Hairstyles for long hair that make the most of your locks

If you get serious hair envy every time you see Jennifer Lopez sporting long Hollywood curls, Beyonce oozing unreachable levels of coolness with her lengthy waves and Kim Kardashian looking reminiscent of our childhood mermaid dreams, you’re not alone. When it comes to inspirational hairstyles for long hair, celebrities have got it going on.

Yes, it can seem tiresome – ball breaking, even –to think of new ‘dos that can transform your simple long hair to a masterpiece. But, with the right tools, a bit of patience and some celebrity inspiration, it’s not just possible, but totally achievable.

And make sure you keep your hair in tip top condition. If you find that your hair gets to a certain length and then breaks off, you need to look through our round up of the best shampoo for dry hair. Similarly, if you find that your hair looks greasy quickly, you need to work out the best shampoo for your hair type. A little bit of care will go a long way – literally.

Now that you’ve got those points ticked off, find the best hairstyles for long hair, right here…

Layered hairstyles for long hair

Jim Smeal/BEI/REX/Shutterstock

Layering on long hair is a great way to add texture, volume and, well, a bit more life to your hair. Keeping layers tapered towards the ends of your hair will add bounce to your overall look, while feathered layering around the face can soften your overall face shape.

Celebrity inspiration: Beyoncé and Jessica Biel

Hairstyles for long thick hair

Thick hair works great with longer layers, and usually doesn’t need a lot of help adding volume – look to celebs like Beyoncé, Priyanka Chopra, Zendaya and Jessica Biel for inspiration on how to master it. These hairstyles for thick hair will give you even more inspiration on how to style yours.

Celebrity inspiration: Beyoncé and Zendaya

Hairstyles for long thin hair

JABPromotions/WWD/REX/Shutterstock

Longer hair gives you more to work with when styling and making it appear fuller. ‘If you have fine hair, keep layers longer as over layering will only make the hair appear thinner and sparser,’ Sam advises. Stars like Cara Delevingne and Keira Knightley are the pros when it comes to styling longer, thinner hair, so look to them for inspiration on hairstyles for fine hair.

Celebrity inspiration: Keira Knightley and Cara Delevingne

Hairstyles for long hair with bangs

When done right, fringes are one of those hairstyles that anyone can get right – if you have a square face, stick to a soft layered fringe, while rounder faces can pull off shorter, blunt bangs. Wondering how to cut your own hair? Read our guide to trimming your own fringe to ensure you don’t have a DIY disaster.

Celebrity inspiration: Jessica Biel

Hairstyles for long hair with curls

Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock

Long, curly hair looks great whether natural or heat styled; if it’s your natural texture, don’t over-layer as this will create a whole lot of extra volume your hair probably doesn’t need. And if you’re using one of the best curling wands to create beautiful bouncy waves, be sure to use a heat protecting spray to avoid damage.

Celebrity inspiration: Beyoncé and Zendaya

Hairstyles for long straight hair

Although the hairstyles of the moment tend to focus on blunt ends with textured waves, straight hair is still an elegant and chic option for how to wear your hair if it’s longer, and tucking it behind one ear softens the overall look whether you have a centre or side parting. Always use a heat protecting spray before using the best straighteners if your hair isn’t naturally sleek.

Celebrity inspiration: Kendall Jenner, Jessica Alba, Lily James

Hairstyles for long hair on round faces

Stephen Lovekin/WWD/REX/Shutterstock

Longer hair is great for elongating a more spherical face shape to make it appear more oval, especially with softer, shorter layers around the face. To master choosing a style for this face shape with expert hair tips, read our guide to choosing hairstyles for round faces.

Celebrity inspiration: Priyanka Chopra, Kendall Jenner and Kate Upton

Hairstyles for long hair on square faces

Square faces often come with a more angular jaw shape, with the forehead, cheekbones and jaw all spanning the same width. These can be softened with more rounded layers, especially with soft curls that fall past the jawline. If you have a more angular bone structure, look to these celebrities’ hairstyles for square faces to master styling your hair for your face shape.

Celebrity inspiration: Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Biel

Hairstyles for long hair on oval faces

Steve Lucero/BFA/REX/Shutterstock

If you have an oval face, you’re in luck, because this is considered the most adaptable face shape – that’s to say that it works with just about any and every hairstyle. ‘The most important consideration to take into account is the individuals’ natural texture,’ says Sam. ‘This will determine the style, shape and length.’

See our round up of the best celeb hairstyles for oval faces.

Celebrity inspiration: Kim Kardashian