THE PERFECT HAIRCUTS FOR THICK FRIZZY HAIR
If you have thick, frizzy hair, deciding what kind of haircut to get can be an enormous challenge. It's not always easy to create cute hairstyles for frizzy hair on your own, so you want to make sure you're getting a cut that's both flattering and easy to style. It's also important to be able to tell your stylist exactly what you want — too often, miscommunication is the number one culprit when it comes to frizzy hairstyle flops.
So bookmark this page and pull it up the next time you head to the salon. It's got four stylish, plus a few bonus ones, haircuts for thick, frizzy hair, as well as the info you'll need to ensure it's done right.
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Top 4 Haircuts for Thick Frizzy Hair
Haircut #1: Short, Layered Bob
Best Face Shape Match: Oval
Best Hair Type Match: Frizzy Curly Hair, Frizzy Wavy Hair, or Thick Frizzy Hair
Why It Works: "Oval faces are symmetrical and easy to flatter, so short cuts work well on them." says celebrity hair stylist, Dave Stanwell. "This wavy, textured bob brings focus to the face, while the deep part adds height and brings out the cheekbones."
What to Ask For: A wavy bob works so well with frizzy hair because it takes advantage of its natural curly texture. To ensure your stylist knows that you want a tousled look, Dave Stanwell says "Ask for a deconstructed bob with loose layers. You want to make it clear that you're looking for an edgy cut with more texture and less polish."
Maintenance Tips: Staying on top of your trims is a must for this look, so you'll have to head back to the salon every three to six weeks.
"Regular trims are essential because they keep your ends healthy and your curls bouncy," Dave Stanwell says. He also notes that this is a great cut if you have long, frizzy hair that's dry and damaged because the sizable chop will instantly bring your limp ends back to life.
"Regular trims are essential because they keep your ends healthy and your curls bouncy," Dave Stanwell says.
Styling Tips: To add vital nutrients to your hair and protect it from damage, use a nourishing shampoo and conditioner. For a one-step solution that prevents frizzy hair and defines curls, apply a styling spray. This type of product enhances your natural curl pattern and defines curls to give your touchably soft definition.
Haircut #2: Below-the-Shoulder Lob
Best Face Shape Match: Long
Best Hair Type Match: Thick Frizzy Hair, Wavy Frizzy Hair, or Curly Frizzy Hair
Why It Works: "A shoulder-length cut is a very flattering look for a long face," says Dave Stanwell. "And having a few face-framing pieces in the front adds width."
What to Ask For: A layered lob that skims the shoulders when dry. It's also critical to let your stylist know how you plan to style your hair on a day-to-day basis.
"If they know that you're going to wear your hair curly most of the time, your stylist can leave a little extra length so it's not too short," Dave Stanwell explains. "But if you don't plan on doing much styling, they can keep it shorter and add a little more texture for extra volume."
Maintenance Tips: Because regrowth is less visible with a longer cut, you'll be able to get away with trims every two to three months. This is also a great look to let air dry, which makes it pretty easy to maintain. If you use a blow dryer, make sure to add a diffuser attachment to define curls and avoid frizz.
Styling Tips: To prep your hair for frizz-free style, use an anti-frizz hair primer to align your curls and prevent frizz before it starts! Next, define your curls with a curl-defining mousse. If you notice your hair getting frizzy during the day, apply touch-up cream or a blow-dry styling spray to say farewell to flyaways, static frizz, and split ends.
Haircut #3: Side-Swept Bangs
Best Face Shape Match: Square or Heart
Best Hair Type Match: Thin Frizzy Hair, Thick Frizzy Hair, Frizzy Curly Hair, or Frizzy Wavy Hair
Why It Works: "Bangs slim the top half of the face while accentuating the eyes and the cheekbones, which is why they work well with square or heart-shaped faces," Dave Stanwell. Additionally, while full fringe bangs can play up the size of the forehead, side-swept bangs play them down.
What to Ask For: Because naturally curly hair has a mind of its own, always ask your stylist to cut your bangs dry so there are no surprises. "It may also be helpful to ask your stylist to keep the bangs a little bit longer so you can see how they respond to frizz," Dave Stanwell suggests. "If they don't curl up too much, you can always have more length taken off."
Maintenance Tips: Curly bangs don't have to be trimmed as often as stick-straight ones. However, you will want to see your stylist about once a month for touch-ups. And if you don't have a flat iron, invest in one STAT. It's the quickest, easiest way to smooth out unruly bangs and tame frizzy hair, especially when you're on the go.
Styling Tips: Use a leave-in conditioner to nourish your hair and help transform frizz-prone hair soft and manageable style. Let your hair air dry, and then protect your hair from style-ruining humidity by applying a hairspray for frizzy hair.
Haircut #4: Long and Loose Waves
Best Face Shape Match: Diamond
Best Hair Type Match: Thick Curly Hair, Thin Curly Hair, Frizzy Curly Hair, or Wavy Curly Hair
Why It Works: "The deep side part creates width up top, while the long, layered curls fill out the chin," explains Dave Stanwell. "This is very flattering for a diamond-shaped face since its narrowest points are the forehead and chin."
What to Ask For: "A deep, side-swept part and loose, cascading waves," Dave Stanwell says. "And make it clear that trimming should be kept to a minimum — you want long layers that start at the chin and angle down around your head and shoulders."
Maintenance Tips: Because this look is so long, you'll be able to get away with less frequent visits to the salon for a trim. However, you will need to put in some extra effort and use a hair mask for frizzy hair at least once a week. If your curls are naturally tight, Dave Stanwell adds, you'll want to have a large barrel curling iron on hand to widen your waves when needed.
Styling Tips: To care for your wavy hair, use a styling foam for waves to enhance your natural hair and protect your hair from frizz.
3 Bonus Hairstyles for Thick Frizzy Hair
- U-Shaped Medium Length Hair: This hairstyle with a u-shaped outline minimizes the heaviness that thicker, wavier hair can often have. Try this haircut with longer hair below the shoulder.
- Pixie Haircut: Frizziness is often most visible with longer hair, so a shorter haircut can help hide it. A pixie cut will also help keep thicker hair to a more manageable length.
- Feather Haircut: This haircut works for both long and short frizzy hair. It gets its name from the feather-like look for this hairstyle that helps to hide the frizz and make volume more manageable.
Hair Care Tips for Thick Frizzy Hair
1. Don’t Go Overboard On Hairwashing
While we won’t tell you to limit your shampoos to just once or twice a week (everyone’s hair is different, after all, and you may need to wash more often if it's very oily), most experts agree that overzealous cleansing can strip your strands of natural oils and moisture. As a rule, try not to shampoo more often than every other day. To refresh your curls or waves without washing them, use a curl reset spray to add bounce and definition.
...overzealous cleansing can strip your strands of natural oils and moisture. As a rule, try not to shampoo more often than every other day.
2. Let Your Hair Air Dry to Avoid Frizz
Coarse materials can damage the hair cuticle and cause frizz. so the best course of action for frizzy hair is to let it air dry. If you do want to towel dry your hair, opt for a cotton t-shirt or microfiber towel. Make sure to prep your hair with a leave-in conditioner, and use a diffuser or nozzle attachment when blow-drying your hair.
3. Avoid Hair Coloring Damage
Because frizzy hair is so fragile, it can be easily damaged by the harsh chemicals in hair dye. “Permanent hair dyes are extremely drying and can destroy curly strands when not used properly,” says John Frieda Hair Care R&D Expert, Sean Steigerwald. “If your hair is thick and curly, it’s best to get it colored by a professional at a salon."
4. Control Frizz With A Hot Hair Brush
Use a hot air brush with nylon bristles and a titanium ceramic barrel for easy, frizz-free styling. “They not only distribute heat evenly and safely,” says Steigerwald, “but also boost volume, add shine, and control frizz thanks to ionic technology.”
Don’t let frizzy hair get in the way of you rocking your best style. With these haircuts for thick, frizzy hair, make your next trip to the salon a success!
