Did you know you can fall in love with your shoulder-length curly hair by adding texture and using specialized products? Whether you prefer a soft, romantic look or voluminous curls, these curly hairstyles for medium hair can take you from the office to an evening garden party.
With plenty of great products to help define your shape and remain frizz-free; you’ll be certain to embrace warmer temperatures.
Curly hair isn’t better long or short. As you’ll see below, curly hair cuts are better when cut right in the middle! Opt for medium-length curly hair instead and you’ll get the best of both worlds!
So before your next hair appointment, check out these photos of the best shoulder-length curly hair ideas:
Dark Brown Medium-Length Curly Hair Style
Dark brown medium-length curly hair style for super reflective rich colored curls. Darker bases will always reflect so much more shine and that’s one thing curly girls crave. A layered medium curly hairstyle keeps a little weight on the length, pushing the layers up for a blended shape.
Shoulder-Grazing Very Curly Hair
Enhance your shape with shoulder-grazing very curly hair which will give a beautiful flow of curls. Shoulder-length curly hairstyles are such a great length to allow for extra layering which creates a soft, rounded shape. This length of haircut for curly hair will require some form of shaping or layering to avoid the curly triangle.
Deva Curly Hairstyle for Medium Length Hair
Deva curly hairstyle for medium-length hair gives off an instant boost of texture, volume, and bounce. Medium-length naturally curly hairstyles are well-suited for women who aspire to have a voluminous flow of layering. The DevaCurl method works on the individuality of the curls to attain their fullest potential.
Wonderful Shoulder-Length Curly Bob with Loose Curls
This is a long curly bob cut to enhance the natural curl. The waves and layers give the cut a nice, strong shape with a nice wide triangle, which is the best of curly haircuts.
Naturally curly girls looking for this look shouldn’t be afraid! Many women considering medium-length naturally curly hair styles think that they are limited to only having long hair below their shoulders, but it just isn’t true. Find a stylist who specializes in curly cuts, and they can create a shape to enhance your curl instead of fighting against it.
Medium U-Cut for Curls
Medium U-Cut for curls is perfect for ladies looking to grow their hair while keeping their curls’ bounce. Adding in layers will lessen the weight of your hair and help achieve extra volume and bounce.
Red Medium-to-Long Curly Hair
Red medium-to-long curly hair is achievable with the right cut and styling technique. Ask your stylist to cut your hair using a “curly” cut technique. This haircut is done on dry hair to achieve even layers. Curls have endless possibilities if you’re bold enough to have fun with them!
Voluminous Curls for Black Women
Voluminous curls for black women have endless possibilities and look fabulous on almost all face shapes. Black ladies with curly hair will want a more moisturizing product to keep their curls happy all day long.
Messy Lob for Curly Girls
Messy lob hairstyles are any curly girls’ favorite hairdo. Ask your stylist to do a “curly cut.” This hairdo is done on dry, styled hair to best achieve the layered fullness you’re looking for.
Romantic Curly Bun Updo for Mid-Length Hair
A romantic curly bun updo for mid-length hair has endless possibilities. It is both easy to achieve and easy to style. Section off your bangs, add a gorgeous hair scarf, let your curls swirl their way off, and you’re good to go.
Balayage Ombre on Mid-Length Curls
A balayage ombré on mid-length curls is very practical if you’re wanting to grow out your hair color as it allows your natural color to blend in smoothly. Opting for balayage ombré on those mid-length curls adds extra definition to those intricate curls while suitably framing your face. This hairstyle requires a non-strict and low-maintenance hair care routine.
Shoulder-Length Curly Hairstyle with Bangs
Opt for a shoulder-length curly hairstyle with bangs and a side part.
Curly girls are sometimes terrified of volume, but here’s the thing, curls will always have volume. It’s just where that volume is distributed.
There are various reasons that cause our hair to act up, so different products help different situations. With that said, take advice from a stylist you trust rather than a YouTuber.
Naturally Curly Mid-Length Cut for a Round Face
A naturally curly mid-length cut for a round face shape needs choppy layers throughout. Medium length curly hairstyles, without added layers, can look a bit heavy if left too short as it adds width to round face shapes.
Medium Layered Curly Hair Idea
This medium layered curly hair with length and face-framing is stunning for older women.
Don’t be afraid of layers. Medium hairstyles for curly hair look best when they have layers, or you’ll end up with the dreaded triangle.
Find a stylist who’s comfortable cutting the locks dry and curl by curl, so they can give you a custom cut for your medium springy curls. Use a medium hold silicone-free (water-based) gel and a diffuser. Diffuse upside down and tip to the sides to achieve maximum volume.
Beachy Natural Curls for Medium Hair
This is one of the cute haircuts for naturally curly hair that was cut. Ask your stylist to consider cutting it using the Deva Curl Waterfall Cut technique. Then add in some soft layers and fun playful bangs.
To style this medium curly hair with curly bangs, follow the Deva Curl No Poo Transformation for hairstyles like this. Leave a good amount of Deva Curl Condition One conditioner in at the shampoo bowl after I detangled the curls so they could reform.
Use the Deva Curl Light Defining Gel and followed with the Deva Curl Frizz Free Foam, and started removing as much moisture as I could with the Deva towel (strongly suggest using if you have natural curl). After fully dry, I flip your head upside down and fluff the curls.
Big Curls on Shoulder-Length Hair
These big curls on shoulder-length hair are for women wanting to recreate hairstyles for medium curly hair. Just know what ingredients are going into the products you choose. Harsh sulfates are going to strip vital moisture from the hair, leaving it dry and very difficult to style. Silicones are going to leave a film on the hair strand and build up over time, creating a cast that interferes with shine, vibrancy, and elasticity.
For our curly textures, hydration starts in the shower. To start this curly haircut off, a deep cleansing of the scalp should be done with DevaCurl Low-Poo Original Cleanser, followed by DevaCurl One Condition. The mixture of two products allows for easy slip while detangling, and because no sulfates are used, essential moisture is not stripped away during the process.
For parched strands, leaving in a good bit of conditioner is a great secret weapon to aid in fighting frizz. After using your fingers to detangle with the conditioner, very lightly rinse then scrunch to expel out excess water while encouraging the curl pattern.
For an added control factor that helps curls last for days, apply DevaCurl Light Defining Gel. Gloss it over the entire shape, and scrunch upwards to enhance definition. This gel creates a zero crunch protective moisture barrier that adds shine and repels frizz. The end result is curls that are touchable and controlled.
Lovely Curly Layered Hair
This lovely medium layered curly haristyle was cut via the Deva Cut. One of the best things about haircuts for curly hair women like this is how seamless the layers are. It’s perfect for creating lift and lightness with heavy hair. It also brings volume and fullness to fine or thin hair.
The amazing finish was created with DevaCurl products. Super Cream added moisture to help smooth the hair texture and the Ultra Defining Gel was used for definition and hold.
Collarbone-Length Curls for Women Over 60
When you’re at that age where everything that you put on is an epitome of elegance, these fringing curls are the best way to show that. This silver-gray curly hairstyle is perfect and works best on thin curly hair.
Messy Medium Cut with Curly Bangs
A messy medium cut with bangs is super low-maintenance and gives a maximum volume. Portland-based stylist Erika St. Pierre shares how to achieve this haircut.
“I used a 90-degree layering technique all around the head. I then made rounded layers with point-cutting,” St. Pierre explains. “The curly bangs and face-framing are cut separately to match the facial features.”
Layered Blonde Curls on a Lob
A layered curly lob can enhance natural curls. Adding in structured layers creates volume on top and the “perfectly undone” texture. To avoid frizz and less curl definition, use styling or curl cream. Such products are sure to freshen up the next-day curls.
This medium curly combover hairstyle method is called a DevaCut. A DevaCut is a dry, curly cut. Doing so allows your curls to lay in their natural state so your hair shape and length are seen properly. Traditional cuts stretch your curls, so when you style, your shape dries differently. Curls tend to lay better with a Deva Cut.
You need the proper technique and the right products for your hair type to get the outcome you desire. The technique used is called Brush Styling. It smooths and enhances your curl pattern. Plus, it allows you to choose the amount of volume you wish.
The best advice for wearing your hair curly is to not compare yourself to others. Curly girls with gorgeous curls are can be hard on themselves. This is because they want someone else’s curl type. Embrace your beautiful curls. There is only one you!
Curly & Thick Shoulder-Length Hair
A layered cut for thick curly hair is designed for women who want to remove some weight near the length of their hair but still have movement and volume. It’s an easy transition from having the long curly hair to having the mid-length one.
This is a low-maintenance style that works best for women with medium to thick hair. It’s suitable for most face shapes as the layering naturally elongates and creates a nice silhouette. Keeping the layers long enough to still easily pull back into a bun or simply away from the face makes this a versatile and easy style to maintain.
A great leave-in conditioner and a medium hold curl gel are all you need to recreate this shape at home.
Layered Curly Bob Hairstyle with Thick Curls
This long layered bob haircut creates a serious bounce in her curls to give this curly girl a sophisticated and flirty look! Those layers of short curls also add more volume to the hair.
Some looking to achieve this hairstyle for curly hair will be happy with the ease of this style! With the right cut, this style simply takes a heavy dose of moisture and a curl defining product like Living Proof Curl Defining Creme. Diffuse or air dry, and voila!
If you have a looser curl, create texture in the crown with the cut and throw in a few loose curls with a curling iron.
Medium-Length Layered Curly Cut
This medium-length layered cut allows the curls to fall beautifully and naturally where they need to lay.
The cut was done dry because dry cutting brings out the best in naturally curly hair. It allows the stylist to see where each curl wants to live and will thrive the best in the cut.
The curly hair journey is a lifetime commitment! To achieve beautiful natural curly hairstyles like this, you first have to get rid of ingredients such as silicones and sulfates that will be damaging and weigh down curly hair. You also need to consider the hair’s porosity and balance between moisture and protein in order to really give your hair what it needs.
Messy and Sweet Curly Shag
Opt for a modern messy curly shag for medium-length hair.
When looking at hairstyles for medium to long curls, modern and low-maintenance are what it’s all about. Adding product when the hair is super wet helps distribute the product evenly throughout the hair. Use DevaCurl Supercream and Ultra Defining Gel.
Diffuse dry the hair to bump up the body. To prevent the bangs (if applicable) from splitting, diffuse them dry first. Finish with Mirror Curls for extra shine.
Before and After Medium Curly Locks
This is a before and after of a Deva Cut which is a dry cut for curly hair. It was cut and styled by hairstylist Alisha Rodrigues of Providence, RI.
“She told me she likes her curls more conservative and less unruly, but she wanted shape. I gave her long round layers specifically for her natural curl pattern. Then I cut her hair one curl at a time to ensure the accuracy of the haircut,” explains Rodrigues.
“I used the Deva Curl Super Cream to style her hair. This is a light moisturizing cream that is perfect to style the hair on clients with fine to medium texture hair,” she says. “It gives you that soft subtle look and feel. I cut her hair right under the collarbone which is a trendy length. It’s the perfect length to brighten up your face and is still long enough to tie back.”
This medium-length curly hair is a perfect haircut for women that wear their hair curled and want some definition in their curl pattern that brightens them up without too much volume.
Cascading Curly Wavy Hair
This curly wavy hair is a universal look for many curly girls. Elevating layers so they cascade over the other removes bulk along with proper styling. When the hair reaches collarbone-length and past, this is a great low-maintenance look for any curly girl with any face shape to consider.
Like all curly gals, the hair needs moisture. From wavy to corkscrew curls, they all deal with the dreaded frizz factor. So the products have to keep all moisture locked in. It’s important to use a sulfate-free cleanser (which keeps oils in) and a silicone-free conditioner (silicones = synthetics and they are water blockers!).
Big Bouncy Curls
These big bouncy curls are ideal for any woman with any lifestyle. And yes, hair colors would be great, too! Use any curling gel layered with a cream to give life to these blonde strands when styling.
Medium-Short Curly Hair
This medium-short curly hair looks dramatic, inspiring, and very pretty! This is the cut that benefits babes with a naturally curly texture. The secret to its nice-looking shape lies in the top layers. If top layers get too long, the result may appear bulky and rounded. Now when it comes to styling, hairspray can be your friend. The amount of definition that the product provides will add height and volume to curls.
Tight Curls on Medium Hair
Wear these tight curls, and show off your natural hair texture! This big curly hair style is side-parted to give your super-curly hair an instant lift. Keep the locks hydrated from roots to ends for a healthier, bouncier result.
Natural Curly Blonde Hair
Opt for natural curly blonde hair, and achieve that fun, fresh-looking edge that’s similar to Charlize Theron’s! The secret to its perfection is the curls’ natural texture. The bright blonde shade suits a woman with blue eyes. It’s the trendy style that gives tresses a livelier finish.
Shoulder-Length Curly Locks with Side Bangs
Admit it, you’ve always wanted to try donning a curly crown with your natural hair color. Go for the full younger look with your curly locks on a medium cut and some side bangs.
Beautiful Brown Curly Hair
Everyone loves beautiful brown curly hair. Medium-length curly hair is a way to enhance those natural curls. Removing some length gives those curls a little bounce. Style with a curl activating mousse and dry with a diffuser.
Mid-Length Curly Shag with Fringe
For a low-maintenance and trendy style, consider a mid-length shag with fringe. This cut is great for a variety of face shapes and hair textures and requires little to no-effort styling. Simply air dry or diffuse with a mousse or texturizing cream and you are done.
Shoulder-Length Curly Shag with No Bangs
A shoulder length-curly shag with no bangs is perfect for the girl on the go. This cut virtually styles itself and can be worn up or down. Shampoo and condition with moisture rich products, and then air-dry or diffuse with a curl cream.
Copper Curls for Mid-Length Hair
Give mid-length curls new life with a copper hue. Warm, copper tones cause light to reflect and bounce off each individual coil and cue. This light trick will make your curls appear healthy, voluminous and full.
Cute Curly Cut for Older Women
With a busy life and schedule, a cute curly cut for older women is an easy choice when there are options for natural styling! This medium-length cut actually comes off more youthful and age appropriate versus overgrown hair. Consult with a stylist that is familiar working with curly hair to find the perfect products to define and keep curls moisturized.
Curly Half-Up Half-Down
A curly half-up half-down hairstyle looks gorgeous for formal events. This one was created by stylist Esti Biton of Tel Aviv, Israel. “I love this look because it preserves the natural curls. It defines them and creates a lush backdrop that wraps the face of the bride,” she adds.
Curly hair haircuts are great for girls who want to keep their natural curls, recognize themselves on their wedding day, but still be the best version of themself. For girls with thin or not so full hair, use hair extensions.
“For this look, you need to have some patience because you have to work on the curls one by one. To maintain durability, I recommend that you use hair spray with stronghold formula,” explains Biton.
Mid-Length Inverted Bob for Curly Locks
A mid-length inverted bob for curly locks is shorter in the back with stacked layers and long, curved lines in the front. Curly hair thus allows for the weight off the back but a stunning waterfall of curls throughout.
Mid-Length Curly Shag Cut with Curly Bangs
Natural Curls with a Side Part
Mid-Length Blonde Curls with a Deep Side Part
Curly curls love a good side part, and mid-length blonde curls with a deep side part show off all the gorgeous dimensions in the hair. Consider using Instagram to find a curly specialist in your area that knows how to enhance your specific curl type. Curly hair behaves very differently from straight hair, and a specialist will be able to identify your curl pattern and cut a shape ideal for you. Medium-length haircuts are the go-to for many types of curly hair because it’s long enough to show off those luscious locks but short enough that the curls can keep their bounce.
