Summer is just around the corner, which means longer evenings, al fresco dining, flowy maxi dresses, bronzed skin, glowy, minimal makeup, the list goes on. Summer also means treating ourselves to a brand new haircut, which we regularly regard as the final step in our hotly-anticipated summer glow up!
If you’re struggling with fine or limp hair in the lead-up to summer, we have some good news to help you bring some much-needed volume to your locks. We’ve spoken to the experts, and they’ve recommended a variation of modern, ageless, chic, volumizing and timeless haircuts to give your locks a boost for the summer. Check out 15 haircuts that experts recommend to make your hair look as luscious and volumized as possible this summer, no matter your age, hair length, and hair color.
1. Long Layers With Wispy Fringe
Center-parted curtain bangs have been trending online for all 2023, and they aren't going anywhere in 2024! As Lauren Udoh, hair stylist and hair creative director of WigReports, notes, adding a wispy bang to long layers can provide even more movement and interest if you're bored of long hair or your current style.
Camila Cabello's fringe can be parted in the middle, pinned-back or moved to the side, creating plenty of options for styling all season long. "These bangs can be flattering for women of any age because they create a sense of volume and fullness around the face," Udoh says. "They also work well with many different hairstyles, making them a versatile choice for any woman. In my personal experience, curtain bangs can be styled in many different ways to suit nearly any face shape or hair type. This makes them an excellent option for women who want to change their look regularly."
2. Layered 'Bixie'
If you can't decide between a bob or pixie, we have good news. You don't have to! A 'bixie' (or bob-meets-pixie) like Kristen Stewart's can be a very flattering and chic choice, Krysta Guerrero, owner and stylist at Base Salon Chicago, explains.
"The bixie is a traditional bob haircut that's combined with a pixie," she says. "The nice thing about a bixie is its versatility — not only can you adjust the length and opt to have it a little longer, but there is no one way to do it when it comes to the style. The cut is totally customizable based on your preference."
3. Side-Parted Italian Bob
If you're looking for a haircut that can make your best features pop while giving your mane an extra boost of volume and bounce, look no further than the Italian bob cut. This style is inspired by Old Hollywood and is a 'do that stylish stars like Zendaya are currently opting for.
The Italian bob takes the traditional bob cut to new heights with chunky blunt ends that create an airy, voluminous look that's never heavy or bulky. It also has just the right amount of length to allow for easy styling options as it's long enough to tie up, but short enough to be worn as is. Udoh says "it's a versatile cut that looks great on almost any face shape and hair type." The length can be "adjusted to complement your features and create an attractive silhouette," she notes, adding: "This ever-popular bob provides volume at the crown, with textured layers that frame the face nicely while still maintaining an easy-to-manage style."
4. Asymmetrical Lob
If you have center-parted, fine hair and want to increase volume instantly, Ghanima Abdullah, hair expert and cosmetologist at The Right Hairstyles, recommends opting for a deep, Old Hollywood-esque side part, like Gal Gadot.
When it comes to lobs, she says: "Try a side part instead, as you can move the hair from one side to the other, as you wish." The added hair going over will increase "volume in the area as well," she adds, especially if your hair is "used to being parted down the center." This trick is also great for "hiding signs of thinning in the crown area," where many women notice thinning and hair loss, she goes on. "Having a deep side part really brings on the glamor, especially if you've had recent coloring added," she also points out.
5. Layered Wavy 'Mob' Cut
You're probably already familiar with the classic 'bob' and its longer cousin the 'lob,' so the 'mob' refers to a 'medium bob,' Udoh explains. She deems it to be a "sleek and stylish choice for many occasions." It's a versatile cut, she adds, that looks "great on almost any face shape and hair type." Check out Cate Blanchett rocking the look for a prime example.
While traditional bobs often end at the chin and lobs fall at the collarbone, the 'mob' ends in the middle of the neck. "The mob cut can be adjusted to complement your features and create an attractive silhouette," Udoh adds. This not-too-long and also not-too-short cut provides "volume at the crown, with textured layers that frame the face nicely while still maintaining an easy-to-manage style," she points out!
6. Chin-Length Bob With Delicate Fringe
According to Rod Galvao, professional hairstylist at Gem House, one of the most universally flattering, volumizing, and anti-aging haircuts is a layered bob with wispy bangs. "In some versions of the cut there are more layers that add movement and give those ‘cool' young vibes," he says.
If you have a wavier or curlier texture like Rihanna, adding wispy fringe or delicate curtain bangs can instantly elevate any simple bob. Bangs like these, Gina Rivera, celebrity hairstylist and founder of Phenix Salon Suites, says, "can also detract from the appearance of fine or limp hair and can add dimension to a style." She also points out that they can make your hair "look fuller" if you're looking for a refresh.
7. Wavy Lob With Sideswept Fringe
Another chic and similar option is a tousled, wavy lob with sideswept bangs. This voluminous wavy style can give a boost to finer, thinner and normally flatter strands for a youthful feel.
Adding sideswept bangs like Emma Stone is great for "hiding signs of thinning in the crown area," Abdullah adds, where many women notice thinning and hair loss. This fringe can also "detract from the appearance of fine or limp hair and can add dimension to a style," according to Rivera.
8. Blunt Wavy Lob
Scarlett Johansson's blunt, slicked-back and wavy lob is "such a popular look right now," Rivera says. She adds that "one of the main reasons for that is the fact that you don't have to commit to shorter [chin-length] hair and it's versatile."
In addition, this 'do allows for the "removal of damaged ends" and its one-length "creates a lot of opportunities for styling," according to Rivera. "This style is darling tucked behind an ear or just worn down,"
9. The Long Layered Bob
Ciara's long, layered bob (which is really a borderline lob) is a modern take on the classic bob, with long layers that create movement and volume, Hair Stylist Khamis Maiouf, CEO and founder of the Book of Barbering, explains. "The layers help to lift the hair, giving it a fuller appearance," he adds. "It's especially flattering on those with fine or thin hair, as the layers give the illusion of thicker, more voluminous locks."
The nice thing about this cut is that it gives the illusion of longer hair, perfect for those who have haircut phobia, while still offering a lift that is probably needed if your hair is fine or thinning. This is also a great cut for low-maintenance styling. Curl a few front pieces and you've automatically enhanced this cut without much effort.
10. Textured Pixie
Nothing says "bold" and "fearless" quite like a drastic haircut. If you're more than willing to part with a few inches, the textured pixie is a playful and sexy cut that screams "confidence" while boosting your hair's volume.
"The textured pixie is a short, chic haircut that features plenty of layers for added volume," Maiouf says. "By incorporating texture and movement, this style can make even fine or thin hair appear thicker and more voluminous. This haircut, as seen on Kate Hudson, is most flattering on women with delicate facial features and works well with a variety of hair types, including straight and wavy."
11. Soft Shag
Choppy and fun styles inspired by the 1970s are a huge trend right now. The cool girl soft shag like Taylor Swift's is an easy-to-imitate-and-make-your-own kind of style that works wonders on fine hair types. "The soft shag haircut features long, textured layers that add volume and movement to the hair," says Maiouf.
"This style is perfect for women with medium to thick hair, as it helps to remove some weight while still providing a full and lively look. The layers can be customized to suit individual face shapes, making it a versatile option."
12. Curtain Bangs With Long Layers
Halle Berry looks forever youthful, and one of her secrets is keeping her hair up to date and on trend. Continuing with ‘70s-themed hair, we give you long layers and curtain bangs, which looks amazing on so many different hair types and face shapes.
"This haircut involves adding long layers throughout the hair, with a focus on framing the face with curtain bangs," Maiouf says. "These bangs create volume by adding softness and movement around the face, while the long layers contribute to a fuller appearance. This style is well-suited to most hair types, but it's especially effective for those with fine or thin hair."
13. A Layered Bob With Blunt Ends
There's so much to love about the classic bob: it's a low-maintenance length that can easily be slicked back and dressed up or dressed down for a casual-cool look. It's also one haircut that looks just as great on thick, curly hair as it does on fine, straight hair.
The key though to getting a great bob is knowing how to create movement in your hair so that it doesn't just sit there, flat. Adding layers to the top will boost volume, but keeping the ends blunt as opposed to tapered or choppy creates a clean line that can make your hair look thicker and healthier.
14. Layered Medium-Length Hair With Curls
If you've been a life-long lover of super-long hair, but find that this style no longer suits you because your hair is finer and thinner, you don't have to chop it all off (unless you want to, of course.) A medium-length haircut is the best compromise of all because it still allows you to have enough length to put it up in a ponytail, but leaving it down will make you feel like your usual glamorous self.
The key to making this style work when you have mature hair is layering it for movement and body and then, while you're at it, adding waves and curls. Texture can help fine hair look so much thicker — and you needn't resort to heat damage to achieve curls. Winding your hair into heatless curlers for a few hours, or while you sleep, will give you that effortless I-woke-up-looking-this-good hair.
15. Side Part
You don't always have to book an appointment at your salon to get a brand new style that helps conceal thinning hair. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple shift in how you part your hair.
If you're used to parting your hair in the middle, which may be showing a sparse scalp, experiment with a side part that covers sparseness and makes your hair look instantly thicker.
