A reminder of just how easy it is to style a lob
Tousled, textured and effortlessly cool, every day of the week
Tousled, textured and effortlessly cool, every day of the week
Oh, the lob. We can’t actually remember a time when the lob haircut wasn’t the hairstyle du jour. Whenever one celeb decides to grown theirs out (or chop it back to bob status), another comes along and makes us fall in love with the long bob all over again.
“The lob, which is either at, or just above the shoulders, is a popular length for its versatility and playfulness, all while being a modern and youthful,” says VS Sassoon Beauty Expert, Michael Brown. Lucy Hale’s one-length wavy lob that suits any and every hair colour, Margot Robbie’s extra-long layered lob that looks equally good straight as it does with a natural bend in it, and Hailey Baldwin’s textured lob that is perfect bedhead inspo, is testament to the endless possibilities. There is literally a lob hair cut to suit everyone.
It’s hard to say who pioneered the lob, but for us, Alexa Chung stands out as one of the first of our generation to put it on the map, all the way back in 2007 (can you believe it?!). Her curtain fringe and lived-in wavy lob combo was – and impressively, still is – absolute #hairgoals.
What can’t a lob do? Answer: nothing. “The lob is a great length as it is still long enough for a chic low bun, or a fun high pony, but its length makes styling time a breeze and it looks great with texture and a slight wave in the hair,” says Brown.
“With so many variations of the lob, options for long bob hairstyles are endless, from straight and smooth, messy and textured, slicked-back, in a low bun or a pony,” says Brown. Personally, we can’t go past the tousled lob a la Margot Robbie. Effortless cool that’s part beachy, part ‘I woke up like this’.
To replicate this signature Aussie It-girl hairstyle, we asked Brown to take us through how to style a lob that has a natural-looking tousled wave to it.
1
Get the texture right
On dry hair, Brown sprays a touch of sea salt spray for texture. “Next, add dry shampoo – even if hair is clean – to the roots for volume,” says Brown, adding you should finger-comb it through. Add grit to your mane with Tarte Hair Goals Dry Shampoo.
2
Add in waves
“Because the lob is usually just above the shoulders, you don’t want too much curl as it can shorten your hair,” advises Brown. Wrap hair (away from the face) around a curling tong like VS Sassoon 38mm Ceramic Curler just once to create a bend halfway: “this opens up the lower part of the face and exposes the cheekbones/jawline,” shares Brown. “I concentrate more on the front and sides and sometimes I don’t even touch the lower back sections to avoid losing length from the lob.”
3
Nail the tousled finish
“Once cooled, use your fingers to comb and separate the waves to mix all the hair together. Then, add a dry texture spray through the hair, being careful not to spray on top,” says Brown. Spraying on top – especially if using hairspray - will weigh the hair down. Try Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray. If you’d prefer a more ‘done’ look, Brown recommends gently smoothing waves with a paddle brush.
Want to shake up your short hair? Try these eight ways to update your long bob, plus the braid you definitely can (and should) do if you have a lob.
Who’s your all-time favourite lob-loving celeb? Do you prefer to style your lob into a tousled or straight look?
Main image credit: Getty
Chelsea is BEAUTYcrew’s Contributing Editor. She has a sweet spot for anything that claims to make skin glow and won’t leave the house without a slick of mascara. Chelsea has 10 years of experience as a beauty editor and her words can be found on BEAUTYcrew, Women’s Health, Daily Addict, The Joye and Primped.
