20 Haircuts for Thin Hair That Add Fullness, Body, and Movement (2025)

To make fine hair appear thicker, you've got options—volumizing sprays, mousses, and shampoos abound, as do countless bouncy blow-out techniques. But without the right haircut for thin hair (whether you're keeping it short or want some length), it’s almost impossible to achieve an illusion of fullness. In fact, the wrong haircut can work against you, making your hair appear thinner.

“Cuts that create structure with gentle movement work best, like a blunt bob, lob with face-framing, or layered pixie,” advises Min Kim, L’Oréal Professionnel global ambassador and colorist. “Avoid heavily layered cuts, razor finishes, or ultra-long lengths with no shape—these only emphasize thinness.”

Meet the expert

Min Kim is a L’Oréal Professionnel global ambassador and colorist.
Garrett Markenson is a hairstylist and founder of REVERIE.
Daniel Mora is a hairstylist and core artist ambassador of The Hair Shop.

That still leaves plenty of room for those with thin hair to experiment with a bevy of trending haircuts, from blunt, chin-length bobs to long, face-framing layers and playful bixies. Below, discover the haircuts and styling techniques that professional hairstylists recommend for adding a little extra oomph to your hair type.

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Blunt Bob

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Our stylists agree that a blunt bob is the ultimate choice for faking a fuller, bouncier appearance on thin hair. Depending on your desired look and natural texture, you can rough-dry the cut and style with a texturizing spray for a lived-in effect, or, as Mora suggests, you can use a flat-iron for a “chic, glassy finish” like Lucy Hale's.

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Windswept Shag

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Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s shag looks effortlessly cool parted to the side and roughed up with a texturizing spray. On thin hair, Kim recommends asking for a “modern, controlled shag with long, blended layers” and minimal razoring.

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Long Layers

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Long, cascading layers and mermaid waves à la Elle Fanningadd movement and volume to thin or fine hair types. To add further dimension, Kim recommends requesting “long, piece-y curtain bangs that blend seamlessly into the rest of your cut.” To style, she suggests blow-drying with a round brush and adding texturizing spray “to encourage bend and fullness.”

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Soft Pixie

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To recreate Sabrina Elba's crop, “ask for a soft, textured pixie with volume at the crown and slightly longer layers up top,” says Mora. “Let your stylist know you want to keep some density at the sides and crown to avoid looking too scalped if your hair is thin.” To style, he suggests using a lightweight volumizing mousse and rough-drying with your fingers for added texture.

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Baby Bangs

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On Taylor Russell, side-parted baby bangs flow seamlessly into a neat, closely cropped pixie. Maintaining extra length at the top will help build volume, says Kim, as will blow-drying with your fingers and finishing with a lightweight gel.

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Wavy Lob

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A lob that falls just past the shoulders plays up Cate Blanchett’s natural waves and enhances volume. To refresh waves that fall flat, Mora recommends wrapping small sections around a large-barrel curling wand.

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Inverted Lob

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Victoria Beckham’s headline-making A-line haircut is an ideal choice for faking density on thin hair types. “Ask for a soft angle from back to front with minimal layering,” says Kim. “It keeps bulk in the ends while creating shape.” Style using a round brush for added body at the crown.

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Layered Bob

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For a similar look to Julianne Hough’s, Mora recommends asking for “a lightly layered bob that sits at or just below the chin, with blended layers for movement—not too much thinning at the ends.” For lively movement and fullness, blow-dry with a round brush and finish with texture spray.

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Sweeping Curtain Bangs

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Because hair tends to be thinnest at the hairline, Markenson says curtain bangs like Nicole Richie's are ideal for making that area appear fuller. “Ask for cheekbone-grazing curtain bangs that blend into the rest of your haircut,” adds Mora. “Let your stylist know you're looking for softness and fullness around the face, not anything wispy or stringy.” Blow-dry bangs away from the face with a round brush or Velcro rollers for effortless-looking volume.

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Layered Coils

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Yara Shahidi’s delicate coils pop with the lightly layered cut that grazes her shoulders. If you find that your hair craves moisture but gets weighed down by most conditioners and hair masks, Markenson recommends applying a lightweight styling milk or leave-in lotion instead.

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Long Bangs

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Long, wispy bangs frame your face and are particularly easy to style on thin, straight hair. To maintain a smooth yet voluminous finish, blow-dry bangs inwards using a round brush and set with just a lightweight hairspray. Skipping oils and lotions will keep the style from getting weighed down throughout the day.

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Blown-Out Bob

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A sleek, rounded bob hugs Michelle Yeoh’s face and makes her hair appear naturally full. “This cut is ideal for adding density to thin hair,” says Kim. “A chin-length blunt bob creates fullness and structure.” Here, Yeoh’s bob is blown out with a round brush and flat-ironed for a glossy polish.

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Sleek Clavicut

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Hari Nef’s clavicut is straightened and parted deeply to the side for a refined, elegant feel. To maintain movement and bounce, her ends are cut bluntly and bumped inwards with a flat-iron.

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Effortless Shag

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Alexa Chung’s effortlessly cool, mid-length shag is accented by barrel curls and long, face-framing bangs that taper at the sides. To style, prep your hair with a volumizing spray rather than a mousse—sprays are more lightweight and thus less likely to weigh fine hair down. Then, blow-dry with a round brush and touch up small sections with a one-inch-barrel curling iron.

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Wispy Bangs

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Bella Hadid wears her long, wispy fringe parted in the center to draw attention to her eyes and cheekbones. Meanwhile, a scattering of fine caramel highlights reflects the light and tricks the eye into seeing more volume.

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Blunt Lob

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Keira Knightley’s ends look swingy and thick in this blunt cut, which hovers just above her shoulders. A slightly zigzagged part and a hit of salt spray enliven her natural wave and add structure to thin hair.

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Curly Bixie

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Bixies are ideal for highlighting stunning bone structure like Tyla’s and enhancing your hair’s natural texture. With a little bit of styling pomade and a diffuser, this style is ideal for thin, wavy to curly hair types.

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Full Waves

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A combination of sea salt spray, volumizing mousse, and a diffuser will help you effortlessly achieve chic mermaid waves that mirror Rachel Zoe’s. Blonde highlights add another aspect of dimension and volume.

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Soft Curtain Bangs

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Looking to spotlight your cheekbones, while also creating the illusion of a denser hairline? Take inspiration from Kelly Rowland’s curtain bangs, which carve out her bone structure and fall softly into her long bob.

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Loose Curls

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Thandiwe Newton appears angelic in a soft French bob that highlights her curls. Use a diffuser and a volumizing spray for similar body at the crown, and don;t be afraid to embrace flyaways—this style lends itself best to a more laid-back, undone effect.

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Subtle A-Line

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Charlize Theron’s soft A-line cut lets her piercing blue eyes and strong bone structure take center stage. For a similar look, take Mora’s recommendation: “Ask for a subtle A-line with minimal layering for density,” he says. “Request soft texture, but not choppiness, to avoid exposing thin areas.”