The 30 Best Styles for Women With Thick Hair
Everyone wants shampoo-commercial-worthy hair. This is how you can get it.
Everyone wants shampoo-commercial-worthy hair — and according to Goody, 40 percent of women are lucky enough to actually have super-sized strands. But all that extra hair means you have to make cut and care choices carefully. These celebrities show off your best options.
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Connie Britton
That color! Those waves! The former Nashville star's locks are enough to provoke a serious case of hair envy. To get this kind of easy glamour, Pasquale Caselle, celebrity hairstylist for IT&LY Hairfashion, suggests using a volumizing spray and blow drying with a large, round brush to create fullness. Next, curl large sections with a two-inch iron, which will create a bit of bend, rather than a defined curl. Lastly, shake hair out with your fingers and set with hairspray.
Zooey Deschanel
With hair to spare, you can have two looks in one, like a half-up, half-down topknot. And if you don't want to shampoo every day, a powder like Göt2b Rockin' It Encore Fresh Dry Shampoo can soak up grease and give hair a quick pick-me-up while still leaving plenty of time for singing quirky ballads.
Jennifer Lawrence
The middle ground, chin-to-shoulder length hair can be hard to work, but loose waves and bangs add interest to an in-between style. Not sure how to get the look you want? Have a pow-wow with your stylist. "I use both shears and razors on thick hair, but I decide which based on the final look we are going for," says Kristen Bretz, a stylist and manager at Brooklyn's Hair Metal Salon and color specialist for Keratin Complex. "A razor allows me to take out weight and encourage the hair to sit or bend in a certain direction, since it does not create a straight line or broom-like effect. And I use shears to slice out specific heavy areas for a sleeker look without creating a 'mushroom' or frizzy look."
Eva Mendes
To keep hair from looking weighed down, add a little extra body at the crown. "Using a round brush, blow hair out by pulling directly up, then rolling the brush back down and allowing it to cool before removing," says Bretz. "Once the volume has been created, gently tease small sections of the hair with a rat-tail comb, using a light hairspray if necessary, for extra lift. Keep aside one small, unteased section in the front, gently lay that section of hair over the shape you have created, and spray in place."
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Blake Lively
Loose waves are universally flattering, but big hair can quickly get out of control. "If hair is too puffy and too full, I suggest leaving just a little bit of conditioner in the hair when rinsing. Then, to combat frizziness, lock in the conditioner with a quick rinse of cool water," advises Caselle.
Jennifer Aniston
A great updo starts with smooth hair, which you can get by applying a heat-protective product before drying. (Caselle recommends Thermoflat from It&ly Hair Fashion to speed up drying time.) Then, create an easy elegant look by pulling your hair into a ponytail, and wrapping a small section around the base to conceal the rubber band.
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Mindy Kaling
A perky high pony works well with thick hair, because there's no worrying about skimpy-looking ends. Keep flyaways at bay with a spray of Big Sexy Hair's Weather Proof, or work a drop or two of almond oil into hair to boost moisture and shine, suggests Caselle.
Nicole Scherzinger
The former Pussycat Doll's ample hair landed her an Herbal Essences ad, and Caselle says you can follow a simple, four-step process to recreate the super-straight look: apply a thermal-protecting styling aid, blow dry with a round brush starting from the back, make a pass with a flat iron, and apply a shine mist. Boom — done.
Adele
The singer's simple bouffant evokes retro glamour. "Blow dry hair with a round brush to create fullness, using a volumizing spray in the root area (like Pure Volumizing Eco Spray from IT&LY Hairfashion), as it gives volume without stickiness," says Caselle. "Use hot rollers on the ends, allow hair to cool, and remove the rollers. Then run your fingers through, brush out your hair, tease the crown area, and touch up as needed with a smaller round brush and hair dryer. Finish by spraying in place."
Kim Kardashian
For long, straight hair, "request more texturizing in the last four or five inches and keep hair long in the crown area to keep it from looking bulky," recommends Caselle. At home, try using Goody's ThickFix Boar/Nylon Hot Round, an oversized brush designed for blowdrying thick hair with boar bristles to promote shine.
RELATED: Hairstyles for Straight Hair, Inspired By Your Favorite Celebrities
Elisabeth Moss
Moss' graduated bob works with her natural slight wave, and you can get it by having your stylist use layering techniques to break up 'curtain-like' heavy hair, in turn giving it movement, says Bretz. "This cut is a prime example of that working: There isn't a line circling the head horizontally for each layer, but rather an artistic approach allowing more room and swing to her hair. It creates a collapsed shape at the bottom and purposeful lift at the crown, without creating a mushroom effect."
Isla Fisher
If you've got pretty, healthy hair, a few loose waves are all you need. To create gorgeous spirals at home, wrap small sections in opposite directions around a quarter-inch curling iron, and leave the tips straight, says celebrity hairstylist Larry Sims. Finish with a spritz of salt spray and you're good to go.
Esperanza Spalding
Love the hair you're born with, like the jazz singer whose 'do makes a big statement. "If you embrace your natural curly texture, which I strongly suggest, then the most important thing to remember is that moisture is a huge component to controlling your curl," says Bretz. So condition!
Jennifer Lopez
Straight or loosely wavy hair helps to show off chunky highlights, and Sims says thick hair like J-Lo's works well with a variety of cuts. But if he's going to choose one, he suggests a more blunt style. It offers a more dynamic look that's fashion-forward, he says, and the heavy, choppy layers add texture.
Padma Lakshmi
A side part and straight blowout help ensure hair stays in place. To keep it looking and glossy, start with shine-boosting products in the shower, like Göt2b Oil-licious Opulent Smooth Shampoo and Golden Shimmer Conditioner.
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