Switch Up Your Short Style with a Layered Bob, the Haircut Everyone’s Talking About

What is a layered bob haircut?

It’s the bob’s world and we’re just living in it—the stylish short cut simply isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Howeverrrr, the way we’re cutting and wearing them has been switching up a lot lately. Layered bobs seem to be seriously overtaking more blunt looks, with Pinterest’s beauty trend report showing tons of interest in cuts full of movement. Think short and long layered bob haircuts (up 571 and 622 percent, respectively), shag bobs (up more than 200 percent), wispy bangs (up 166 percent)... the list goes on. So, with all this talk of layered bobs that deliver shape and give, how exactly do you get the look? What do you ask your stylist for? Well, we’ve covered all of that and more for you ahead, with the help of a couple expert hairstylists. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the layered bob, the hottest haircut in town right now.

No tricks here: A layered bob is pretty much exactly what it sounds like... a bob with layers. But to get a bit more technical, the layers help “create movement and weight removal,” says hairstylist and TIGI Bed Head creative director Philip Downing.

They look like your classic bob, just with a little more “personality,” quips hairstylist Chris Russell. Along with movement, these layers help “create softness and shape,” he adds. “Think less stiff and blunt and structured and more effortless and expensive.” All words I’d like to use to describe my hair!

Who should get a layered bob haircut?

If you like a more low-maintenance cut, this one’s for you. Sharper bobs tend to have a reputation for requiring more upkeep since you need to get them trimmed often to keep the lines looking ~crisp~. Adding in texture and layers can help make the grow-out a little more seamless. “A great haircut should do a lot of the work for you,” says Russell. “Of course, your natural texture is a huge part of it, but the whole idea is to make looking like a winner a little easier.” (That being said, both stylists agree that you’ll still want to cut your layered bob every six to eight weeks—this will keep it looking “fresh and healthy,” says Downing.)

Layered bob haircuts also work well on certain face shapes, including round, oval, and heart, says Downing, but don’t let that be your deciding factor in getting the cut or not. At the end of the day, there’s a bob for everyone! “It’s just about finding the right length and placing the layers where they flatter your features,” says Russell. “I don’t believe in telling someone they can’t wear a haircut because of their face shape.”

As Russell teased, hair texture does play a role in your candidacy for a layered bob. “If hair is super fine, you won’t want to layer,” says Downing, since this could cause your strands to look thin or wispy. On the other hand, if you have thick hair, this cut is pretty much your BFF. “On thicker hair, layers can remove weight without losing that expensive looking shape,” says Russell.

How to style a layered bob haircut

Of course, you’ll wanna start with the right products. “Styling a layered bob is all about the correct product choice usage,” says Downing. Know whether you want volume, movement, texture, or something else, which will help you decide exactly what to reach for. If you don’t know where to start, he calls Bed Head Small Talk Hair Thickening Cream his “all-time go-to product for bobs” because it gives “volume to the hair while adding a malleable texture.” For even more volume, K18’s AstroLift Reparative Volume Spray (also a Cosmo Reader’s Choice Award winner!) amps up your style without crunch or residue.

This haircut lends itself well both to air drying and heat styling. When it comes to air drying, keep it simple: Apply a styling product to damp hair (like the Cosmo Holy Grail Beauty Award-winning Gisou Honey Milk 5-in-1 Styling Cream, which adds shine, provides flexible hold, and even protects against heat), scrunch hair to add texture, and make sure to keep your hands off as it dries.

And Russell has a couple ideas if you do want to get into some styling: “I love a big, bouncy blowout with a soft bend through the ends,” he says. “The Sutra IR2 Infrared Blowout Brush is great for creating that smooth, rich finish with plenty of movement.” Make sure to use a heat protectant beforehand and separate hair into small sections. Glide the brush from root to tip and twist the brush at the ends to add bend.

If you prefer something more undone, “add a few loose bends and shake it out with your fingers,” he says, which he notes will give you an expensive-looking style—love!

Downing also recommends talking to your stylist about how to maintain the look at home, so don’t be afraid to ask questions to get that same salon-quality look every day.

What to ask your stylist for

When asking your stylist for a layered bob (or any new haircut!), the first thing both stylists told me is that you must bring photos. “Pictures say what words can’t,” says Russell. “Game changer.”

You can also bring pictures of what you don’t like. “Show your hairdresser things that you like,” says Downing. “If it’s a first date with your hairdresser, be sure to also show them references you don’t like. Sometimes, being super clear on what you don’t like, and the reasons why, paves a constructive way forward.”

Beyond photos, “ask for soft, blended layers while keeping fullness through the ends,” says Russell. “And tell your stylist how you actually style your hair at home. We want a haircut that works for your lifestyle, not one that requires a glam team every morning.”

Even though the layered bob has “layers” in the name, you don’t want to get too crazy with ‘em. “Over-layering a bob can be quite messy, and runs the risk of losing all manageability,” says Downing. “A safe option is to never cut layers shorter than the occipital bone and the parietal ridge (also know as the ‘rounds of the head’).”

Layered bob inspo pics

Don Arnold//Getty Images

Michael Loccisano//Getty Images

Edward Berthelot//Getty Images

John Shearer//Getty Images

Meet the experts

• Philip Downing is a professional hairstylist and the creative director of TIGI Bed Head.
• Chris Russell is a celebrity hairstylist in Los Angeles. He’s worked with stars like Kyle Richards and Lauryn Bosstick.

Why trust Cosmopolitan?

Catharine Malzahn is a contributing beauty writer at Cosmo. She’s written about all things hair, from cool hair color trends to the best haircuts worth trying.

Catharine MalzahnContributing beauty writer

Catharine Malzahn is a contributing beauty writer at Cosmopolitan and was previously the beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Prevention.