The Bubble Bob Is the Bouncy Take On 2023's Coolest Cut

Fact: When Zendaya or Hailey Bieber get a new haircut, it practically shuts down the internet. As soon as either starlet gets a major chop, the images are everywhere, filling feeds all over the world. And when they both get the same cut? It’s pandemonium. Enter: the Bubble Bob. 

So exactly what is the Bubble Bob? Envision a bob that looks like—obviously—a bubble, thanks to the way the ends fall. “The bubble was originally known for its straight ends,” says celebrity hairstylist Chad Wood. “Now, this hairstyle has more volume and definitive lines, with beveled ends that are easy to achieve with a round brush.” Ahead, everything you need to know about the haircut you'll see everywhere this spring.

The Trend

Wood agrees on who sparked the trend: “The Bubble Bob started trending for two reasons; first, when Zendaya arrived at the Louis Vuitton Fashion Show with a '90s, voluminous bob, and second, when Hailey Bieber debuted her recent chop,” he says. “Zendaya’s look showcased a hairstyle that did not require a lot of heated tools, which can relate back to the Verb ethos of using products that enhance your natural hair and texture. Hailey displayed a more muted, chicer bubble bob that resonated with a minimal aesthetic and muted tones. This cut is perfect for the summertime when you don't want to deal with too much hair in the heat.” 

As always, everything that’s new is old again with hair trends. Celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh, creator of Harry Josh Pro Tools, sees this as a redo of the '80s bob, citing Belinda Carlisle in the Mad About You video. “This we have not seen in a long time,” he says. “It's less about the haircut and more about the styling.” Specifically, it requires the use of a big round brush to for the bubble effect on on the ends.

Who the Bubble Bob Works Best on

The bubble bob works great on either thin or thick hair. “You can angle or flip the ends of your bubble bob, add in curls, or leave it smooth,” Wood says. “You can also leave longer angled pieces in the front to funk it up and make it more fun. This cut also complements a range of face shapes such as round, square, heart-shaped, and inverted triangle-shaped faces.” However, Wood cautions that if you have a longer-shaped face, you can find the bubble bob may further elongate your face and neck. 

How to Style a Bubble Bob

“What's great about this particular haircut is it allows you easily to go between styles—it's really about the finishing and how you choose to dry it, so it gives you that great versatility,” Josh says. “Whether you want to work it straight and chic, or whether you want to work full and round with some movement on the ends, it's really just the switch of a brush and some products that can take you from one look to the next.” 

Wearing a bubble bob straight gives it a sophisticated polish, while embracing texture keeps it more casual, Josh notes. For the former, he suggests the Kerasilk Finishing Cream ($32) to smooth flyaways and ends as well as add shine and fight frizz.

To go the air-dry route, Wood suggests starting by towel drying wet hair. “After you soak up the moisture in the hair, apply the Verb Ghost Air Dry Whip ($20) from the mid-shaft to the ends of your hair and fluff it up,” Wood says. “Leave the front ends of your hair tucked behind both ears for a few hours to give the pieces a rounded curve. Later in the day, take the tucked hair pieces out and you will have a nice wave and peak where it looks like you blew it out with a heated tool.”

If you prefer to style with heated tools, Wood recommends taking a one-inch round brush and start at the base of your neck and beveling the ends. Work it all the way to the top and smooth out the ends. “If you are not comfortable using a hair dryer, you can rough dry your hair and then use a flat iron at the ends to create more of a blow-out look,” he suggests.