Finally Got the Chop? Here are the Best Hair Products For Bobs (and Lobs)

When your cut hits above your shoulders, it’s time to trade in the curling wand for a flat iron, like this slim version from BaBylissPRO. Curling your hair with a flat iron will give you an effortless wave as opposed to the Shirley Temple curls you may get with a barrel at a shorter length. Straighteners are also great for achieving that perfectly smooth and sleek look, which is probably the reason you cut your hair in the first place.

Waking up with smooshed long hair? No biggie, you can throw up in a bun. Waking up with a smooshed bob? Not so simple. That requires a bit of hair CPR by way of Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Dry Shampoo, which will breathe life back into your strands by adding definition and breaking up any waves. It’s also an important tool for adding volume to those cute half-up buns, making sure the section that stays down doesn’t look limp and stick to the back of your neck.

Because of the shorter length, air-drying your chopped hair is a fast and healthy option to consider once in while—but not without the right product. Spritzing Captain Blankenship Mermaid Sea Salt Hair Spray into your strands when they’re about halfway dry will help form a natural looking wave pattern and add some grit for that coveted “I woke up like this” style.

Buy it ($14)

If you’ve got thick hair, this one’s for you. Work some Oaui Matte Pomade into the back of your hair to tame the fullness and keep it from looking poofy, then run any excess through the ends all around your hair. It’ll provide control and a textured finish, all in one. 

Your ends are front and center with this cut, especially if it’s blunt. Keep them hydrated and split-free with a deeply penetrating oil like the morocco argan one from OGX. Apply it to wet ends, then smooth just a drop over freshly dried hair to make sure parched or coarse hair always looks healthy and smooth.

While shorter hair may take less time to style, it’s a misconception that it takes less effort. And the more dry and/or damaged your hair, the more effort it takes so keep it as healthy as possible with a bi-weekly mask. This Honey Moisture Deep Conditioning Mask from Briogeo is just plain adorable, yes, but it’s also infused with unpasteurized, organic honey for intense moisture and is gluten-, paraben-, silicone-, sulfate- and cruelty-free.

Buy it ($36)

Once you’ve gotten your style figured out, you want it to last without looking dull. Grab a hairspray that does more than just hold your hair in place, like Aussie Instant Freeze with Jojoba and Sea Kelp Hairspray. Those two additional ingredients make sure hair not only keeps it’s shape, but also stays shiny and smooth all day long—never lackluster, stiff or crunchy.