Anyone with thin hair knows the struggle. You wish your hair would hold its shape for longer than 0.001 seconds. Hell, you just want your scalp to stop showing through your baby-fine strands. (I have been there, 100 percent.) And, you feel like you’ve tried everything: the best short haircut for thin hair, searched high and low for the best conditioner, tried the 100-stroke-per-day method and have poured on the hair growth serum. Better hair density may not be in the cards, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fake it. These nine hairstyles to make hair look thicker are all the proof you need. (And hint: hair extensions can be your friend.)
35 Short Haircuts for Fine Hair, from the ‘Mixie’ to the Blunt Bob, According to Stylists
Summary of the Best Haircuts for Thin Hair to Look Thicker
As you peruse this gallery, you’ll see that most, if not all, of these haircuts for thin hair keep things short. No long, sweeping locks here. Generally, they’ll keep to collarbone length, give or take, using layers to give your strands body. Additionally, Dean adds, “What can help make hair look fuller is incorporating a fringe. What it’s doing is it’s adding to your perimeter. That makes your whole haircut look fuller. If your hair is all one length it might look stringy and long. If you cut a fringe [and create that] perimeter, it automatically is going to increase the look of volume in your hair.”
Meet the Expert
Chaz Dean is a celebrity hairstylist, colorist and the founder of WEN hair and body care line. Dean has over 25 years of experience, and his salon has served the likes of Ming-Na Wen, Nicole Murphy, Gilles Marini, Alyssa Milano, Gwyneth Paltrow and others. WEN is also the winner of multiple QVC Beauty Awards.
Our Expertise in Selecting the Best Haircuts for Thin Hair
As a lifestyle reporter, I am regularly writing about the beauty industry, from French-girl approved makeup to cleansing balms and all things fine hair, including hairspray, heat protectants and hairstyles and cuts. I work with a bevy of experts, including award-winning celebrity hairstylists, to break down trends, deep dive into ingredients and help readers understand why a particular product or cut works (or doesn’t). In this article, I speak with celebrity hairstylist Chaz Dean about why these nine hairstyles work well for thin hair, as well as best styling practices.
The Best Haircuts to Make Thin Hair
1. Angled Lob
David Livingston/Getty Images
This shoulder-grazing style is slightly shorter in the back than in the front, adding tons of body and shape to create the illusion of fuller hair. Take it a step further by adding a few loose waves at mid-shaft for even more oomph. Dean also adds that the deep side part is your friend. “This works for someone with thin hair because you’re [creating the illusion of fullness].” When styling, he recommends using sponge rollers or another heatless tool to spare your hair the heat damage.
2. Fluffy Pony
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When you want to wear your hair up, a fluffy ponytail can help make everything appear fuller and bouncier—but Dean advises that you may want to consider incorporating some hair extensions and adding a hair bump to the crown of your head to create the shape. Then, spritz your roots with a volume-boosting texture spray before gathering your hair into a loose ponytail. (Follow the Jawline Rule.) Add some extra volume by wrapping your strands around a curling wand in chunks and then pulling out a few face-framing pieces.
3. Long Layers
Karwai Tang/Getty Images
While a cut that’s all one length can weigh hair down and make it look flat, feathery layers will do just the opposite. “The key here is that her layers are in the bottom three to four inches of her hair,” Dean explains of Sandra Bullock’s haircut. “[You want to] keep the layers long, towards the ends of [the hair so you don’t take the weight out of it].” At the salon, ask for slightly tapered ends to add extra fluff to the middle strands. Then when styling, apply a lightweight mousse or air-dry foam for body.
4. Tousled Bob
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
“This [haircut’s a] definite [yes] because you have the fringe that helps create some fullness,” Deans tells me. “[Using] sponge rollers would definitely create a lot of fullness.” All that’s to say, the tousled bob gives you one thing: volume. Short layers and feathered ends make this cut super easy to ruffle up for major lift at the root. Work in a sea salt spray to keep it messy and airy.
5. Blunt Bob
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
On the other end of the spectrum, a precise chop can be flattering for fine hair, too. “[This hairstyle is actually better for thinner hair than thicker hair],” Dean says. “Thicker hair can look too bulky [with this cut]. The blunter the cut, the denser your locks appear at the bottom, therefore making them seem thicker. Plus, Dean adds, “It holds the shape and is a nice, sleek, clean line. Ideal for thin hair.”
6. Shag With Bangs
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
We know that shaggy layers help with volume and body, but bangs are also a great way to add extra dimension to the front of your face, making your hair look fuller all around. Dean explains that here, Alexa Chung’s bangs work because the fringe is denser, instead of being feathered out like curtain bangs, which would have probably lost their shape. When you go to the salon, ask for shorter layers to give your crown a lift.
7. Choppy Pixie
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
This style is the perfect no-fuss haircut for thin-haired ladies. When I asked Dean if the pixie length would be insufficient to cover the scalp, he, in turn, said, “It fills it in and camouflages it. But you would want a texture paste to get a bit of texture and hold.” When it comes to choosing a paste, Dean says you want one that’s water soluble to avoid weighing down your locks. To test, put some on your hand. “If the product rinses off with just water, that means your products are water soluble,” he explains. “If when you rinse your hands, it feels waxy and you need to use some emollient to remove it, then it’s heavy and will build up on your head.” He recommends using a diffuser on low speed while shaping your hair to help with body and texture.
8. Textured Half-up, Half-down
Noam Galai/Getty Images
The half-up-half-down is fun and flirty, and the best thing about this hairstyle is that you can pull it off at almost any length. However, this is one of the hairstyles for which you you will, Dean says, need extensions. (But that’s OK—we can’t let the thick-haired folks have all the fun. Plus, extensions are easy to procure, and there will be options that suit all budgets.) To create the top bun, “You’d have to put [a donut] in, roll that into your hair to get this lift, and then you would be adding extensions to get all this fullness.” Texture spray and styling paste can provide additional volume.
9. Pulled-Apart Braid
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
Here’s the thing with braids: They actually can make thin hair look thinner. (Speaking from experience—whenever I braid my fine, thin hair, it definitely makes it look like there’s even less of it.) However, the hairstyle is fun, and with some hair extensions, you can still take part with the illusion of some gloriously thick locks. Dean recommends inserting clipped or braided extensions before you begin. Then, you’re ready to try this lovely braid, using the technique known as “pancaking”. Sweep your hair to the side and create a loose braid, tap in some thickening powder or a spritz of texture spray, and then pull each piece out little by little until you reach your desired thickness.
Challenges of Styling Thin Hair
Styling thin hair can be difficult—there’s not much to work with, for starters. Thin hair can have a hard time holding its shape, and you may have patches of scalp that show through. There are also some hairstyles and cuts that just won’t work, short of trying a wig or hair extensions. (Though, as noted in the hairstyles above, sometimes there are fun looks that justify the reinforcements if you’re willing to jump through some hoops.)
Notably, Dean says that it’s best, sadly, for those with thin hair to steer away from curtain bangs. “If your hair is wispy, it’s not going to hold that shape,” he explains.”It doesn't have enough support.”
Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to hack the system, as I discuss with Dean below.
Does Thin Hair Look Better Short or Long?
Dean tells me that generally, you shouldn’t confine yourself to a specific hair length, but does concede that those with exceptionally thin hair wouldn’t want to grow it past their collarbone. “[As the distance from your scalp to the ends increases, the thinner it looks]. So, the collarbone is somewhat ideal, but again this is a guideline. It’s not the end-all-be-all.”
Styling Tips to make Thin Hair Look Thicker
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to amp up your hair volume for the illusion of a fuller head. “Definitely avoid using harsh chemicals and/or lathering shampoos because they break down the hair and it will cause it to be finer, thinner and weaker,” Dean advises. “Make sure you’re using volumizing products such as a volumizing mousse.”
When styling, he tells me that over-directing your hair is key. This occurs when, for example, you blow-dry your hair in the opposite direction that it normally falls. You can also use volume and texture sprays to give the roots extra lift. Though, try to avoid the ingredient Sd Alcohol 40 B, which is incredibly drying.
Another hack is coloring your roots. “That’s an automatic way of making anyone’s hair look fuller,” Dean says. “If you’re pulling your hair back and you see your scalp, dabbing that in at your roots will make it look twice as thick.” He advises choosing a color that is closest to your roots, instead of matching for the ends.
And, of course, you can also opt for hair extensions. Dean calls them “A good, cool shortcut if you just want to amp up your hair, but you don’t want to go through a lot of other hoops.”