! For some style, wear your hair straight or curly as you show off your mid-length hair.
7. Beach Waves
This is a great style for the summer and is really easy to achieve. For loose, romantic, enviable curls, a heated tong or curling wand can be used. Alternatively, hot rollers can also achieve some loose bends. This hairstyle is also fantastic on highlighted and ombré hair as it accentuates the subtle color.
8. Textured Bob
If your long bob haircut is choppier and more layered, make the most of this texture! Using a flat iron on washed and primed hair will result in looser, chunkier bends and flicks all throughout. Maximize your texture by using a ping-pong ball’s amount of mousse spread evenly on the top, sides, and back of the hair and tugging around a flat iron to bend.
9. Poker Straight
Even though beachy waves are the style of the moment, the poker straight long bob haircut is timeless and will always popular for day or night. For best results, completely dry hair and allow it to part naturally. It is important to use a thermal protectant to prevent heat damage from straightening irons and make sure all the strands are coated evenly. Sandwich even and somewhat thinner sections of hair in between the plates, then gently tug from the roots downward. Start with the back of the head and finish with the top of the head, saving the sections around the hairline for last. Finish with some styling oil.
Ways to Wear Your Long Bob Cut With Different Textures
Here are some ways to wear your long bob with different textures:
1. Straight Hair: Lazy-Girl Waves
Loose, barely-there waves—also called lazy-girl hair—is the easiest way to showcase a long bob cut if you have straight locks. Modern and fresh, the length gives your tresses just the right amount of swing, while a bigger-shaped wave adds some interest to your lob without making it too fussy. Style with a moderate amount of mousse or salt foam, just to urge in some texture for a flirty yet structured look.
2. Curly Hair: Blunt Wedge
Cutting your hair sans layers is a modern way to wear the long bob cut and helps weigh down hair, a particularly crucial aspect with curly locks. This lengthens your spirals and gives a more defined shape to your haircut. To style for every day, mist hair with a leave-in conditioner before blow-drying with a diffuser.
3. Wavy Hair: Layered with Highlights
Fine, wavy hair usually can do with a bit more density and heft. Mimic some fullness with subtle layering at the bottom (though not too much, as this can make hair susceptible to flyaways) and enlist the help of your fave colorist for some highlights and lowlights. A great balayage job can add dimension to hair and looks effortlessly pretty on a wavy lob. Style this look with a light spray that accentuates waves and adds body.
4. Natural Hair: Middle-Parted Waves
Parting your hair in the middle has been a popular trend in the natural hair community, and looks especially flattering with a defined wave coming in. Prep your hair with an everyday detangler, as well as a curl-enhancing cream, to scrunch in whenever you need some definition.
Updo Style Ideas for Long Bobs
Check out updo-style ideas for long bobs:
1. Softened Fan Bun
A loose fan bun is a soft approach to the sometimes formal top knot. Any style that includes all of your hair but only requires two loops around your ponytail is going to be a crowd-pleaser. When you’re looking at a computer screen all day the last thing you want to worry about is a tight hairstyle putting more strain on you. Keep things loose and chic with a loose fan bun and let a quick mist of hairspray do all the heavy work of keeping your style in place.
2. Literal Top Knot
Opting for a long bob allows you to still pull off many hairstyles. Create an actual knot using all of your hair and secure it into place with a ponytail. Worried about flyaways or those shorter face-framing pieces escaping? Run a few drops of gel through your strands before creating the knot to guide every stray into place.
3. Messy Updo
Grab a ponytail holder and a handful of bobby pins and prepare to enhance your natural texture. One of the best parts about working from home is giving your hair a break from heat styling. Simply let your hair air-dry, gather it into a ponytail, wrap the ponytail into a messy updo and pin it into place. This style keeps your hair out of your face, all while looking ultra-chic.
4. Use a Scrunchie
Remember scrunchies from when you were a kid? These are arguably the most comfortable way to keep your hair away from your face. The best part about wearing a top knot secured with a scrunchie for a full day of work is that it won’t leave a crease on your hair. That means that once 5:00 p.m. hits and you’re ready to call it a night, all you have to do is let your hair down.
5. Low Braided Bun
Some people prefer to have hair around their face and simply aren’t up to pulling their bob haircut straight back into a bun. Keeping your usual part and gathering your hair into a low braid is the perfect start to a low-braided bun. Wrap the braid around the base of the style and pin it into place for a chic updo that maintains the skeleton of your usual style.
Looking for more hairstyling inspiration? Be sure to check us out over @AllThingsHairUS!
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