After five years as a hairstylist, I think of one client with long, straight hair who came in with tight ringlets. Since high school, she had been straightening her hair and had no idea what her hair looked like naturally. She had never embraced her curls. We ended cutting off about five inches and once the cut was finished, her curls were bouncy and she was very emotional. I realized, once more, how misinformed society is about the beauty of curly hair.
Most of the time, when we talk about the best possible length for hair, we mean medium to long length hair. This is even more true for most curl types. When hair is cut too short, the weight is taken out of the hair and helps the curls fall into place. However, when hair is too long, then there is added weight the curls lose. I have designed a set of hair cuts for this ideal range of medium to long hair that will allow curls to do their thing while looking neat. While some of these hairstyles are my pass for almost anyone with curls, others are much more specific than they look. I will be honest about which is which.
#1: Voluminous Shoulder-Length Curly Transformation
Fighting the texture is often the reason why people do not see the value in this cut. This look is an example of how a cut can really change the overall appearance of someone’s hair. When a person has long, thick curls, the hair can look weighed down, but the cut gives an instant boost in overall volume. Length also plays a big part because the curls will spring upwards more. It also frames the face, and draws attention to the eyes and cheekbones, which are features that people sometimes overlook. I also want to let you know that once you decide to go for this kind of hairstyle, you’re going to have to do a lot of maintenance. You’d have to have trims every six to eight weeks, because once the hair grows past the shoulders, the cut will lose the bounce that initially made it look good. It’s definitely a commitment!
#2: Softly Tapered Shoulder-Length Curls
If your hair is thick and curly and you’ve been fighting the mushroom effect where everything puffs out at the top, this is the type of haircut that tackles that. The weight sits lower, and the curls will define themselves without much product. The taper keeps everything looking clean without being overly styled. There isn’t a ton of layering going on here which makes your mornings easier, but you’ll need to keep up with shaping appointments because it loses that structural look really fast.
#3: Golden Spiral Locks with Voluminous Appeal
This cut does a great job of letting air circulate the curls. The layers of this cut lifts weight off the hair, allowing the spirals to lift and move, rather than clump together, as you’d want with this texture. The soft golden tone adds warmth that is nice without being brassy. The golden tone also complements cool skin nicely. A lightweight mousse will help maintain definition throughout the day. While this style may look effortless, it actually requires a lot of moisture and frizz control. If you are a wash and go person, keep that in mind.
#4: Natural Corkscrew Curls with Subtle Highlights
The technique used for applying the balayage creates the most dimension because the curls catch the light, so it doesn’t read as a highlight job. At this length corkscrew curls are very forgiving when it comes to styling but they do need moisture. If you want them to not look dry and defined and want that volume along with no frizz you will need a diffuser and I mean it. For the most part humidity is going to rearrange this style however it wants, so if you live somewhere tropical manage your expectations.
#5: Bouncy Blonde Bob with Defined Curls
This is awesome. A bob with this much curl definition has some real personality that a straight bob just doesn’t have. The layers are doing their job as each curl gets to sit on its own rather than being blended into one clump. It looks youthful without looking like it’s trying too hard. However, if you have thinner hair, this look may not work the same as you need a certain density to have curls this definned at bob length. For thicker hair this is a great option that will work both dressed up and down.
#6: Lush Layered Curls with Mid-Length Charm
What is great about the layers on this cut is that they help the curl pattern really stand out. Also, the right amount of weight is being removed so that fullness isn’t lost, which is actually a tricky balance to achieve. This is the type of cut I would recommend to those who like a tidy look without spending 40 minutes to style their hair every morning. If your regular upkeep includes a good hydrating conditioner, you will be almost there.
#7: Chic Ebony Curls with Tapered Volume
I like how the face has been tapered, it emphasizes the cleverness of the style, especially where curly cuts tend to lose that focus. The depth of the color adds a dimension to each curl that lighter shades won’t do. The moisture demands of the density are pretty strong and you might want to skip your leave-in for a few days and see the difference. This style is particularly good on heart- and oval-shaped faces, but the framing is nice on most.
#8: Cascading Chestnut Curls with Subtle Ombré
This ombre adds depth against the hair to enhance the curl pattern, which is how it should be done with textured hair. The right ombre technique ensures it doesn’t look streaky, and this achieves the perfect balance. The layered cut promotes more movement, and distributes the weight just right for medium to thick hair. The biggest thing to consider with this style is frizz. The right curl cream combined with the right technique will separate the hair to look intentional, not messy.
#9: Rich Espresso Curls with Voluminous Density
I understand that not everyone is a fan of all this curl and volume, but when it works, it REALLY works! The richness of the Espresso color really brings out every spiral, and it is especially gorgeous on deeper skin tones. When the fall and winter seasons come around, this color will look fabulous and warmer shades will feel spot on. The hair is naturally this thick and tightly coiled, the cut here is clever because it allows the curls to spring without having any heaviness at the ends. You’re going to need a solid routine for this though. If you want this to look like it does in the photo, you will need some hydrating products, and you will also need to use a diffuser to dry it.
#10: Effortlessly Soft Spiral Curls with Natural Highlights
I enjoy the differences in the curl tightness. The back has tighter curls, while the face has looser ones. This creates nice contrast and adds more dimension to the style. When curl patterns are uniform, that dimension is lost. The style then looks more natural, like the look isn’t _done_. The slight variations in color from natural highlights add to the effect. They look sun-kissed and salon made, instead of overly processed. The volume around the face is not overwhelming. This style frames the face instead. It seems like you didn’t put in any effort, but to pull off this look, you really have to know your technique and how to use product.
#11: Lustrous Auburn Curls with Gentle Lowlights
Trying color on your hair can be a little nerve-wracking, especially when thinking about how it may affect your curls. A good, first-step option to try color would be low lights. Lowlights are less committal than a full color process and add more depth and dimension to your curls without changing how you wear your hair. Just remember, it’s a lot of upkeep with auburn because colors with red tones fade faster than colors with brown and black hues. This may frustrate you the most. A diffusing technique adds soft bounce. This technique is super quick, meaning your morning routine will be quick as well! You’re going to love how the color looks!
#12: Playful Ash-Blonde Curly Bob with Natural Roots
Your dark roots are a sign of strategy, not laziness. If you aren’t spending time in the salon every four weeks for root touch ups, that extra depth in the crown becomes more convenient to work with lighter shades of curly hair. The ash blonde looks great, but it will require toning to keep it from looking brassy, meaning you’ll have to factor in toning appointments at the salon in addition to those frequent root touch up visits. The curls will help give some body to fine to medium hair that you may not otherwise have, and with the bob length, everything will appear fuller. This particular cut will also dry nicely, which is one of the best things I can say about any haircut.
#13: Radiant Copper Curls with Mid-Length Cut
Curls and copper is a foolproof combination. Each spiral will catch the light in a different way creating a shimmer that flat hair just can’t achieve. The perfect density here even allows for distinct curls so that none of them are lost, and the shoulder length is just enough to give the right amount of framing movement without becoming too wild. If this gorgeous style is a copper dye, know that you will have to do the upkeep of having a color, as copper fades super fast and very obviously. After you get color maintenance out of the way, this look is super standout and just lovely. This style especially compliments oval and square face shapes.
#14: Twirling Chestnut Curls with Voluminous Texture
This color hair goes with the new volume, texture, and natural curl enhancement from the defined curls. Your curls are so well defined and balanced. Chestnut is a very pretty color that is often disregarded. I love how the midlength placement of the curls is super versatile. It gives the hair a very natural and sophisticated look. For this style to look clean and full of volume, it doesn’t take too much daily upkeep which is awesome. However, for a complete look, I recommend using a curl defining cream post wash. This will keep the curls intact until your next wash.
#15: Fiery Crimson Waves with Medium-Length Softness
It is no secret that this is going to be a lot of work. To be frank, crimson red is one of the color’s that fades the fastest, meaning to keep it looking this bright will require you to come to the salon on a monthly basis and buy color-treated hair products. If you have the will power to put in the effort, the end result will be almost guaranteed to be amazing. The waves are not as tight as the curls, which will allow the color to be seen more, and the layered cut will prevent the thick hair from feeling heavy while still making the waves more pronounced. The deepness of the red can be very forgiving, if your hair is thinning out a bit then the richness of the color will create an illusion of fullness. Sure, it can be a lot of work, but the best things do not come easy, and it will make a massive difference.
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