In the summer, having a bob haircut is a magical experience. Quick air dries! Little to no styling! Minimal sweaty hair on your neck! It's bliss (once you figure out how to style a bob, of course—that can take a minute). But when the temperature drops and your teeny tanks are covered up by puffer coats, the dreamy days quickly turn into "what the hell was I thinking when I cut off all my hair?" My cute haircut now has to be covered up in a hat, or else I'm shivering my entire commute. What gives?
As a beauty editor who lives in NYC and has had her bob going on three years, I've learned a few things when it comes to styling your bob in the winter. I thought I just had to bask in the winter uglies, short haircut and all. But following these tricks has turned things around. Behold, all the ways to never regret your chic French bob ever again—no matter what kind of long-hair propaganda celebs start throwing at you.
1. Prep your hair for static
All of our winter accessories might look cute, but they can wreak some havoc on your hair. There is nothing worse than pulling off your hood or hat (more on that below) to hair sticking straight up, especially if you spent any time in your bathroom doing it beforehand. To mitigate this, smooth a hair serum or oil (serum for fine hair, oil for thick or coarse hair) over your finished style before running out the door. Not only will this counteract some static, but it can mitigate frizz too if the cold winter air has been puffing up your ends. A few we love? L'Oreal Paris's Elvive Hyaluron Plump Serum to add lightweight hydration, as well as Olaplex's No. 7 Bonding Oil, which will also help strengthen hair a lil bit. Consider also prepping the back of your neck too to help stop your bob from flipping outward if it's been tucked into a jacket or scarf. A little bit of serum will give it some hold.
Of course, if you've already experienced the wretched static, the old dryer sheet hack works wonders. Just rub a dryer sheet over your hair brush before brushing out your hair (or, if it's really bad, I've also just rubbed the dryer sheet over my roots before putting on a hat).
2. Throw on ear muffs, not a hat
Obviously, keeping your head warm is far more important than good hair. But!!! You don't have to totally abandon your bob's volume this winter. Skip the hat—it'll create the dreaded helmet hair look, add static, and basically ruin whatever you did doing your hair (you know, unless, you're on day four hair and going for a specific look). Ear muffs, though, are the perfect accessory for your bob. They'll keep your lil ears nice and toasty but don't mess up your hair. I have a bob with bangs, and my #1 winter essential is a pair of cute ear muffs (like these from Emi Jay).
3. Switch to high-moisture deep conditioners
Your ends are likely already feeling a bit drier, as cold weather zaps practically all of the moisture out of your hair. Now's the time to inject all the moisture you can with your weekly deep condition. But that doesn't mean you need to add weight, necessarily. Look for deep conditioners that are hydrating–meaning they contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane to help actually pull moisture into your strands versus just sitting on top. Sealing ingredients, like oils and butters, are great for preventing water loss, but they just sit on top of your hair and can make your bob look weighed down. I bring Amika's Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Mask into my rotation every winter to help smooth and soften. But if you need something even heavier for your dry hair, try CÉCRED's Moisturizing Deep Conditioner. Cosmo editors tested dozens of deep conditoners this year—easily, this shea butter-based pick from Beyoncé's line was our favorite.
4. Set your style with a texturizing spray
Sure, hairspray is great for locking down your style. But spritzing a liquid all over your hair then walking into bitter cold will immediately make your hair crunchy. No one wants a crunchy bob. Instead, try setting with a dry texture spray. It won't add too much weight to your hair; rather, it gives your strands some grit to naturally increase hold without creating frizz. Tresemme's Dry Texturizing Spray is my current go-to. It's great for most hair types and has a stunning soft, woody scent.
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Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair stories.
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.
