THE BEST HAIRSTYLES FOR THICK HAIR

Thick hair is a gift - a luscious, voluminous mane that’s full of life can be coaxed into pretty much any style. However, thick hair can feel heavy, unruly, and hard to tame without the right cut.

Whether you’re looking to lighten the load or embrace your natural volume, we’ve got plenty of expert-led advice to ensure you’ve got the best, most flattering cut for your crowning glory.

Why does thick hair need extra care?

Thick hair holds more strands and weight, often leading to your go-to styles feeling heavy or slightly limp. Thick hair can also be frizz-prone, and slow drying.

A wash routine that prioritises simple cleansing and hydration, heat protection, and strategic thinning or layered cuts are essential to keep thick hair looking defined and healthy.

How to lessen the weight of thick hair

Your stylist will be able to advise you on the best way to make your thick hair more manageable to style and wash; as a rule, we’d recommend asking for the following techniques or cuts:

Longer face-framing layers reduce bulk while adding movement and dimension
Disconnected or choppy cuts break up density and create an easy, tousled texture
Internal thinning and lightly-feathered ends lighten weight without sacrificing length or shape

Woman with thick brunette hair drying her hair after washing it

What kind of cuts don’t suit thick hair?

Thick hair can be versatile - but super blunt, one-length styles tend to feel boxy unless paired with certain styling techniques.

For example, a blunt bob on thick hair can look heavy and helmet-like unless softened with internal layers or styled with waves to add movement.

Micro fringes or short fringes often don’t work on thick hair; they can end up looking too full and ‘puffy’, and be hard to tame. The same goes for ultra-long layers, as without careful adjustments and making sure the layers are airy and light, they can weigh down your look.

Haircuts for long thick hair

Long, wavy layers

Soft, face-framing waves with extended layers let thick hair move more freely. This cut has layers added through the mid-lengths and ends for effortless sway and dimension, breaking up bulk while maintaining length.

It’s ideal for naturally-wavy hair - to style, use a large-barrel curling wand, then scrunch gently with our Dream Curls Daily Styling Spray to bring out your natural texture.

Woman with thick hair styled into long, wavy layers

V‑cut with flowy layers

This cut’s layers taper into a soft V-shape at the ends, which gives thick hair natural movement without weighing it down. Subtle balayage or highlights work beautifully with this cut, adding depth and enhancing your hair’s texture for a more dynamic look.

V-cuts are especially suitable for thick hair as their angled structure helps reduce bulk at the back, so the hair falls in a more controlled, flattering way - neat, but still full of life.

Long, thick hair styled with a V-cut

Long shag with a fringe

Shaggy, feathered cuts with curtain fringes effortlessly remove weight while giving your look a textured, undone style. Careful layering starting at your crown supports volume, while the ends stay light and airy - it’s the perfect cut for anyone looking to lose weighty lengths while still keeping some oomph at the crown.

If you’re a fan of voluminous styles, spritz some Volume Lift Root Booster on damp, washed hair, then tousle your layers with your fingers to break up any residual heaviness.

Mid-length shag haircut with a texturised fringe

Haircuts for medium-length thick hair

Disconnected choppy lob

A lob with jagged, uneven layers strikes the perfect balance for thick hair that needs shape and definition – it’s a structured yet relaxed look that styles easily, whether you’re air-drying or blow-drying.

This cut’s chunky layering breaks up puffiness and bulk, giving the hair movement and edge without losing its natural body.

Blonde woman with a disconnected choppy long bob

Angled layered bob

Shorter at the back and longer in the front, this angled bob creates a sleek, sculpted silhouette that flatters thick hair. Soft layers throughout help remove excess weight while keeping the overall shape sharp and directional.

Before blow-drying, spritz Frizz Ease Heat Defeat Protecting Spray through damp hair to help smooth the cuticle and lock in natural-looking shine. Finish with a round brush to emphasise the shape and achieve that sleek, polished edge.

Blonde woman with an angled, layered mid-length bob

Textured shoulder-length wolf cut

With plenty of feathered layers and a relaxed, lived-in shape, the wolf cut is a brilliant match for medium-length thick hair. It removes bulk without sacrificing volume, giving thick hair a natural bounce and airy finish, and its layered structure lightens up dense hair and prevents it from sitting too flat or heavy around the face.

Enhance your cut’s natural texture with a light curl defining cream or sea salt spray, scrunching it into damp hair and letting it air-dry. For extra lift, use a diffuser at the roots while drying.

Young woman with a textured shoulder-length wolf cut

Haircuts for short thick hair

Layered French bob

This short, softly layered French bob variation sits just below your chin, creating an effortlessly elegant shape that still feels relaxed and wearable. This cut’s gentle layering helps give the style a bit of movement, so it doesn’t feel too stiff or severe, and light, blended layers stop thick hair from puffing outwards.

Woman with a layered French bob

Modern bixie

The bixie is a bold, modern blend of a pixie cut and a bob - short and structured, but with enough length to play with. Think cropped sides and back, with textured layers throughout for movement and shape. Internal layering keeps the volume balanced and under control, giving thick hair a lighter feel without losing fullness.

To style, work a golf ball-sized amount of volumising mousse through damp hair, then blow-dry using your fingers for extra lift and piecey definition.

Woman wearing sunglasses with a short, modern bixie cut

Stacked bob

This dramatic bob is cut shorter in the back and slightly longer in the front, with stacked internal layers that help create volume where you want it and reduce it where you don’t.

The stacking technique removes bulk from the back while building a beautiful curved shape that complements thick hair and frames your face.

Blonde woman with a stacked bob haircut

How to look after thick hair

Regular trims every 6–8 weeks help maintain your cut’s shape, reduce damage, remove split ends, and keep regrowth from weighing your style down.
When styling, use a round brush while blow-drying to define layers and create smooth volume. Always finish with Frizz Ease Heat Defeat Protecting Spray to protect against heat damage and keep frizz under control.
To grow out thick layers, transition with blending cuts like a shag or lob then slowly work towards a uniform length. Avoid the urge to chop off a lot of length at once to reduce layers - you may end up with a cut which doesn’t suit your thicker strands - and use a strengthening treatment like our PROfiller+ Strengthening Super Fluid to maintain your hair’s strength during growth.