So, you got a bob haircut. Congrats! Or you're just really thinking about it—in which case, (1) do it, and (2) you've come to the perfect place to be convinced. Dozens of our favorite celebrities—Sofia Richie Grainge, Ariana Greenblatt, Hailee Steinfeld, to name a few—have cut bobs this year, marking it the trendiest hairstyle of 2025. But many people still think it really is just a one-trick pony with minimal styling options. And as Cosmo's resident Bob Beauty Editor (my new title, FYI), I'm here to fully debunk the theory that styling a bob haircut is hard.
For reference, I cut my bob two summers ago, and aside from a brief stint where I tried and failed to grow things out, I've never looked back. When you first cut your hair, sure, it can be a bit confusing. "How to style a bob" is likely in your searches. So to make it easier, I connected with a celebrity hair stylist to get her top tips for bob haircuts (and added a few of my own that I've learned over the years).
1. Ask for the right cut
Hairstylist Annadjid "Kee" Taylor recommends having an open conversation before the cut to really make sure you're getting what you want. "Talk about your daily habits, your styling time, and what you actually want your hair to do—the more they know, the better they can tailor the cut to you," she says. You want to make sure the cut is tailored to you, not just a screenshot from Instagram.
For example, if you're not big on heat-styling, let 'em know that you want a cut that'll look good without the help of a blow-dry brush, says Taylor. "Ask for soft layers or internal shaping, especially around the crown and back, so the hair naturally falls into place without needing too much styling."
Taylor, who is an expert on working with natural hair, recommends asking for a dry cut if you have wavy or curly hair. "This way, your stylist can see how your hair actually will look when it's dry versus guessing how it'll sit once it shrinks up or expands," she explains.
2. Invest in high-quality tools
Here's the thing: Having a set of brushes and hot tools is going to change your bob life. Obvi, your kit is gonna need a classic styling brush. If you've got curls, coils, or waves, make sure you have a wide-tooth comb or a pick to help fluff up your roots and add volume. But you will also definitely want a round brush you can use for blow-drying and shaping. I'm a fan of the round-brush attachment on my Dyson Airwrap for this since I can essentially blow-dry and style my hair at the same time.
On the hot tool subject, a good blow-dryer is always essential in anyone's life, no matter what haircut or hair type you're working with. You should also def get a diffuser attachment if you have curls or waves (don't worry, many high-end blow dryers these days come with one—phew). "Diffusing helps your natural pattern come through without frizzing everything out," she explains.
Taylor is also on team flat iron if you just cut a bob to help create soft bends or quickly polish your ends. Look for one with rounded edges—like Mane The Three-Way Multi-Use Flat Iron—to help smooth your hair without making it look flat, as well as make soft waves and curls easily.
Try These Hair Tools:
AIMIKE NaturaVol Round Brush
Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold Evolve Ionic Flat Iron
T3 LuxeDry High-Performance Hair Dryer Set
3. Perfect the blowout
The core base of all of your looks is going to be a solid blowout. I know you're getting all antsy, but don't stress! Always start with a heat protectant before styling, and ideally, wait until your hair is mostly dry to avoid excess heat. With a bob, the key is to slightly straighten the ends so they don't tuck in and give that bowl-like shape. Focus the majority of your blowout on adding volume at your roots and just finishing your ends with a slight bump (unless your go-to is a fully flipped-in, chic situation, then go forth!).
"If your bob has more texture or layers, or if you have wavy or curly hair, it’s all about definition and volume," says Taylor. She recommends smoothing in a curl cream section by section on damp hair, then diffusing or air drying. "Once it’s dry, scrunch in a bit of oil to break up any cast and bring out the natural movement," she adds. "A lot of people skip this step, but it makes the biggest difference in how the cut holds throughout the day."
Grab These Blowout Essentials
Joico Dream Blowout Thermal Protection Creme
REVLON One-Step Blowout Curls - Revlon
4. Make styling creams, serums, and mousses your friend
If there's one thing I've learned as a person with a bob, it's that I use way more styling products now than I did with longer hair. Why? Well, your bob just needs a lil more directing than when gravity is naturally pulling all of your hair down a bit more. Taylor recommends always smoothing or spritzing on a leave-in conditioner for hydration (you can find one for any hair type). But afterward, it's all about the style.
There are a plethora of styling creams now that work on a variety of hair textures (my go-to is Dae Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream, a Cosmo Readers' Choice Award winner). This can help slick down flyaways, give your hair some extra hold, and make it easier to get everything in the exact place you want it (bangs positioned all Sabrina Carpenter-esque, ends flipped in, waves and curls separated).
You can also play around with different formats, of course. Hair oils are great to finish with and give your bob a sleek, shiny look. If you prefer a more imperfect, tousled bob, try a mousse on damp hair or texture spray on dry hair.
Redken One United All-in-One Multi-Benefit Treatment
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray
Kerstase Elixir Ultime Refillable Hair Oil
AG Care Cloud Air Light Volumizing Mousse
5. Come up with your go-to styles
"Bobs are surprisingly versatile once you start playing around, and once you find your go-to routine, it becomes so easy to maintain," says Taylor. Which is why it's so important to come up with your own arsenal of go-to looks to make getting ready easier (I did this, and now doing my hair is legit basically an afterthought, yet it almost always looks good). Here are a few ideas Taylor suggests:
- A middle part, tucking each side behind your ears. You can use a drop of hair oil or smoothing serum to get a glassy finish, adds Taylor.
- Try a half-up pony, bun, or claw-clip style.
- "For curly bobs, I love a defined shape with volume," says Taylor. "After styling your curls with a moisturizing cream, diffuse and fluff at the roots once dry, then flip your part to the opposite side for added lift," she explains. "It gives that pretty rounded bob silhouette, and you can separate the curls a bit more with hair oil for shine and softness."
- Slicked-back buns might have been your long hair go-to, but the same sleek look can easily work on a bob. Even if you can't pull your short hair fully back into a bun, just slick all of your hair back with gel and smooth into place with a brush, leaving the rest of your hair down (feel free to rake gel through the ends too if you want a full wet-look).
But also, "don’t forget that bobs are all about intentional styling while your hair is still wet," says Taylor. "Whether that’s tucking it behind your ears, flipping it for volume, or pinching a few pieces forward, those small details make the style look finished and give your hair a little direction while it's damp."
6. Don't overlook accessories
Clips, barettes, scrunchies, pins, headbands, scarves—they look better on a bob! Not sorry about it! Without the length getting in the way, hair accessories really get a chance to shine. Plus, they don't require too much styling around, so long as you have your basic blow-out or air-dry situation nailed down.
Cute Hair Accessories to Try Right Now:
Emi Jay Sweetheart Clip in Vanilla Chai
Emi Jay Petite Clip in Toasted
Slip Skinny Scrunchies
Final verdict:
The overall consensus amongst both hairstylists: Don't overthink it. "The right bob should work with your natural hair, not force you into a routine that doesn’t fit your lifestyle," says Taylor. And they're both fully convinced there's a bob for every hair texture, whether that's a curly shag with a fringe, a French bob, a blunt chin-length cut, a lob (!), or one of the other gazillion types of bob haircuts. "If it’s your first time going shorter, give yourself time to get used to the new shape," says Taylor. "Try different partings, tuck it, clip it, fluff it–it’s such a fun, confident cut to have."
Meet the experts:
- Annadjid "Kee" Taylor is a hairstylist based in Philadelphia, PA. She's the owner of her own salon, Deeper Than Hair, and is also the author of a children's book called All Hair Is Good Hair, teaching young people to love their natural hair texture.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories that range from low-porosity hair products to reviewing K18. She regularly tests and analyzes hair products while working with the industry’s top hairstylists to research new trends.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
