Low Maintenance Medium Length Hairstyles for Thick Hair

Thick hair is a blessing, but it’s definitely a pain to style and maintain. If you have a ton of hair, these 15 low maintenance medium length hairstyles for thick hair could change your life. 

Layers, a little thinning to remove bulk, and bangs can make thick hair more lightweight and oh-so-easy to care for! Check out the 15 best styles for thick hair and tips for easy styling below. 

Choosing Low Maintenance Medium Length Styles for Thick Hair

• Layers and thinning help remove bulk and excess weight from thick strands
• Bangs can add movement and flattering length around the face
• Leave the ends blunt to flaunt thickness or point-cut for texture

If you’re in a love-hate relationship with your thick hair, you’re not alone. Sure, the density and fullness is great, but it takes forever to do anything with it – washing, drying, and styling.

That’s why low maintenance medium length hairstyles for thick hair are such a game changer. 

Medium length is perfect for thick hair because it’s just lightweight enough to make a difference but not so short you’ll have to sacrifice some of your favorite hairstyles. 

But as all thick-haired individuals know, it’s not as simple as chopping your strands into a medium-length style and calling it a day.

Thick hair needs more – a little layering, face-framing layers or bangs, and maybe a little thinning to remove bulk – to look its best in medium lengths. 

Depending on the styles you like best, you can go with blunt ends that show off how thick and luscious your locks are or opt for point-cut, textured ends that lighten things up. 

Choosing low maintenance medium length hairstyles for thick hair is essential if you’re not game to spend 30+ minutes styling your strands every day. 

That means working with, not against, your hair’s texture to make it easier to wash and go with air-dried styles that flaunt your mane’s natural state. 

Strategic layers and interior bulk removal with thinning shears are the keys to making medium length hairstyles more lightweight and low maintenance. 

We’ll show you the 15 best styles for thick hair and tips to make styling and hair care a little easier next! 

15 Low Maintenance Medium Length Hairstyles for Thick Hair

If you’re into medium length styles, you’ll want something that’s low maintenance and suitable for thick, dense strands.

Soft, sliced layers, texture through the ends, and lightweight bangs are excellent choices for a thick mane. Here are 15 of the best low maintenance medium length hairstyles for thick hair! 

1. Textured Lob With Baby Bangs

Short, choppy baby bangs add a modern edge to an otherwise basic and low maintenance style that doesn’t quite reach the shoulders. Undone waves are the perfect texture to accompany this style. 

Layering in this look is subtle, only showing up close to the ends, and point-cutting removes excess bulk that can weigh thick hair down. 

2. Medium Length With Face-Framing Layers

Chic and layered to perfection, this shoulder-length look features face-framing layers that add a little interest and length variation while injected more movement into thick hair. 

An off-center part is perfect for this look. Invisible layers in the interior of the hair can remove unwanted weight and bulk to help the exterior layers pop a bit more. 

3. Point-Cut Collarbone Length With Wispy Bangs

We love cuts on the longer side of medium length, like this un-layered collarbone-grazing style. Soft and wispy bangs feather back into the cut for a little face-framing magic. 

The ends are somewhat blunt with subtle point-cutting that gives you a little more wiggle room in between trims (new growth is less obvious with point-cutting). 

4. Shaped Lob With Graduated Layers

Make the most of your thick and luscious locks with a shaped lob that features smoothly graduated layers. A deep side part with extra volume at the roots makes it super flattering. 

Layers like this gradually get longer toward the ends, adding shape to a lob haircut that looks amazing with heat-styled or air-dried texture. Now that’s low maintenance! 

5. Smooth Shoulder-Length Blunt Cut Lob

If it hurts your soul to think about layering your thick hair or cutting bangs that you’ll have to live with for years, you might opt for a smooth blunt cut lob. 

It’ll be much easier to style and maintain if you can stomach a little thinning on the interior of the hair, but even left whole without layers or thinning, this is a stunning look for thick strands. 

6. Rounded Bob With Textured Bangs

A rounded bob that tucks under at the ends is super-cute and easy to maintain and style. This bob has sliced layers that encourage the ends to tuck under for a ready-to-rock style that doesn’t need much input from you. 

Piecey bangs are point-cut to add a little texture that contrasts beautifully with the rounded shape of the bob. Try this brow-grazing length or go slightly shorter for an edgier look. 

7. Stacked Inverted Lob

If you’re looking for a truly low maintenance style that has built-in shape and works well with a little natural texture, this inverted bob with stacked layers in the back is ideal. 

It’s a wash and go look that can easily be upgraded with quick heat styling on the ends or blow drying with a round brush. Stacked layers add volume to the book that gives it an instantly polished look, even if you just rolled out of bed. 

8. Medium Length Cut With Waterfall Layers

Waterfall layers cascade through the hair, connecting each layer to the next with a flowing and curved appearance that makes thick, heavy hair lighter and so much easier to manage and style. 

The way these layers are cut encourages each strand to subtly bend at the ends, meaning you’re free to air dry this style and still end up with beautiful texture. 

9. Layered Lob With Point-Cut Ends

If you’re not a big fan of choppy, obvious layers, opt for a more subtle style like this lob that passes the shoulders and features gently point-cut ends for a little texture. 

The layers begin only a few inches from the ends – just enough to remove some bulk that prevents movement – and the style is suitable for heat-styled or air-dried texture. 

10. Medium Bob With Soft Sliced Layers

Slicing layers into the hair produces a softer, more subtle result than razoring or cutting layers at a strong angle. Blunt ends offset the layers and give the hair a full, healthy look with some shape. 

By sliding the scissors down the ends of the hair, bits of length and weight are removed to encourage gentle curling at the ends without sacrificing the hair’s density. 

11. Choppy Textured Bob With Waves

When you’re truly sick of all the weight and thickness of super-dense hair, you can ask for a thinned-out bob with judicious use of thinning shears to remove interior bulk and weight. 

As a result, you’ll have an airy, lightweight bob with textured ends that have tons of movement and bounce. Layers add a little more interest and pair perfectly with natural or styled waves. 

12. A-Line Bob With Stacked Layers

We love a good inverted or A-line bob for thick hair worn in a medium length style. The shorter length in the back provides a great foundation for stacked layers that add volume. 

Toward the front, the hair is thinned out a bit with invisible layers on the interior that lend a little more swing and movement. This style looks great with long, side-swept bangs. 

13. Lob With Long Bangs and Invisible Layers

If you’re all about the glam looks but still want that low maintenance freedom, this lob that doesn’t quite hit the shoulders should be on your list. 

Subtle sliced layers around the face keep the look lightweight, while invisible layering throughout the cut takes out excess bulk that would cause the style to puff out or hang heavily. 

14. Layered Long Bob With Side-Swept Bangs

Thinning shears, soft layers, and sweeping side bangs make this look one of our favorite low maintenance medium length hairstyles for thick hair. 

Thinning should start around the ears and continue through the ends to add movement and take out bulk. Soft layers graze the ends and slicing scissors along the ends of the bangs creates a cute curve that practically styles itself. 

15. Medium Length Bob With Short Layers

Short layers are layers that are cut to closely stack together. They actually boost the thick appearance of hair, so this is a great option for those who want to flaunt the density.

Razoring layers from the top down encourages the hair to flip upward for a cute, low maintenance style that can be wash and go. Concentrating layers at the ends only keeps this look smooth, not choppy.

Things to Consider

What else should you know about choosing low maintenance medium length hairstyles for thick hair? Here are a few things to keep in mind as you browse your options. 

• You might enjoy going shorter. While medium length hairstyles tend to be the preferred length for thick hair, you might appreciate the even lower-maintenance freedom of short haircuts for thick hair. Consider short bobs, pixie cuts, and bixie (pixie/bob) cuts that will further reduce the need for involved daily styling. 
• Is your hair actually thick? Check out our hair thickness guide or take the Is My Hair Thick or Thin Quiz to learn the difference. Your hair might be thick in terms of density (how many hairs are on your head) or in terms of strand diameter (how thick/wide is each strand). 
• Is your hair coarse or fine? The answer will determine what type of styling products you should use to get the best results with your medium length styles. Coarse hair is thicker in diameter than fine hair and requires products with heavier moisture and more hold. 
• What’s your natural hair texture? Your hair type refers to the diameter (coarse/medium/fine) and texture (straight/wavy/curly/kinky) of your mane. Your hair’s natural texture can help you decide on the right low maintenance medium length hairstyles for thick hair. For wavy and curly hair, make sure layers accentuate your texture without cutting off waves or curls at unflattering points in their bends. 
• Try some heatless styles for less maintenance. Low maintenance cuts for thick hair are better when you master some overnight heatless styles that make styling even easier! Try overnight heatless curls including the TikTok robe curls and t-shirt curls to effortlessly wake up to gorgeous texture without heat. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Thick hair brings up a lot of questions and concerns – especially if you’re trying to figure out the most flattering and low maintenance style for it. 

Check out the most frequently asked questions on choosing the right style for thick hair below! 

Haircare is Easier With Low Maintenance Styles for Thick Hair

When your haircut works with your natural thickness and texture, you’ll discover that maintaining a cute new cut is a lot easier and looks more flattering. 

Have your stylist remove weight and bulk from your thick hair with thinning shears or sliced layers that add movement and accentuate any natural wavy or curly texture. 

Consider bangs or soft layers around the face for a little face-framing magic that can totally transform a basic medium length haircut. 

Choose the overall look you like best – whether it’s soft and feathery, choppy and shaggy, or blunt and smooth – to make the most of your thick hair in a shoulder-length style. 

When you know all the tips and tricks to make medium styles work for thick hair, you’ll reignite your love and appreciation for your full and healthy tresses. It might become your new signature style!