The Low-Maintenance Haircut a Stylist Suggests for Your Length, Texture, and Type

Should styling your hair not be much of a priority at the moment, that’s totally understandable. TBH, it feels kinda pointless to me when every day is a mixture of trying to do basic human functions, crying to a sad playlist curated by Olivia Rodrigo, and adding things to my online shopping cart in a stress-induced fugue state. Can you relate? If so, then you should also know that science says you might actually feel better when you don’t think your hair looks like a sentient damp wool sweater.

So, if you too could use all the help you can get in the “happy brain chemicals” department (or a quick fix for that Zoom meeting you totally forgot you had until you got the calendar alert), then let me introduce you to the 2021 hair trend I’m most here for: low-maintenance haircuts. Embrace it and you’ll have the good hair days you want—with minimal effort, which might honestly feel like the most you can manage right now and that’s A-okay.

First things first, you’ll need to figure out your hair type. “There’s a range of curl patterns and textures,” says licensed hairdresser Sienree Du of Mane Addicts. “You have curl patterns from straight, wavy, curly, and coily to textures that range from fine to medium and coarse. And not everyone has [just one] texture on their head—most of us have a mixture. Understanding that can help us majorly solve some bad hair decisions.” Here, she shares her favorite low-maintenance haircuts for every hair type.

Hair type: fine to medium textures with straight to looser wave patterns (1A to 2B)

Opt for a longer, blunt-cut bob that comes down a little past your shoulders. “It’ll help give the illusion of thicker and fuller hair since the hair is able to lay on top of each other and build structure,” Du says. “Also, the maintenance of having to constantly get it trimmed and spruced up is low since it’s not hitting your shoulders and creating odd flips and shapes—it’s when the hair does that that you notice the shape changing.” If your hair is already shorter than shoulder length, she still recommends a bob with minimal to no layers, which will look cool “even if it’s unkempt and a little messy,” she says.

Hair type: medium hair textures with straight to wavy patterns (1A to 2C)

Du recommends long layers, as the length makes it easy to wear down or throw into a topknot or braids, and the layers give your hair movement. “You only have to get a trim or dust the ends off a few times a year to maintain body and healthy ends,” she says. Try a split end treatment mask, like this editor-approved one, for upkeep in between trims.

For shorter hair, she loves “that cool French girl bob cut that sits around the jawline , just showing off an earring,” which she says looks super chic with any outfit. When well-executed, this cut should always fall back into shape and look great without much styling, she adds.

Hair type: curly (3A to 3C)

“Curly hair just looks amazing as is honestly, but I love a ’70s shag SAME GIRL, SAME!,” Du says. “And a shag cut just makes it so effortlessly cool. Zendaya is a perfect example of a curly shag,” (These overnight haircare tips will make styling your shag even easier.)

For a shorter cut, she loves a super short square graduated bob or a pixie cut where volume and length is left on top and the sides are cut much shorter. “This makes it low maintenance because you would only have to worry about trimming the sides if they get unruly and let the curls on top do its thing,” she says. For chin-length hair she recommends a round curly short bob. “Curly hair shrinks and stretches by the day, curls rarely stay exact the same depending on when it was washed, what products were used, etcetera,” she explains. “So if you have a good professional cut, this bob length can be super versatile with little effort.”

Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cult-fave wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.