The crimp is back. This time, it is not the wall-to-wall zigzag of the 80s, but a softer, more intentional textural wave that adds grip and volume without looking like a science experiment. The modern version works with soft face-framing layers and lived-in color, making it a practical tool for hair that needs a lift.
This collection of 21 Simple Crimped Hairstyles covers the range: from quick ponytails you can do before work to salon-worthy updos, for fine hair that falls flat by noon and thick hair that wants a defined bend. Each look gives you one concrete way to add texture that actually stays.
Wavy Mid-Back Layers With Face-Framing Crimp
What if the easiest way to try a new texture is to start with just two pieces of hair? This look keeps the body wavy and loose while the front sections get a defined crimp. Ask your stylist for: mid-back layered cut with face-framing crimp. The crimp sits on medium brown hair starting at mid-back length, with a middle part and long layers that keep the weight from falling flat.
The trick is in the barrel width. A medium barrel crimper on the front sections, held for five to ten seconds each, creates a zig-zag pattern that looks styled, not accidental. Thick, wavy hair holds this pattern best, and the middle part elongates round or oval faces without needing bangs. The rest of the hair stays in its natural wave, so the whole thing takes about ten minutes of styling time.
Thick Wavy Hair With Subtle Face Crimp
A crimp on thick hair has one advantage over a crimp on fine hair: it stays. The wave pattern grabs the thicker strands and holds for hours without re-pinning. This version uses a subtle face-framing crimp on medium brown, mid-back length, thick, wavy hair with a middle part and no bangs. The crimp sections sit close to the face, so the hair keeps its natural volume and movement.
Apply a texturizing spray after styling to lock the crimp and keep the zig-zag defined. The hold on thick hair means you can skip the hairspray unless you need it for humidity. A trim every eight weeks prevents the long layers from losing their shape, which keeps the face-framing pieces landing where they should.
Mid-Back Crimped Waves With Highlights
Highlights and crimp have a natural partnership. The lighter pieces contrast with the brown base, so each zig-zag registers as two tones instead of one. Ask your colorist for: mid-back crimped hair with subtle highlights. This look uses a brown base with subtle highlights on thick, wavy, mid-back length hair with a middle part and no bangs. The highlights run through the full head, not just the top layer, which means every crimped section shows dimension from root to end.
Thick Dark Blonde Crimp With Lighter Highlights
A subtle wave gives you soft movement. A distinct crimp gives you architecture. This dark blonde version with lighter highlights sits firmly in the latter camp, with each zig-zag visible from the back view. The hair is thick, wavy, mid-back length, with a middle part and no bangs. Ask your colorist for: mid-back dark blonde crimped hair with highlights. The lighter highlights break up the dark blonde base so the crimp reads as texture rather than uniform fuzz.
A texturizing spray is the only product needed after styling. The spray adds grip, which helps the crimp hold its shape on wavy hair. Skip the heavy cream or oil, both of which weigh down the zig-zag and flatten the pattern. The middle part suits most face shapes, and the back view means this style works well for events where the back of the hair is on display.
Blonde Shoulder-Length Crimped Layers
Does shoulder-length hair take a crimp well? Yes, but only if the layers are cut to work with the pattern. This blonde, shoulder-length layered cut with a middle part and no bangs uses a zig-zag crimp that runs through every section. The medium density, wavy texture holds the crimp without looking bulky, and the shoulder length keeps the zig-zag visible and not lost in longer lengths.
Dark Brown Collarbone Bob With Crimp
The design is precise: a collarbone bob cut on thick, wavy hair, then crimped from root to end with a deep middle part. The glossy finish on the dark brown color makes the zigzag pattern stand out rather than disappear. Ask your stylist for: collarbone dark brown bob with crimp. A shine serum patted onto the ends keeps the crimp defined and the surface reflective for a full day’s wear.
Chin-Length Bob With Highlighted Crimp
A chin-length bob with a middle part and full crimp already looks dense. Add subtle blonde highlights, and the common mistake appears: fine hair can show every clamp line as a separate crease. Ask your colorist for: chin-length bob with crimp and blonde highlights. The trick is to keep the highlights fine and woven, not chunky, so the crimp looks like one continuous texture instead of a series of separate folded sections.
Short Bob With Vibrant Multicolored Crimp
When does a short bob with dark blue, purple and red tones feel right? Festival season, a bold night out, or any week that calls for a side part and a lot of volume. Ask your colorist for: short bob with crimp and vibrant color. The thick texture holds the zigzag pattern well, and the side parting lets the color shift from one shade to the next as the hair falls.
Collarbone Ash Blonde Crimp With Root Shadow
Fine hair at collarbone length can make the crimp fall flat within an hour, which is the honest trade-off. The ash blonde with a root shadow gives it a density boost, but the real work happens before styling. Ask your colorist for: collarbone ash blonde crimped hair with root shadow. This is a salon color: the root shadow needs a professional hand to keep the grow-out line soft. A volumizing mousse applied to damp hair before crimping is the difference between a wave that lasts and one that droops.
Blonde Chin Bob With Wispy Bangs and Crimp
A chin-length blonde bob with wispy bangs and crimp is a DIY project that works in three steps. Apply a heat protectant to clean, dry hair. Use a small-barrel crimper, starting at the roots and working down in sections. Take the smallest section of the bangs and crimp those too, so the texture coordinates with the rest. Ask your stylist for: chin-length blonde bob with crimp and wispy bangs. Clip in a few small butterfly clips afterward for a finished look.
Platinum Blonde Shoulder Ponytail With Crimp
A low ponytail does exactly that: the top stays smooth and straight, and the crimp starts at the elastic. This version works on shoulder-length platinum blonde hair with a middle part. The sleek crown paired with the textured tail creates a defined two-tone effect. Ask your stylist for: shoulder-length platinum blonde low ponytail with crimped tail. Fine, straight hair benefits from the added grip the crimp provides. It stays put longer than a regular ponytail. Wrap a section of hair around the base to hide the band, and you are done in under fifteen minutes.
Blonde Mid-Back Ponytail With Crimped Texture
Ask your stylist for: mid-back blonde low ponytail with crimped tail. The mid-back length is long enough to show the crimp pattern clearly, but not so long that the wave weighs itself flat. Tease the crown slightly before gathering the hair into the ponytail. That extra lift keeps the silhouette from turning into a sad blob by noon. A trim every eight weeks keeps the ends clean so the crimp does not snag.
Blonde Mid-Back Ponytail With Braids, Straight
A straight braid woven into the crown and a crimped ponytail below: it sounds like two different heads, but the contrast is what makes it work. The braid provides a clean, structured line near the scalp, while the crimp in the ponytail adds movement and volume. Fine, straight hair with subtle highlights shows a distinct texture difference between the two sections, so the separation looks intentional. Ask your stylist for: mid-back blonde ponytail with braids and crimped tail. Create two small braids near each temple and pull them back into the ponytail base. The crimp on the tail section gives fine hair the body it normally lacks in a ponytail, and the braids stay tidy all day without re-pinning.
Thick Dark Brown Crimped Ponytail
Only when it turns into a heavy lump by 2 pm. Crimping solves that: the zigzag pattern breaks up the density, so the ponytail looks textured and airy. This version uses a middle part and runs the crimp through the entire length, from the elastic to the ends. Ask your stylist for: mid-back dark brown crimped ponytail. Thick hair holds the crimp shape for hours without much help. A strong-hold hairspray misted over the finished ponytail keeps the pattern crisp through wind or movement. A trim every six weeks prevents the ends from fraying and dulling the crimp definition.
Long Dark Brown High Ponytail With Dramatic Crimp
A high ponytail with dramatic all-over crimp is a time commitment, about 45 minutes with a crimping iron, section by section, on long thick hair. The payoff is volume that a regular ponytail cannot touch. Ask your stylist for: long dark brown high ponytail with dramatic crimp. The subtle warm highlights in the brown base catch the light between the crimp ridges, which keeps the texture from reading as a solid block. The drawback: the crimp relaxes faster on long hair because the weight pulls the waves straighter. A texture spray applied before crimping extends the hold by about two hours.
Thick Black Mid-Back Deep Crimped Waves
The design here relies on consistency: every wave matches its neighbor, which is what makes the texture read as deliberate rather than messy. A middle parting keeps the symmetry intact, so the eye travels straight down the length without interruption.
This thick black crimped waves style suits thick, wavy hair that already reaches mid-back, and the middle part works with most face shapes. Ask your stylist for: mid-back thick black hair with deep crimped waves. To get that uniform depth, use a medium-barrel crimper on dry, heat-protected sections, clamping each one for a few seconds before moving on. The hold is solid on thick hair, lasting through an evening without much droop.
Blonde Updo With Loose Crimped Strands
Wondering how to keep an updo from looking too stiff? Crimp a few face-framing strands before pulling the rest up, then let them fall loose around the neck for contrast. Ask your stylist for: messy updo with loose crimped pieces. This works best on thick, wavy hair at mid-back length, where the texture has enough weight to hold its shape. The blonde base with subtle highlights adds dimension to the crimped sections, so they catch the eye without competing with the updo itself. It is a solid choice for a wedding guest or cocktail party, where you want something polished but not severe.
Ash Blonde Half Updo With Braids and Crimp
On thick, straight hair, crimping the lower half before assembling a half updo is what gives the style its staying power. The braid locks the top section in place, while the crimped texture underneath adds volume that does not flatten by mid-event. Ask your stylist for: mid-back ash blonde half updo with crimped lower half. The root shadow at the top keeps the ash blonde from washing out against the scalp, and the side parting gives the braid a clear starting point. A light finishing spray helps the crimped sections hold their ridges, especially if your hair tends to relax quickly. For upkeep, the root shadow needs a touch-up every six to eight weeks to keep the contrast clean.
Reddish Brown Braided Updo With Crimp
The mistake most people make with a braided updo is treating the crimp as an afterthought, only to watch those sections unravel by dinner. Crimped texture needs a firm anchor: here, the braids woven into the bun at the nape hold the shape, but the loose crimped pieces around them can slip if not secured well.
Ask your stylist for: long reddish brown braided updo with crimped texture. This suits medium-density, wavy hair at long length, where the crimp has enough surface to read clearly. A finishing spray is essential to keep both the braids and the crimped details in place through a formal event. The honest drawback is the construction time: getting the crimp even across the back and then weaving it into the bun takes a skilled hand, so this is not a quick at-home project.
Collarbone Layers With Ombre Crimp
What makes this crimp work for warmer months is the color placement: the dark brown base keeps the roots grounded while the orange and red ombre adds heat toward the ends, like a sunset that happens to be on your head. Ask your colorist for: collarbone layered hair with dark brown to orange/red ombre crimp. The side parting gives the layers movement, and the collarbone length keeps the volume from overwhelming a round face. Crimping over colored hair means using a heat protectant made for treated strands, since the ombre ends are more porous and prone to grabbing heat. This is a bold statement for summer festivals or a beach vacation, where the color can do the talking without much styling effort.
Light Brown Mid-Back With Face-Framing Crimp, Long Layers
A middle part and long layers give this light brown hair a structured foundation, but the prominent crimp from root to tip is what does the talking. The face-framing layers are cut to graze the collarbone, so the zigzag pattern hits right where the eye lands first. Medium-density wavy hair holds this texture best; if your strands are very fine, the crimp can flatten within an hour. Ask your stylist for: mid-back light brown layered hair with face-framing crimp. A round brush on medium heat, directing the front pieces forward, will emphasize the crimped effect without extra time.
Square and heart-shaped faces benefit from the soft vertical lines these layers create. The light brown shade is natural and low-maintenance, needing a gloss or toner every ten to twelve weeks if you want to keep the warmth from going brassy. Long layers also mean the grow-out is forgiving: trims every ten weeks keep the face-framing pieces from becoming a shapeless curtain.
Final Thoughts
For fine hair, use a finer crimping tool or limit the crimp to the mid-lengths and ends so the roots do not look weighed down. For thick hair, take the crimp all the way from the ear down for maximum volume, especially in a ponytail or updo. The trick is letting the texture do the work.
- Use a heat protectant spray before any crimping tool touches your hair.
- Let crimped sections cool completely before you touch or style them.
- Refresh crimped texture with a light texturizing spray, not more heat.
- Secure updo sections with bobby pins that match your hair color.
- Trim split ends every 8-10 weeks to keep crimped lengths healthy.
Embrace the texture: crimping adds instant volume and edge.
