26 best hairstyles and haircuts for thick hair

If you’re blessed with a luscious mane of thick hair, you probably don’t even realise how lucky you are. But don’t get us wrong, we know that finding suitable haircuts for thick hair can be hard. After all, the more hair you have the more difficult (and time-consuming) it can be to style and manage, particularly if you don’t have the right base cut as a starting point.

But that’s where we can help. Scroll down to see our selection of the best haircuts for thick hair, with short, mid-length and long-haired styles to consider.

Credit: Rupert Laycock

Long, luscious locks are practically calling out for waves. They can be tight curls or loose, undone waves and can be achieved both using heat and with heatless methods, so you can find the perfect style for your hair.

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Editor’s tip: If you have naturally wavy hair, this cut will work a treat, but if you don’t, just use a curling wand to create medium, loose curls before gently teasing them out with your fingers for that effortlessly tousled, rock ‘n’ roll-inspired finish. Alternatively, you could also use a specialist hair waver to get the same look in half the time!

Thinking about giving it a go? Just remember to use a heat protectant such as the TRESemmé Defence Spray, whenever you’re using heat to style (even if you’re using a hair dryer!) to help prevent hair damage.

Woman with dark brunette hair in a wavy choppy bob with a fringe

Credit: Indigitalimages.com

One haircut that is very much in vogue right now is choppy bangs. Anyone with thick hair, whether long or short (like this chic, French-girl bob) can benefit from bangs as they frame the face so well and tie the whole look together like a dream.

Woman with a short blonde blunt bob with hair slides

Credit: Verity Jane Smith

If you struggle to manage thick hair, a blunt bob is a really manageable cut that’s also never going to go out of style. Add in some E-girl highlights like this street styler for an Instagrammable touch of colour.

TRESemmé Replenish & Cleanse Shampoo 680 ml

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Editor’s tip: Product residue can create loads of build-up on your scalp, especially if you have thick hair. Make sure you use a deep cleansing shampoo like the TRESemmé Replenish & Cleanse 2-in-1 Shampoo + Conditioner. Plus, it doubles up as a conditioner to soften and detangle the hair.

Woman with reddish brown long thick hair with long layers

Woman with a dark blonde wavy boyish lob cut

Credit: Verity Jane Smith

’90s hair trends are absolutely everywhere right now and the boyfriend bob (think: Jared Leto in My So-Called Life) was iconic. It’s not just men who are rocking them now, though, with the dubbed ‘boyfriend bob’ fast becoming a sought-after style for girls.

Woman with thick brunette hair in a side parted bob with flicked out ends

Shaggy layers add a cool-girl bed hair texture. Credit: Indigitalimages.com

The shag is perfect for those who want to add more shape and overall volume.

Ask your stylist for longer, choppier layers throughout, as this will help boost texture, without making your hair look ridiculously full. Aim for the longest length to fall just below your collarbones, and keep the shortest layer to around mid-cheek.

Brunette model with a choppy bob with bangs

Haircuts for thick hair: Fashion blogger Susie Bubble with long dark hair with a full fringe

Feel the fringe benefits. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock

Full fringes work really well on thick hair, as you don’t have to worry about them separating or going gappy. If you’re concerned about them looking flat, try using rollers or a round brush when drying your hair to gently curl your fringe and give it more shape and bounce.

Haircuts for thick hair: Close up backstage fashion week shot of a model with long light brown beach waves

Ocean air, salty hair. Credit: indigitalimages.com

For those who don’t like to fuss over their hair too much in the morning, beachy boho waves are the way to go. Working in some loose, deconstructed curls can stop longer hair from looking shapeless while giving you year-round summer vibes.

Haircuts for thick hair: Street style shot of a brunette woman with long hair with feathered layers

Heavy hair? Layers can help to take some of the bulk away. Credit: Dvora

A great way to give your hair some sexy, natural-looking movement and texture is to avoid blocky blunt ends (these will only make your hair look even thicker!) and opt instead for delicate, feathered layers.

Haircuts for thick hair: Close up behind the scenes fashion week photo of a brunette model with sleek long hair with layers

Long layers mean you can hang to your length without looking weighed down. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock

Long layers are also a great way to inject subtle movement and lightness into long, thick hair, especially when it comes to flattering your facial features. Chin-skimming layers work particularly well as they can help frame the face while adding a bit of drama to ultra-long cuts.

Haircuts for thick hair: Close-up backstage image of a model with dark brunette bowl cut hair with oversized pearl earrings.

Embrace the fullness with a chic, rounded look. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock

Don’t worry, we haven’t gone mad. The modern take on the bowl cut has undergone such a dramatic style renovation that actually, you might not even recognise it. More of a rounded bob, it’s softer and more lived-in, making it one of the best hairstyles for thick hair.

Haircuts for thick hair: Asian model on the runway with shoulder length dark layered hair

Smooth, chic and sophisticated. Credit: indigitalimages.com

Sophisticated and unfussy, this timeless style will work wonders for those with thick hair that’s naturally straight or slightly wavy.

The layers don’t have to be dramatic (for those who want a more classy, modern look), but do ask your stylist to thin out the ends using shears to remove any excess weight at the bottom of the cut. This will result in a subtle and effortless hairstyle that feels much lighter than it looks.

Haircuts for thick hair: Close up photo of a brunette woman with short pixie cut hair with sweeping layers

If you’re lucky enough to have thick hair a pixie will look fab on you. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock

Pixie cuts are arguably some of the best haircuts for thick hair and with so many different variations from slick, androgynous styles to more casual, sweeping looks, you’ve just got to work out which one is your absolute favourite.

Street style imnage of a brunette woman with a wavy lob

Credit: Indigitalimages.com

The lob love is still strong. A long bob is a great hairstyle for thick hair types, especially those with waves. This is because it has lots of layers and looks like it’s full of volume and natural body. To get the look, be sure to ask your stylist for a long bob that sits somewhere between a classic bob and a mid-length cut.

Blonde model with a pixie cut with a straight fringe

Credit: Rupert Laycock

Looking for something a bit more statement for your next cut? Another, edgier way to wear a short pixie cut is to team it with a straight-across fringe like this one. The bowl and mushroom cut trend is really big this season and this is a great short hair option for those with thicker strands.

Brunette model with blown out mid-length hair

Credit: Rupert Laycock

The key to making layers work for you is to work with the texture of your hair, be that poker straight or defined waves. Talk about it with your hairstylist beforehand to make sure they know which facial features you’re trying to bring out, how you usually wear your hair and how short you want the layers to be.

Redhead with medium length wavy sideswept hair

Credit: Rupert Laycock

A side parting gives mid-length thick hair more lift at the roots and prevents “triangle hair” (that is, where there’s too much weight at the bottom of the hair). When it comes to hairstyles for thick hair, Adding choppy layers also helps to give the look a shaggier, cool-girl effect.

Brunette with medium length thick hair with face-framing layers

Credit: Rupert Laycock

Face-framing layers flatter every face shape and instantly give any look more texture and dimension. One of the key benefits to layers is that they’re a great get-up-and-go style and look just as good whether you let your hair air dry or do a DIY blow dry.

Woman with a blonde wavy bob with curtain bangs

Credit: Rupert Laycock

The versatility of curtain bangs is what makes them so popular. They’re one of the best hairstyles for thick hair and just as complimentary on shorter cuts and, in fact, they really add to an otherwise basic bob.

Blonde model with a pixie cut styled in a mohawk quiff

Credit: Rupert Laycock

Add volume and flair to a pixie cut with this quiff-meets-mohawk style, which is made for thicker hair types. Ask your stylist to keep the sides shorter, leaving more length on top so that you can round-brush your way to gravity-defying heights!

Haircuts for thick hair: Brunette street styler with shoulder length wavy curls and a split fringe

This is how the fash pack are wearing their bangs this season. Credit: Rex by Shutterstock

Split fringes have the added benefit of being one of the most low-maintenance haircuts for thick hair. You don’t have to be as religious with getting trims as you would with a normal straight-across cut, so you can space out your appointments a bit more.

Red haired woman with an angled bob haircut, touching her hair with her hands.

Bobs are a flattering way of going short.

Just because you are genetically blessed with thick hair doesn’t mean you won’t be able to embrace a short hairstyle. By adding choppy layers to a chin-grazing bob, your thick locks will look and feel less bulky, making them easier to manage, too.

To best show off this stylised cut, style it straight or add in very subtle waves to help give it some movement.

haircuts for thick hair: street style shot of a woman with highlighted brown hair worn in a side parted lob style

The lob is a good one to consider if you’re not ready to go fully short. Credit: Dvora

A long bob works well on pretty much all hair types and face shapes, not to mention it’s bang on trend.

A side parting is also a great way to elevate a simple cut, and it works a treat with thick hair, as it can help maximise the advantages of fuller-bodied locks to create a luxe, naturally voluminous look.