It's been a lovely Summer, babes, but it's officially time to put away the salt spray [1] and schedule a haircut appointment with your favourite hairstylist. This season's hair trends are all about cropped cuts, symmetry, and built-in texture. For some serious inspiration, check out these 10 fresh haircuts that pros agree are on trend for Fall 2018. Our celebrity hairstylists walk you through each look so you know exactly what to ask for when you sit in that salon chair this season.
Textured Gradual Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Jourdan Dunn
Get It: A gradual bob is when the hair is shorter in the back and becomes longer toward the front. "What truly makes this a graduated bob is when your stylist creates stacks of layers in the back," said celebrity hairstylist Laurie Heaps [2], who works with Rowan Blanchard, Sabrina Carpenter, and Danielle Fishel. "The amount of this stacking can vary depending on how you wish to style it. For example, if you wish to spike the hair out a bit more, your stacks will be shorter."
Style It: Heaps says the best part about this haircut is how versatile it is when it comes to styling. "To re-create a wavy look like Dunn's wearing, Redken has a line called Beach Envy Volume that gives you gorgeous, loose, wavy hair with soft texture — no sand required. In particular, there is a shampoo [3] ($35) and conditioner [4] ($39) duo that gently cleanses and conditions the hair while also delivering a texture-boost," Heaps advised. Once dry, incorporate a little bit of a texturizing foam, such as Ouai's Dry Texture Foam [5] ($28), to create an undone, lived-in texture that'll last all day.
Who It Flatters Most: Since this look is so versatile, it works well with both naturally wavy and straight hair. Heaps also recommends it for anyone with a heart or square face shape.
Piecey Lob
Celebrity Inspiration: Gemma Chan
Get It: "This cut is very on trend at the moment — celebs everywhere are taking out the superlong extensions in favour of bobs and lobs," said celebrity stylist Andrew Fitzsimons [6], whose clientele includes literally all of the Kardashians. "This particular cut hits right at the collarbone with layers around the face, with additional light layers around the sides and back for volume. For cutting, it's all about strategically placed layers, so make sure you work with a stylist who is comfortable with this style."
Style It: Fitzsimons said, "This cut looks great with a voluminous blowout, worn straight with a little volume. But this cut is versatile, so it also looks great as it's pictured here with a big curl from midlengths to the ends." He says you can also use a bit of a texture spray for a look that's more undone. Try Paul Mitchell Invisiblewear Undone Texture Hairspray [7] ($19).
Who It Flatters Most: "This works for naturally wavy and straight hair and suits most face shapes," Fitzsimons said. "The layers around the face are the key to this cut. Make sure to ask your stylist how to approach the layers around the face that are best suited for your face shape."
Midlength With Uniform Layers
Celebrity Inspiration: Megan Markle
Get It: "This is a layered cut that's uniformly layered at the back as well as at the front. This cut gives the hair more movement and accentuates the texture," said Rodney Cutler [8], celebrity stylist and founder of Cutler Salon.
Style It: Before grabbing your blow dryer, apply a generous amount of a shine-infusing heat protectant, such as Drybar's Hot Toddy Heat Protectant Mist [9] ($26). "While I'm not the biggest fan of a metal round brush, this is the time to use it. Blow-dry with a medium-size metal round brush to give it body on the ends and a bit of curl," Cutler said.
Who It Flatters Most: This look works for many face shapes, but Cutler cautions against getting it if you have a square forehead. There are other cuts that can better soften the angularity of a square shape.
Soft, Feathered Layers
Celebrity Inspiration: Jennifer Aniston [10]
Get It: Is there ever a haircut Jennifer Aniston wears that the rest of the world doesn't pine over? The answer is no. "Always known for her layered looks, this cut is comprised of long layers that are softly shattered (or texturized) on the ends," Heaps said. "Once the layers are cut all around, ask your stylist to point-cut the tips, taking the points of their scissors and chopping into the line to soften it and slightly add texture. This way the ends are lightly feathered, not blunt."
Style It: Aniston's rocking an airy, windblown effect here. To re-create this same look, grab a flat iron — try CHI 1" Volcanic Lava Ceramic Hairstyling Iron [11] ($169) — and apply a shine-enhancing heat protectant, such as White Sands Liquid Texture Medium Styling Spray [12] ($20). "Taking hair in one-inch sections, mist with White Sands before heat is applied. This spray has thermal guards and style memory, while making the hair shinier as heat is applied," Heaps said. "For a slight bend, take the flat iron and wave the hair by moving your wrist back and forth in large, elongated passes. This will create soft bends with movement."
Who It Flatters Most: "For face shapes with a prominent chin or jaw line, this is for you. The soft layers will also soften your features," Heaps said.
Modern Pixie
Celebrity Inspiration: Kate Hudson [13]
Get It: Whether you're looking for an updated way to do your already-short hair or you want a drastic change, this could be the Fall look for you. "This modern pixie is created with point-cutting or a razor to create a piecey, textured look," said celebrity stylist Kieran McKenna [14], who's actually Kate Hudson's stylist. She also works with Stephanie Seymour and Kate Moss [15].
Style It: "Styling this look should be achieved by drying with a flat brush and a hairdryer, brushing your hair from one side to the other and occasionally forward," McKenna said. "Once dry, use either Oribe Swept Up Powder Spray [16] ($42), which creates separation and rougher texture, or Oribe Rough Luxury Soft Molding Paste [17] ($39), which will help maintain the touchable feeling of your hair while supporting volume and texture."
Who It Flatters Most: An oval face shape is the best shape for this particular cut, McKenna says. "Other face shapes can, by all means, rock a pixie, but there will be areas that will need to be altered to balance face shape," she noted.
Elongated Layers
Celebrity Inspiration: Dascha Polanco
Get It: "Dascha's hair is stunning. It has a lot of length with elongated layers throughout. This gives the appearance of a beautiful waterfall effect at the ends," Heaps said. "It is important for your stylist to start the layers at the very end of this length. They will be subtle, but this will give the hair natural movement."
Style It: You can style this haircut in many ways, but to re-create Polanco's sleek locks, you'll want to utilize a handful of heat styling tools. After towel-drying, clip hair into four sections (nape, sides, top) and apply your favourite antifrizz blowout cream. We like SheaMoisture Argan Oil & Almond Milk Smooth & Tame Blow-Out Crème [18] ($11). "Then blow the hair out in sections with a boar bristle brush and hair dryer, such as Dyson's Supersonic Hair Dryer [19] ($400). Once the hair is dry, re-section the hair and go in with a flat iron to really amplify the shine factor and create a slight just at the ends," Heaps said. Follow up with some shine spray or serum, such as NuMe Gloss Boss [20] ($27).
Who It Flatters Most: "Extreme lengths work well for all hair textures. It is vital to keep a trim schedule up to keep hair this long healthy and free of split ends. This will suit all face shapes beautifully," Heaps said.
Fringed Lob
Celebrity Inspiration: Mila Kunis [21]
Get It: We told you bangs were having a moment during the Fall/Winter NYFW runway shows, and we meant it. Proof: Mila Kunis, who looks gorgeous in fringe. "The lob has been a popular look the past few years and doesn't seem to be going out of style anytime soon. However, Mila Kunis's look takes it a step further and includes a short, choppy fringe and edgy lob," McKenna said.
Style It: "Using a comb to style the fringe, blow-dry combing your fringe area from one side then the other side and occasionally forward, to create a very straight fringe," McKenna said. Apply a bit of gel serum for extra hold and shine, and then blow-dry remaining hair with a round brush. Finish the look with a large-barrel curling iron, such as Hot Tools 1" 24K Gold Curling Iron [22] ($50), to give a loose wave look. You can also apply a small amount of a texturizing finishing cream, such as R+Co Jackpot [23] ($26), on the bangs to hold the separated, textured look.
Who It Flatters Most: "Mila Kunis has a round face shape, which is why her cut is all one length or has very minimal layers. Having one length style slims out her cheek area and makes her face shape appear more oval," McKennan noted. She says this look also works with all the other face shapes, as well. It's just a matter of tweaking it so it's flattering.
Razored Lob
Celebrity Inspiration: Kerry Washington [24]
Get It: "Kerry has a medium-length razor cut that's shorter in the back and longer to the front," said Takisha Sturdivant-Drew [25], a celebrity stylist who actually created this look. "I cut the back shorter so the hair would fall the way it did on her neck. Then I added shorter layers to the sides and front." She notes that when you cut hair with a razor versus scissors, it falls differently while slightly thinning out the hair.
Style It: "I used my BaByliss Pro Flat Iron [26] ($40) to get the hair bone straight, then brushed it out with the Tangle Teezer [27] ($12) to keep all the hairs in place," Sturdivant-Drew said. Follow up with a styling paste, such as R+Co's Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste [28] ($29), for a bit of texture.
Who It Flatters Most: Sturdivant-Drew recommends this look for oval and round face shapes, noting that it also works well on curly and coarse hair.
Blunt, Symmetrical Bob
Celebrity Inspiration: Bella Hadid
Get It: In case you haven't noticed, there are a lot of celebrities rocking this symmetrical, cropped look right now. "The interesting thing about this cut is that it's not A-line, which gives it that chic, French look," Cutler said. "It has slight texture at the ends, created using a point- cutting to give it some movement."
Style It: "Blow-dry hair straight with a paddle brush, making sure there's no roundness at the ends — otherwise it can look a little like an older woman's cut," Cutler advised. To help get hair extra straight, try a one-inch flat iron, such as T3 Single Pass Luxe Straightening and Styling Iron [29] ($180).
Who It Flatters Most: Cutler says this look works best on oval-shaped faces.
Classic, Full Layers
Celebrity Inspiration: Sofia Vergara
Get It: "Sofia Vergara has a classic, long hairstyle with elegant waves," McKenna said. If your hair is short but you're keen on this look, consider springing for extensions. There are a handful of clip-in or halo options if you don't want to fully commit.
Style It: "To replicate this style, prepare your hair with Oribe Smooth Style Serum [30] ($54) and blow-dry with a round brush into large pin curls. If necessary, reinforce curl with a large-barrel curling iron," McKenna said. Finish with your favourite flexible hairspray. We like TRESemme Beauty Full Volume Flexible Finish Hairspray [31] ($5).
Who It Flatters Most: "This cut can look good on a number of face shapes by simply altering the base length and the length of your face-framing angles," McKenna said. "Sofia Vergara has a square-shaped face, so the angles are kept below chin length to make her face appear longer and more oval shaped."