As the cliché goes, everyone wants what they don’t have. While haircuts for thin hair focus on adding volume, the best haircuts for thick hair aim to reduce excess weight and create more movement. “The trick isn’t taking it all off, it’s removing weight in the right places so it moves and doesn’t feel heavy,” says celebrity hairstylist Tamás Tüzes.
But before deciding on a haircut, it’s important to know your hair type. Scott Martinez, a hairstylist at Manhattan’s Jenna Perry Hair, notes that hair thickness relates to the diameter of an individual strand of hair, which you can evaluate by feeling or by sight. If the hair is coarser and more opaque, it’s thick. Another factor that’s associated with hair thickness is hair density, which celebrity hairstylist Kim Kimble describes as the number of strands per section of the scalp. If there are a lot of them, you have high-density hair, she says. To determine density, you can part a section of your hair to the side to see how much of your scalp is showing; if it’s visible, you have less hair density. If it’s not, you have higher density.
What are some hairstyle maintenance tips for thick hair?
Depending on your cut, it’s important to keep up with regular trims to maintain your hair’s shape and balance. You can also use styling products that align with your hair’s natural texture, like a hair mask, lightweight curl cream, mousse or a texture cream or spray to help keep your hair healthy and your styles intact.
Are layers good for thick hair?
Yes! “If you’re looking for more movement in your look, absolutely,” says Martinez. Kimble agrees that longer layers, especially, are great for thick hair.
If you have thick hair, you’ve got plenty of options for cuts and styles. “Thick hair is kind of the best starting point. It has volume, it holds shape and you can do a lot with it,” says Tüzes.
Here are 16 haircuts for thick hair, no matter your length or texture:
Textured pixie
Photo: John Shearer/WireImage/Getty Images
