5 Haircuts That Will Replace the Lob in 2018

By Erin Lukas,  Instyle

Whether or not you think following the "New Year, New You" mantra is cheesy, there's no better opportunity than the start of another year to break out of your hair rut by and start off fresh with a new cut.

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If 2017 has taught us anything, it's that the lob isn't going anywhere—for good reason. The shoulder-grazing length is universally flattering for every face shape and a number of hair textures, too. But, if your relationship with your lob is starting to feel stale, there's a handful of cuts to consider that are about to become 2018's biggest hair trends.

A dramatic or subtle hair change is up to you, but the cuts we've been tracking on red carpet have all the bases covered. Katie Holmes's layered pixie, and Kerry Washington's blunt bob and bangs are just a few of the styles that you're going to see everywhere in the new year.

1. Blunt Bob With Bangs 

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The natural progression of the lob is taking your length up an inch or two into a bob. If you want to change your look even more drastically, add a set of blunt bangs like Kerry Washington's full fringe.

When you're at the salon, has your stylist for blunt bob with a few long layers, and that your bangs be slightly layered and longer on the sides. If you're regularly reaching for your hot tools to get a flyaway-free finish like Washington's, treat your hair to a weekly repairing mask like Neutrogena's nourishing Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Mask (target.com).
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2. Haircuts That Will Replace the Lob

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We're calling it: Curtain bangs like Kirsten Dunst's are going to be to 2018 like side-swept bangs are to the early 2000's. Need to be convinced? The style is up 600 percent in search on Pinterest. If you're not ready to part with your current cut just yet, this versatile fringe style is a simple way to update your look. Don't let these retro bangs intimidate you: Since curtain bangs are parted down the center and longer to begin with, it'll be easier to avoid any awkward stages when you decide to grow them out.

When you're styling curtain bangs, use a small round boar's bristle brush such as R+Co's Round Brush 2 (randco.com) and flip the ends under and away from the face.

3. Grown-Out Shag 

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The beginning of 2017 saw the return of the shag, and now it's all grown up going into the new year. Jessica Biel's long, shaggy layers with long, center-parted bangs that are blended into the rest of her layers proof that you can grow out the cut gracefully as an intentional style.

Wrap a curling wand such as ghd's Curve Creative Curl Wand (sephora.com) around one-inch strands of hair, and then tousle it allover for effortless, lived-in texture.
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4. Lengthened Pixie 

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A surprising number of celebs chopped their hair off into pixies including Katie Holmes. Instead of following the other stars' leads with short, textured cuts, Holmes opted to keep some length on top for a few more styling options.

For extra body, spritz a volume-boosting mist like Alterna Haircare's Anti-Aging Miracle Multiplying Volume Mist (sephora.com) on your hair when it's damp and rough dry it before setting everything in place with a pomade.
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5. Cher Hair 

Charley Gallay/Getty Images

If you're looking for an intermission from of all of the '90s beauty trends that have made a comeback this past year, super long Cher hair is your answer. The '70s-inspired hair length can be easily achieved by clipping in a set of extensions, but if you want to grow your hair out, don't skip on routine trims to keep split ends under control.

Wearing your long, layered hair sleek like Kim Kardashian can cause heat damage. Before reaching for your hot tools, spray on a heat protectant like TRESemme's Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Leave In Spray (target.com) for soft and smooth hair.

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