These are the best short hairstyles for fine or thinning hair
Short hairstyles aren’t just chic; they have particular pros for those of us with fine hair, whether you’ve always had hair on the finer side or have recently noticed that your hair is thinning. That's why we've pulled together a list of all the short hairstyle inspiration you could ever need below.
Short haircut tips for thinning hair
‘I think that it can be such a great idea to go short when you have fine hair’, says international session stylist Syd Hayes. ‘You can create a beautiful strong shape with a short haircut and that helps to make fine hair look so much thicker. Try a bob or a pixie cut that compliments your face shape.’
With so many fresh iterations of the classic bob, from neat French bobs that enhance your bone structure to textured wavy bobs and shaggy, 70s inspired styles, it can be tricky to know what to ask for in the salon chair, especially when you’re after a haircut to make thin hair look thicker.
Hairstylist and founder of Percy & Reed Salons, Paul Percival, explains the dos and don’ts of short cuts for fine hair. ‘A blunt bob will always make thin hair look thicker. A common mistake that people make when considering a haircut for fine hair is to think that adding more layers will create more volume in the hair. But this can often have the opposite effect as, in doing this, you cut into fine hair and take more of it away.’
Tempted to go even shorter? ‘A pixie cut is also a great hairstyle for fine hair. Adding in a fringe will create the appearance of thickness’, explains Paul.
Neale Rodger, style director for STIL Salon, says that when cut well, pixies are a low maintenance but versatile choice. “You also have so many options in terms of techniques to choose from to ‘build’ your haircut. Unlike long haircuts, the possibilities for combining techniques and shapes in shorter haircuts are endless – even the smallest adjustments can make a huge difference. You could use layers to create texture, movement and fullness.”
Whether you’ve got your eye on a pixie cut, a short bob, midi bob or long bob (‘lob’), some clever colour tricks can help to make thin hair look fuller too. ‘Incorporating darker tones around the nape of the neck and to the underneath layers of the hair creates more shadow, which in turn makes hair look thicker’, adds Paul.
Styling short haircuts for thin hair
As for styling thin hair, your blow-drying technique makes all the difference when it comes to boosting body according to Paul. ‘It’s important to blow dry hair in different directions to create volume – so to the left, to the right, towards the front and towards the back’, he says.
The right products are also key to getting the most out of a short haircut. ‘Spray a lightweight thickening spray at the roots for volume and towards the ends for control. I love R+Co Dallas Thickening Spray, £24.50, for serious body and shine without a trace of stickiness, stiffness or crispiness', says Paul. If you’re tempted by a pixie crop haircut, he recommends Percy & Reed Hold It Right There! Define & Hold Finishing Cream, £14, as it adds polish and structure ‘without weighing the hair down.’
Charles Worthington Thicker & Fuller Densifying Mousse
Dry Volume and Texture Spray
Pureology Instant Levitation Mist
Define & Hold Finishing Cream
Kevin Murphy Full Again Thickening Lotion
Strengthening Serum for Thinning Hair
Larry King My Nanna's Mousse
Living Proof Dry Volume and Texture Spray
Kristin Ess Instant Lift Spray
Percy & Reed Define & Hold Finishing Cream
KLORANE Strengthening Serum for Thinning Hair
Whether you’re going for the chop or are just in need of a restyle, here are our favourite short hairstyles for fine and thinning hair to inspire a visit to the salon.
Short haircut inspiration
The French Bob
Natalie Portman’s short bob was based on the ‘effortless chic of a French girl’ according to her hairstylist Adam Campbell. Blunt yet piecey ends create a cool, lived-in finish that can be tonged for a beachy effect, or blow dried straight and worn in a centre parting for a sleek finish.
The Pixie Crop
Emma Stone’s newly debuted pixie crop is modern, edgy and ideal for texture without looking thinned out. Keep the sides short and vary lengths across the top to emulate fullness, then opt for a lightweight styling gel like Hershesons Almost Everything Cream, £14 for hold with an added shine.
The Blunt Bob
A blunt bob with very softly tapered ends makes Lucy Lui’s hair look lustrous, thick and healthy. To get the look, dry hair then use a hot brush to lift hair at the roots (Syd’s must-have is the Babyliss 9000 Cordless Hot Brush, £180, which acts as a tong as well as a blow dry brush), smoothing lengths and very gently curling the ends under.
The Tousled Bob
Ashley Graham’s side parted bob looks gorgeously thick – random, loose tonging helps to create movement. Choose a wide barreled tong and curl lengths of different thicknesses to break up your bob and enhance bounce.
The Boyish Crop
For a flattering but low-maintenance look, take inspiration from Janelle James’ short crop. The ultra gloss and choppy ends give the appearance of a fuller head of hair.
The Sleek Bob
A clean centre parting and the skilled use of straighteners elevate Keira Knightley’s classically timeless bob. Get the perfect face-framing look with the help of soft, golden highlights brought to life with hydrating serums to seal in shine (we love Innersense I Create Shine Serum, £40).
The Bedhead Bob
Another centre parted bob, this time with an undone feel and nonchalant texture. Alexa Chung’s warm chestnut balayage and choppy yet blunt ends add body without the need for too much styling.
The Slicked-Back Bun
When in doubt, a glossy, gelled down updo is foolproof. Alexandra Daddario’s sleek side-parting creates a sophisticated chignon, with attention taken away from any thinning hairlines.
The Flipped Bob
Switching up your parting is an instant, easy way to increase volume – just ask Jodie Foster. Breathe life back into your roots using a volumising texture spray like Living Proof Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray, £28, then flip your parting over from its usual side for extra lift.
The Snow White Bob
The trending princess-inspired style seems to have gained some pretty high-profile fans, including Selena Gomez. A romantic bob with jaw length strands and an elegant curl offers dimension and volume – not to mention, it’s perfect for a vintage evening look. Hair stylist Renato Campora uses the ghd Classic Curl Tong, £149, to sculpt out an effortless wave.
The Hollywood Bob
Nothing channels old Hollywood glamour quite like Zendaya’s bold, retro updo. After a volumising blow dry, use a large-barrelled curling wand and a heavy duty mousse (we love Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer, £11) to maintain the shape of the bob and secure each curl. Hair artist Coree Moreno uses colour to emulate density, by opting for a warm chestnut shade which darkens at the roots.
The Choppy Crop
While cutting into fine hair too much can make it look thinner, actress Auli’i Cravalho’s ultra-cool crop makes great use of choppy lengths to achieve the opposite effect. Draw focus to the roots with deep chocolate tones and use a matte texturiser like Ouai Matte Pomade, £16, to get the ideal middle ground between effortless and intentional.
The Low Chignon
Jenna Coleman’s polished low chignon is the ultimate hairstyle idea for fine hair – it looks pulled together at work, elegant for an evening out and is equally apt for day-to-day running around. A centre parting and plenty of shine makes it even more covetable. Blow dry hair smooth before tucking in and securing lengths at the nape of the neck with a band that matches your hair colour and grips to keep your style in place.
The Chunky Midi Bob
Cate Blanchett’s tousled bob makes beautiful use of colour, by way of darker roots and a cool blonde wash over lengths to make hair appear thicker.
The Windswept Updo
Volume, deliberate flyaways and piecey texture make Uma Thurman’s updo look brilliantly modern. Pinning hair at the crown lifts fine roots naturally and helps to disguise any thinning, while a body-boosting mousse such as Larry King My Nana’s Mousse, £19, not only helps to create the impression of thicker strands but also gives your style hold.
The Deep Side Parting
Just as flipping your parting can give thinning hair zhoosh, so a dramatic side parting with a swooping fringe like Elle Fanning's do creates a strong shape. By braving the change and making the hair at the front of the face the centre of attention, your overall style will appear thicker. Hairsprays with extra hold (like the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Extra Strong Hold Hairspray, £4.99) and seamless pins will be your best friends.
The Fringed Crop
Fancy a fringe? German actress Leonie Benesch’s side-swept bangs add an ultra-cool detail to a low maintenance pixie cut.
The Lightly Layered Bob
A few strategic layered sections to frame the face can soften a conventional bob like Charlize Theron’s without detracting from the density of your hair. Keep the rest of your style all one length and consider multi-tonal hair colour for a 3D effect.
The Clean Crop
Up for the chop? Daisy Ridley’s side-parted crop is strong, bold and the perfect dramatic short hairstyle for fine hair. It’s best to discuss a transition to an ultra-short style with your hairdresser well in advance to ensure that the shape and length suits your face shape and lifestyle before you commit. From there, Hershesons Almost Everything Cream, £10, will keep a sleek short style neat and tidy all day long.
The Beachy Waved Bob
Emma Watson’s beachy waves look beautifully thick and healthy. A heated waving tool delivers mermaid hair in no time for short, fine hair – try Remington PROluxe 4-in-1 Adjustable Waver, £44.99. A dial to change the barrel depth caters to all hair lengths and thicknesses.
The Flapper Bob
Ends that are all one length don’t need to be blunt to look thicker. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s tucked under ends make her 1920s style waved bob appear even more swingy. Part your hair towards one ear and create random finger waves using ghd curve thin wand, £139.
The Flicked-Out Bob
From tucked ends to edgy flicks – Naomi Watts' statement style for fine hair is just the thing for a special occasion (wear it with drop earrings for even more impact). Part hair in the centre and shape ends away from your face with a straightener. Finish with a generous misting of Andrew Fitzsimons Prism Shine Hair Spray, £11, for extra gloss.
The Classic Crop
A close-cut white crop has become Jamie Lee Curtis’ signature style and for good reason – it’s textured but not messy and the light, bright shade both adds volume and flatters her skintone. Keep colour fresh by using a purple shampoo once or twice a week.
The Chignon
Elizabeth McGovern’s neat chignon with a sweeping, face-framing fringe is a chic, simple updo idea for fine hair that looks elegant but not overdone. Her natural grey hair appears thicker too thanks to darker sections at the crown and nape of the neck interweaved with flashes of white.
The Half-up Half-down
A go-to style that boosts volume at the roots, Allison Janney’s glossy dark blonde half-up half-down look is made all the more modern thanks to the fact that it’s not too perfect – loose flyaways and a soft fringe keep things casual.
The Curly Crop
Glenn Close’s loosely curled white crop has gorgeous lift and movement. Keep waves shiny, bouncy and soft by applying heat protective Kérastase Resistance Ciment Thermique, £27.50, before rough drying in different direction and styling with a thin barreled tong.
(Images: Getty)
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