The 40 Best Haircuts for Thick Hair That Work with Your Glorious Volume, According to Stylists
Like the Butterfly Cut, Bixie, French Bob and Shag
Meet the Hairstylists
- Jasmine Burnside is a celebrity hairstylist based in New York City, specializing in editorial, commercial and wedding hair styling. Originally from Maryland, Burnside attended a Paul Mitchell Cosmetology School. Her clients include actresses Ashley Reyes, Nida Khurshid, Gus Birney and Jessica Hecht. She’s worked on major runway shows and editorial campaigns including: Vogue, Marc Jacobs, ELLE, Ralph Lauren, Rebecca Minkoff, Alice and Olivia and Cosmopolitan, to name a few.
- Trace Henningsen is a celebrity hairstylist and ambassador for Leonor Greyl. She is currently based in Los Angeles. From cuts to color to special event styling, Henningsen's skills are especially sought after for weddings. She also has a line of couture bridal accessories and jewelry called Henningsen & Co.
- Priscilla Valles is an industry vet of 23 years, specializing in hair extensions for celebrities like Dua Lipa, Shay Mitchell, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber. She created her very own dream line of hair extensions for the first-ever collaboration with Glam Seamless.
How to Care for Thick Hair
“The key to thick hair care and maintenance is knowing when to cleanse and how often,” Dean explains. If your hair is thick with a fine texture, you can wash it more often. However, he notes that coarser hair often lacks moisture, so when washing, products like a cleansing conditioner can help with hydration.
“In general, hair should be shampooed when it begins to show signs of oiliness, loses its natural movement and/or when it just feels uncomfortable for your scalp,” Stenson explains. “If your hair is naturally dry or damaged, you will want to extend your time between shampoos as much as is comfortable for you. When hair is extremely dense or thick, you may feel the need to shampoo more often due to natural oils being more readily trapped in the hair near the scalp. My biggest tip for cleansing dense-thick hair of any texture type is to not rush through it. Take your time to ensure a proper cleanse at the scalp. Always rinse with cool water longer than you think you need to.”
“By applying thinning techniques in thick hair, it makes all the difference in setting the client up for success when styling at home,” Dean notes.
Additional Experts
- 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.
- Nick Stenson is the artistic director at Matrix, a haircare and color brand specializing in products for all hair types. Stenson is also the founder of Nick Stenson Beauty, a curated collection of luxe beauty staples. He is the 2021 winner of the North American Hairstyling Awards for the styling and finishing category.
- Kimberlee Blakley is the senior director of product development and trichologist with The Mane Choice, a brand that creates hair care products for textured hair. In her role, she conceptualizes new products, oversees the testing process and collaborates on packaging design. Previously, Blakley worked in product development for companies such as L’Oréal and Moroccanoil.
Jenny Jin
Beauty Director
- Oversees all beauty content at PureWow
- Has over a decade of experience in writing and editing, both in print and digital media
- Produces 'Youngish' newsletter, a guide to beauty in your 30s and beyond
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