15 hairstyles for long hair to make the most of your locks

When it comes to long hairstyles, celebs have got it down

hairstyles for long hair
(Image credit: Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock)

When it comes to long hairstyles, celebs have got it down

If you get serious hair envy every time you see Jennifer Lopez sporting long Hollywood curls or Beyoncé with her lengthy waves, you're not alone. When it comes to hairstyles for long hair, celebrities have got it down.

It can feel like pretty hard work to think of new 'dos that can transform your 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 ˆ way (literally).

Now that you've got those points ticked off, find the best long hairstyles 2019 will be all about here.

Layered hairstyles for long hair

Beyonce at the 2015 Grammys - hairstyles for long hair

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

hairstyles for long hair - Keira Knightley

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Rex)

Longer hair gives you more to work with when styling and makes 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 softly 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

Zendaya at the 2017 Glamour Women of the Year - hairstyles for long hair

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 hair straighteners if your hair isn't naturally sleek.

Celebrity inspiration: Kendall Jenner, Jessica Alba, Lily James

Hairstyles for long hair on round faces

Priyanka Chopra in New York in a red suit - hairstyles for long hair

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

Jessica Biel with fringe and wavy hair - hairstyles for long hair

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

Kim Kardashian with blonde hair - hairstyles for long hair

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

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra

Layering works great with long hair because there's so much more to work with. Priyanka's long, feathered style works really well with her round face shape.
(Image credit: Rex)

Layering works great with long hair because there's so much more to work with. Priyanka's long, feathered style works really well with her round face shape.

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande

Ariana's signature 'do is a super high, super tight ponytail – her motto is definitely the longer, the better.
(Image credit: Rex)

Ariana's signature 'do is a super high, super tight ponytail – her motto is definitely the longer, the better.

Zendaya

Zendaya

Big, curly hair with lots of volume is a winning look as demonstrated by Zendaya. Curly hair is naturally drier, so use a hair oil to keep the ends soft.
(Image credit: MJ Photos/WWD/REX/Shutterstock)

Big, curly hair with lots of volume is a winning look as demonstrated by Zendaya. Curly hair is naturally drier, so use a hair oil to keep the ends soft.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé

Beyonce Knowles out in New York

It's fair to say that nobody does curls like Queen Bey. She set off her impossibly bouncy, lustrous mane with a slick of red lipstick.

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston

Classics are classic for a reason, which is probably why Jen has kept her famous long, layered style as her signature look.
(Image credit: Rex)

Classics are classic for a reason, which is probably why Jen has kept her famous long, layered style as her signature look.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Nobody does the perfect blowout quite like the royal family, and we don't need to tell you her long and lustrous mane is the envy of us all.
(Image credit: Rex)

Nobody does the perfect blowout quite like the royal family, and we don't need to tell you her long and lustrous mane is the envy of us all.

Rihanna

Rihanna

An oval face shape like RIhanna's is the most versatile, giving you the ability to pull off pretty much any style you like. And if you ask us, long waves are never going to go out of fashion.
(Image credit: Rex)

An oval face shape like RIhanna's is the most versatile, giving you the ability to pull off pretty much any style you like. And if you ask us, long waves are never going to go out of fashion.

Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham

Long Hair Styles
(Image credit: Matt Baron/BEI/REX)

Before she went for the chop again, this was something of a signature style for Victoria Beckham. VB gave the classic wavvy hairdo a new-season spin by tucking her long glossy locks neatly behind the ear and wearing it swept to one side. A great style to go for should you be wearing a strapless evening dress.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba Long hairstyle
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Jessica Alba's long hairstyle is brushed in a sleek, straight style where the lengths fall down her back, perfectly accentuating her bone structure.

Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner

Long Hair Styles
(Image credit: Startraks Photo/REX)

Kendall Jenner is the queen of sleek long hair. She brushes all her hair back over her shoulders to show off her cheek and collar bones and opts for no parting to add volume up top.

Lucy Abbersteen
Beauty Contributor

Lucy is a freelance beauty editor and contributor at Marie Claire, and has written for titles including Glamour, Refinery29, Popsugar, woman&home and more. She was previously Marie Claire’s junior beauty editor. During her career, she’s covered everything from backstage beauty at fashion week to interviews with famous faces like Drag Race royalty and Little Mix. As for her beauty ethos, she’s a big advocate for not having to spend a fortune on beauty products to get good results, and when she’s not got beauty on the brain you’ll find her reading or hanging out with dogs.