The Best Haircuts for Curly Hair, According to a Pro

Everyone knows how much a good haircut — and quality products — can make your natural texture flourish, especially if you have curly hair. Whether you have loose spirals in the 2b and 2c range, or tight coils and kinks on the 4a to 4c spectrum, there are cuts that will enhance your curls and are fairly effortless to style. To discover the most flattering haircuts for every curl pattern, we tapped Michelle O’Connor, the global artistic director at Matrix.

The Best Haircuts for 2b and 2c Curls

These curls are looser, S-shaped swirls that are often prone to frizz. For this hair type. O’Connor recommends a full-length lob with tousled waves. “The Matrix Total Results Miss Mess Dry Finishing Spray is great for creating that tousled effect,” O’Connor says. “It gives prolonged volume with light hold.” Redefine your natural waves with a one-inch curling wand. 

Another product we love for redefining curls is the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Curls Leave-in Conditioner. Formulated for wavy to coily hair types with castor oil and hyaluronic acid, it helps moisturize and define curls without weighing them down, and can be used both morning and night. 

“Another great option is an asymmetrical cut,” O’Connor says. “Long layers with the length just grazing the shoulder in the back and the collarbone in front can really show off feathered waves.” 

The Best Haircuts for 3a-3c Curls

Type 3 curls range from large, loose corkscrews to tighter ringlets, and are generally denser than type 2 curls. Lucky for this hair type, you can easily pull off one of this year’s hottest haircuts: the shag. “These curls will show off all the bountiful layers of the shag shape, while still looking voluminous,” O’Connor says. 

She also recommends the inverted triangle cut, which is shorter and more layered in the back, and longer in the front. This shape emphasizes volume, but the angles keep it from looking bottom-heavy. For perfectly defined ringlets, try the Matrix Total Results A Curl Can Dream Co-Wash and A Curl Can Dream Moisturizing Cream.