Long hair is amazing — you can do a million things with it(Hello, Elsa braid!) —but sometimes it's nice to switch it up and cut your hair to your collarbone.And sometimes,there might be a real benefit to doing so. If you answer yes to one (or more!) of the following statements, it's time to lose some length.
Here are 11signs you need to take the plunge and get a long bob already (along with some majorlob inspo for your viewing pleasure).
1. You've been bleaching your hair or ombré-ing it for a while. Sound familiar?If so, it's probably time to cut it to get rid of some of the damaged ends. Hairstylist Frankie Foye, who gave Alessandra Ambrosio her brand new lob, said Alessandra wanted to go shorter after years of highlighting her hair. "Debbie Harry and Patti Smith were the inspiration, so it felt more rocker," Foye notes.
2. You have more thickness in your roots and mid-length,but yourends are thinner.This is a common ratio, says Bryce Scarlett, who gave Gigi Hadid her faux bob for the American Music Awards. "By getting a lob, you cut your hair at one of itfullest points,so your hair appears thicker from roots to ends," he adds.
If you have thickerhairto start, stylist Harry Josh, who tends to the tresses of lob-loversBella Hadid, Rose Byrne, and Kate Bosworth,recommends havingyour stylist texturize and thin it out from the mid-lengthdown, so you don't end up with a triangle-shaped hairstyle.
3. Your hair feels flat and lifeless.Going shorter will give your hair more volume and going forblunt ends willgivethe illusion of fullness, sayscelebrity stylistJen Atkin, who gaveKhloé Kardashianher latest lob.
4. You're over long beachy waves, but don't want to part with the bend in your hair.Long beachy waves will always be beautiful, but if you want to shake it up a bit when it comes to your strands, go for a lob. You get the best of both worlds with a long bob because theylook great straightened (like Kate Bosworth's mane), but they also look amazing highly textured (like Bella Hadid's hair),which can resemble beachy waves done differently,Josh says. Try John Frieda Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray.
5. Your hair looks frayed or split at the ends.Sure, you can apply all kinds of hair potions to make your hair look like it isn't frizzy, but theonly way to remedy split ends is to give your hair a trim. What's even better than a trim?Foye recommends cutting off some length every once in a whileto give yourself a fresh style and healthier-looking hair. "The good thing about a lob is that they'reusually cut in a choppy,layered way, so you know it will look good for the next three months as it grows out," she adds.
6. You've been eyeing short hair for agesbutare scared to make the cut.Since lobs are cut right below yourcollarbone, they still allow you to have some length (aka you can still put your hair into a ponytail). Plus,your hair will be long again in no time if you choose togrow it back out, making the decision to go shorterless scary than you think, says Atkin.
7. You're looking for a flattering style.One size fits almost everyone when it comes to this style.One note: If you havea longer-shaped face,you'll want tomake sure your stylist buildsup the width of yourhair (like Scarlett did to his hairin the above photo)."Lobs arelengthening to begin with andcanelongate a long face even more,says Scarlett."So by adding width with slight layers and incorporatingtexturizing products into your regimen, you can balance out the lengthslightly, reducing how much it elongates your face." To pump up your strands, applyMatrix StyleLinkHeight Riser at the rootand continue dusting it through the restof your hair.
8. You want to appear taller.Here's the thing:You have the right to wearany hairstyle you'd like, but having really long hair when you're short canmake you appear even shorterthan you are. "Getting alob brings the length of your haircloser to your face,making it the focus and makingyou appear taller,sincethe proportions are more in par with your body," Scarlett says.
9. You don't want your hair to weigh you down. If you'rebusty and have long hair that you love, thenmore power to you. Buthaving long hair (especially with zero layers) can bring heaviness to your look. Opting fora lob over long haircan open your chest and neckline, tradingthe heaviness of your old hair fora lighter look,Scarlett notes.
10. You hate wearing your longhair down.But you're also sick of putting it up into a ponytail or a top knot. For this reason,Atkin recommends getting a lob.The length won't get in your way, so you won't mind wearing it down, but it's long enough that you can still put it up in a ponytail if you so desire.
11. You have trouble styling your own hair.Sure, when you leave the salon, it looks great, but if you feel like you can never style it on your own, Atkin suggestsopting for a shorter length that's easier to manage on a daily basis.
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Carly Cardellino
Carly Cardellino was the beauty director at Cosmopolitan. If you follow her Instagram, then you know she'll try just about any beauty trend or treatment once (the pics of her purple hair are on IG to prove it). But her favorite part about being in beauty is finding the most effective products, and then sharing that intel with others—because who wants to spend money on stuff that doesn't work? No one, that's who. Her most recent discovery: De La Cruz Sulfur Ointment, which will change your blemish-clearing game! Hopefully through the beauty stories she writes—and the experiences she shares—you can see exactly why she's in this business.
