I enjoy creating feminine tousled hairstyles because ‘tousled’ means something different for each client. Many people associate the term with something lazy or messy like you just rolled out of bed. A good tousled look has architecture underneath the texture — the pattern of the waves, where the different layers fall, how the ends are cut — it is far more thought out than most people realize. A good tousled look is just controlled enough. Honestly, it can be more difficult to achieve than a blowout.
A few years ago, a client came in with a selfie from a beach trip. Her hair was windswept and salty and she said, ‘I want to look like this every day.’ We achieved it, but not by recreating a beach scene. We showed her how to work with the natural movement of her hair, and built a cut around it. That’s the secret to tousled looks. Great styles are not working against hair, they are working with it. Here are 23 examples, from long layers to pixies, some really surprised me.
#1: Silver Lob with That Perfectly Undone Wave
The lob haircut just about clearing the shoulders gives waves room to move without losing shape throughout the day. The silver tone here reads cool and deliberate as opposed to accidental and the layering is subtle enough that it might be easily overlooked until the hair shifts and you see all this dimension underneath. It’s the sort of cut where you can scrunch it with a little product and just walk out the door and it looks like you spent time on it even though you actually didn’t.
#2 A Layered Bob That Actually Moves
It is great to see your restraint here! The class of the warmth in the balayage adds depth without screaming at the viewer. The cut also lands right in that sweet spot between the shoulders for a nice swing to the movement. With fine hair like this, the layers are doing all the work to provide the cut with the volume it requires. This is a fantastic option for the clients who want some change but not a massive transformation.
#3 Soft Tousled Texture at Shoulder Length
The great thing about this haircut is that styling is easy. All you really need to do is add a walnut-sized amount of texturizing spray to your still damp hair, give it a quick scrunch, and that’s basically it. The sprays are intended to aid in creating movement, and to ensure that light is reflected, which is ideal for hair that is left to air dry. The goal is for it to look and feel effortless.
#4 A Tousled Pixie That Feels Relaxed
There are a variety of pixie styles, and this one focuses on a softer look. The tousled finish keeps this style from feeling too strict, which is a common concern that people have about short styles. The blonde is great for demonstrating the layers of texture and helps create an airy softness. With fine hair, this style of cut can give the appearance of having more hair to work with.
#5 Shaggy Lob with a Bit of Warmth
I mean this as a compliment, but it seems like you just got back from some place exciting. The highlights look nice and sun-kissed as opposed to bleached, and the shag layers keep it versatile and not stuck in one specific dimension of the shag. Overall, it’s low commitment, and the cut is low maintenance. However, unless you want it to look sticky, a lightweight mousse will be required to keep the waves from collapsing.
#6 Silver Tousled Bob with Quiet Layering
I like the choice of gray even more than the usual silver. On this bob the color goes with the texture rather than contradicting it. The layers are clear and liquid, and even though th are an amount that could be distracting, they keep the focus on the face and don’t overwhelm. That’s one of the best things I can say about a haircut, it still manages to grow out nicely.
#7 Tousled Bob with Warm, Blended Highlights
This hairstyle is a great choice if you want a light look without going full on blonde. Blended highlights will uniquely soften any grow-out lines which look great in tousled waves. Don’t worry about polishing your hair too much! This is a great look for a Tuesday morning meeting and a Saturday brunch. You won’t have to think about it too much.
#8 Long Layers with an Easy, Lived-In Feel
Long layers can sometimes look like there is no change, but here you can see the effort put into the placement of the hair. When the color changes in the light, mid-lengths appear to move and adds an element of surprise. I would suggest a texturizing spray, but be cautious with it because the hair is already wavy and is doing a lot of the work.
#9 Silver-Accented Curls with Beautiful Volume
The soft intentional curls are gorgeous and the silver detailing modernizes the style wonderfully. This type of layering on medium to thick hair will prevent the curls from stacking which is an issue a lot of curly haired clients face – curls tend to get too heavy at the ends. The finished look results in volume placed exactly where it is desired.
#10 Tousled Bob for Fine Hair That Wants More
If you have fine hair that tends to fall flat, this is a great option. The combination of a few waves to create volume along with optimally placed layers can really give the illusion of more hair. In this cut, the technique is more important than the styling. Therefore, once you get this cut done, your mornings will be much easier.
#11 Short Tousled Layers with a Fresh Blonde
I appreciate the straightforwardness. The layers near the face are a nice touch to soften the look without being too obvious. The warm blonde still works for everyone’s skin tone. The hairdo is versatile. It looks good whether you have five minutes to do it or twenty-five minutes.
#12 Curly Layers That Frame Everything Right
This haircut features an interesting technique when it comes to the layering around the face. Rather than simply graduating in length, the layers are made to align with the specific curl pattern, helping the layers to fall around the face instead of jutting out. That consideration makes a big difference with curly hair in particular and not everyone will think of it. Length that hits the shoulders keep it manageable and gives the curls enough room to operate.
#13 Long Textured Layers with a Face-Framing Fringe
What stands out to me the most here is the fringe. It’s great that it is soft enough to blend into the other layers but also different enough to highlight the cheekbones. The length balances the style so it doesn’t look heavy, and with hair this wavy the layers enable a kind of cascading style that creates a lot of movement without having to do much to the style on a day to day basis.
#14 Textured Short Cut with Playful Movement
Your hair might be thinner and cutting it shorter might feel risky; that said, this is a perfect example of the correct layers falling into place. The texture is already cut in, so you don’t have to worry about using any products to create some movement and some body. This is a style that you can simply towel dry and run your fingers through, and it will fall perfectly. If you want a bit more volume at the crown I would recommend a root lifting spray, but honestly it will be fine without it.
#15 Textured Pixie with Lightened Tips
I can’t get over the lightened tips on this one. I know it’s a small detail, but you can definitely tell the difference. The way the ends almost seem to fade into the air is just so cool. The tousled layers keep it from feeling too polished, which is good because an overly neat pixie can feel a little stiff. This one doesn’t have that problem at all. It feels lived in from day one.
#16 Shoulder-Length Layers with a Gentle Balayage
Here balayage is done very subtly, so as it grows out, there won’t be any harsh lines. I appreciate that about the coloring technique because it means fewer salon visits and less stress about how soon you have to book your next appointment. Most of the styling is done by the hair’s natural wave, and the layers just assist it. It’s a really nice, wear-it-and-forget-it kind of cut.
#17 Curly Crop with Warm Highlights
There is some real character here. The curls have been left wild rather than being smoothed or tamed into some other style, and the light warm highlights add a nice touch. The soft framing around the face is pretty, and this is the type of cut that will improve as the curls rest over the first week or so. Moisture will be critical for this curly hair as such a good leave-in conditioner will be plenty worthwhile.
#18 Mid-Length Tousled Texture with Sun-Kissed Color
The highlights in this hairstyle are meant to mimic the sun naturally lightening your hair. It gives a warm look to the hairstyle that is seasonal, yet does not commit to any one season. The soft layers are nice and moveable and the tousled finish creates just enough interest. The ease of versatility is unmatched as it can be pulled back, worn down, half-up, or any other way without trying to look different from how it is.
#19 Warm Tousled Waves with Easy Layering
The nice warm colors really help tie this all together! It helps add some depth to the waves pre layers and combined with the color it’s such an inviting texture! The layers will be longer so it won’t look super different as it grows out which is always something i think about with clients who don’t love getting frequent trims. The natural texture is the star and the cut really knows not to get in the way of that!
#20 Light Gray Pixie with Soft, Tousled Texture
A gray pixie is either beautiful or boring. This isn’t the case for this cut with so much texture. The soft waves combined with the top layers give the cut added dimension. The shape that is created with the cut is also about face framing without that suffocating feeling. This is the kind of cut that will look beautiful in photographs but the best part is that it looks great in real life which on a random Wednesday is the most important factor to consider.
#21 Mid-Length Curls with Bounce and Life
The layers are great! They will help the curls stay light and bouncy as opposed to weighing each other down. Well done layers will help curls move individually rather than clumping together into one big heavy mass. The cut also works nicely with the hair’s natural pattern instead of going against it which is how the tousled and unstyled look is achieved. All this is going to need is a little bit of curl cream scrunched into damp hair.
#22 Textured Bob That Softens the Face
I love this bob style because it is just above the jawbone which is very forgiving. I also love this length because it does not require much maintenance. The tousled layers provide texture to your hair and the light color illuminates the face. If you get this color, you will have to schedule toner appointments because of the brassy hair, but the upkeep for the cut is low.
#23: Long Tousled Waves with Soft, Sunlit Highlights
These types of waves can be tricky to hit without the proper cut, and the cut here is spot on. The highlights appear to be naturally interwoven, and like the hair has caught a sun, the waves look perfect. They aren’t too uniform and no two bends are the same. For hair of this length and this type of texture, a lightweight mousse would help provide volume without the crunch. It would be best to apply it before air drying. If you want to sharpen the definition of the waves, a texturizing spray at the end is helpful.
Enter your email and get this picture and description straight to your inbox, and you'll also get new hair ideas ❤️
🔒 We don't spam or sell emails. See our Privacy Policy.