If your hair is flat, the ghost haircut is the quickest and easiest way to achieve natural-looking volume

An expert weighs in on the new trend

Lenia Perez wearing black / white patterned Vipop Blazer and top with the ghost haircut
(Image credit: Getty Images/Jeremy Moeller / Contributor)

As a beauty editor with thin, fine and flat hair, let me tell you why the ghost haircut is firmly on my radar for the rest of 2023. While bobs have reigned supreme in the hair trend game this year, I have had the same super-long, balayaged style for the best part of a decade. And while I love how low maintenance my hair is, there is one major problem—lack of volume. 

My one-length, long hairstyle means that any glimmer of hair volume is essentially non-existent for me. However, there is one new haircut trend (it's garnering as much popularity as the concave cut) which promises to keep the general aesthetic of my long style while adding a bit of volume—the ghost cut. In a video shared to Instagram, hair stylist and CEO of Hershesons, Luke Hersheson shows the power of the ghost cut.

The premise? It's essentially combines face-framing with soft layers and fluid ends for a more weightless style that boosts natural volume. "For one-length hair with no shape and no volume, start off with a middle parting, take the very front sections and cut in a V-shape," explains Hersheson. "I start off with a razor to give it a really ethereal shape, so it doesn't feel like you've just had a haircut. I put loads of face-framing all around the face to really make cheekbones pop," he adds.

The result is a super versatile haircut that looks great whatever your texture. The best bit? You really can wear it however you want to. "It looks great on the side, brilliant flipped over—loads of volume, loads of shape," he finishes.

And honestly, I'm so convinced of its magic that I'm booking it to have it done myself in a couple of weeks' time. Here's all of the inspiration I'm looking to...

Ghost haircut inspiration

Jung Ho-yeon is my forever beauty goals—and this shaggy ghost cut is perfection.

Hari Nef's copper cut embodies all of the best 2023 hair trends in one look.

I don't think I could be more obsessed with Sofia Richie Grainge's super-length blonde if I tried.

Combining the ghost cut with the lob, Laura Harrier knows how to keep things chic.

Camila Morrone's loose wave is the stuff low-maintenance hair dreams are made of.

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I don't think Ciara has ever served a hair look I dislike, and this one is definitely one of my favourites ever.

Shop styling products for the ghost haircut

Shannon Lawlor
Executive Beauty Editor

Shannon Lawlor is the Executive Beauty Editor at Marie Claire. With nearly a decade of experience working for some of the beauty industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear, Glamour UK, Stylist and Refinery29, Shannon’s aim is to make the conversation around beauty as open, relatable and honest as possible. As a self-confessed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for hard-working perfumes, fool-proof make-up products and does-it-all skincare.