Getty Images
Calling all curlfriends: This one's for you. It's time to talk texture, which comes in many different shapes and styles. There's no such thing as a single curl pattern. In fact, every head of hair has a number of different curl patterns. The beauty in having all those curls is that there are endless ways to show them off (check out our favorite curl products). From a mesmerizing cropped curly pixie to long cascading waves, you have options for every texture and length. Whether you're using your trusty curling wand to create thick, bouncy curls, or studying up on techniques for how to amp up your natural curl pattern, you'll find all the inspiration you'll ever need with these screenshot-worthy curly hairstyles, ahead.
Zendaya’s Poised Curls
We already know that when Law Roach and Zendaya get together, it's a match made in heaven. Not a single curl is out of place in these perfect ringlets that look like they were curled by angels.
Whitney Peak’s History Inspired Afro
Hairstylist Naeemah Lafond used amika to create this full-bodied Afro. Lanfond chose this look for its geometric and carefree shape.
Sandra Oh's Caramel Highlights
Just in time for fall, a caramel (or dare I say, a gingery pumpkin) color lightly applied throughout makes for seasonally perfect hair. And again, highlights in curly hair are a nonstop illusion of swirling colors.
Doja Cat’s Matching Highlights
I personally think that matching a Vivienne Westwood dress to your hair is a big power move. Hairstylist Jared Henderson credits the hydrating power of the Curls Blueberry Bliss Leave-in for these defined coils.
Julia Garner’s Bombshell Curls
The Emmy-winning actress has hairstylist Bobby Eliot to thank for these glamorous curls that are reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe. For these soft-to-the-touch curls, Eliot used the Living Proof Curl Definer and Curl Moisturizing Shine Oil.
Keke Palmer’s Supreme Brushing
We already knew she was a star, but this brushed-out hair is giving us major diva vibes in a Diana Ross way. Avoid frizz when brushing your curls with the Innate Life Rose Hair Elixir.
Yara Shahidi’s Josephine Baker Homage
Fesa Nu crafted this black cap that is lined with intricate braids to give the illusion of the style. Underneath the cap is Yara's natural hair, collected on the shoulders in large ringlets that perfectly balance history and modernity.
First of all, can we make some noise for this stunning dark root to blonde color? The loose curls and shaggy cut make it so that if you do skip a root touch-up, you can’t even tell.
Indya Moore's Effortless Curls
The Pose star is currently bald (and still looking just as amazing), but we can't help but love the doll-like ringlets framing Indya's face. It looks like each strand was individually curled to create the voluminous style.
Sophia Roe's Ringlet Bob
If you're thinking about cutting your hair short, do it! And get bangs while you're at it. This year's Met Gala chef created a vegan dinner for everyone and absolutely killed the red carpet like that was also her job.
Shine bright like a diamond—or as bright as Simone Biles, it'll be stronger! The perfectly straight hair slicked on Biles' head that then transforms into a large, curly ponytail is worthy of a gold medal or two.
Andie MacDowell’s Graying Curls
Gray hair happens, it's a part of living, and damn, does Andie know how to make it look good! Oh, and if you're already embracing your grays, don't forget to stock up on purple/silver shampoo to keep your grays shining proudly.
Personally I think hairstylist Moira Fraizer completely nailed it in this artwork of hair inspired by wig extraordinaire Edward Smith-Roberts.
Viola Davis' Curly Faux Hawk
Can we make curly faux-hawks more of a thing, please? All I'm saying is, if it's good enough for Viola Davis, it's good enough for us.
Tracee Ellis Ross is known for her signature curly 'fro, and let's face it: We don't think she's ever had a bad hair day. Here, the actress and beauty entrepreneur switches things up and lets her makeup and accessories take center stage with this sleek take on a glossy wet look.
Angela Bassett's Voluminous Curls
Angela Bassett makes the case for big hair with her brushed-out, chocolate brown kinks and curls.
Bella Hadid's Curly Top Knot
Give your slicked updo a bit of personality by accentuating your ends with ringlet curls. To recreate this look, use a medium barrel curling iron or wand to curl your loose strands before pinning the ringlets into a voluminous topknot.
Blake Lively's Fluffy Blonde Curls
It's clear that Blake Lively's curls never disappoint. Mimic this bombshell 'do by wand curling your strands and fluffing out the curls to create your desired volume.
Issa Rae's Flat Twist to Curly 'Do
Pull your curls out of your face as Issa Rae has by creating flat twists at the crown of your head then letting your voluminous curls shine through from the back.
Rihanna's Shiny Wet Lob
Reach for your favorite mousse and proceed to recreate Badgalriri's glossy, center-parted chin-grazing lob.
Rita Ora's Effortless Updo
Rita Ora shows us how to rock untamed curls in an easy updo. Recreate this tousled style by gathering your curls on top of your head and letting a few loose ends hang free along the front and nape of your neck.
Tamera Mowry's Curly Updo
Pair your curly bangs with a high pony of cascading curls à la Tamera Mowry.
Taraji P. Henson's Asymmetric Bob
Taraji P. Henson is the queen of cropped styles. Try this curly ear-length iteration of a bob with a sharp side part for a captivating look this season.
Zendaya's Finger Waves
Take a page from Roaring Twenties style and mold your curls into uniform finger waves like Zendaya has.
Yara Shahidi's Blunt Curly Bob
Go for a sharp and shapely blunt cut, then do like Yara Shahidi and add eye-grazing curly bangs.
Ciara's Tousled Curly Bun
Embracing imperfection is key when it comes to recreating Ciara's effortless curly bun. For additional drama, accessorize with a bedazzled headband.
Joan Smalls' Waterfall Curls
Trade in the long bone-straight strands that you're used to for a mid-back cascading curled look like Joan Smalls.
Melina Matsouka's Curly Bangs
Let this stunning image of Melina Matsouka's tousled curls serve as inspo to try bangs. They're short, shapely, and gorgeous.
Tessa Thompson's Architectural Lewk
It's 2020 and you might as well take the futuristic route by rocking Thompson's graphic curly 'do. Just imagine all the fire this head-turning style will give you.
Tracee Ellis Ross's Curly Bangs
ICYMI: curly bangs are in. Here, Ross shows just how gorgeous face-framing tendrils truly are.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's Soft Spirals
Beautify a simple, pulled-back style with softly curled ends like Huntington-Whiteley. This style is peak glamour.
Tina Kunakey's Glorious Head of Hair
Can you even deal with all of Kunakey's beauty? If this photo doesn't make you want to rock the hell out of your curls, I don't know what will.
Ella Mai's Larger-Than-Life Ponytail
A tried-and-true way to escalate a slick-backed style quickly? A highly-textured ponytail my friend. Trick out your low pony with lots and lots of textured volume if you don't mind bringing the drama.
Gabrielle Union's Shoulder-Grazing Style
Union is evidence that a side-part and two bedazzled bobby pins is a curl recipe for the perfect red carpet look.
Zazie Beetz's Afro Puff
We need more Afro puffs on the runway. I repeat: we need more Afro puffs on the runway. This natural style looks so stunning on Beetz and is breaking down the limiting beauty barriers of what Hollywood used to look like.
Ciara's Crimped Curls
Ciara made middle school crimps look cute again, but you can too. With this particular style, the more hair the merrier. Also, adding a few highlights will elevate the overall vibe.
Charlize Theron's Classic Curls
Remember when Theron sat front row at at Christian Dior's 60th Anniversary show wearing romantic, wavy curls and a smoldering smoky eye? Same.
Yara Shahidi's Baby Hair
The accentuated baby hair, center part, tight coils = everything. To style your baby hair, use a rattail comb and Hick's Edge Pomade ($14) for a long-lasting hold.
Rosario Dawson's Tapered CurlHawk
Don't let a cool girl curly cut like this scare you away. Dawson proves a shaven side will take your curls to the next level.
Shay Mitchell's '70s Disco Curls
If the 1970's is your favorite era, take your hair back in time with tightly textured curls and channel a disco queen like Mitchell.
Ruth Negga's Cropped Curls
Textured curls work well with close-cropped cuts, too. Negga's small spiral curls add personality to her short style.
Amanda Seyfried's Crown of Curls
Regal curls, coming right up. Seyfried's brushed-out ringlets are equal parts wavy and defined. To mimic the look, use a medium-size barrel curling iron for definition, then use your fingers to separate each strand. Finish the look off with a paddle brush.
Nathalie Emmanuel's Side-Swept Curls
An easy way to add dimension and volume to your curls is by choosing your "best side" then having your hair follow suit. The trick is in the texture, which does not at all need to look uniform. So, use bobby pins for a loose but steady hold.
Issa Rae's Half-Slicked Half Up
Rae's perfect sphere of kinky curls keeps her slicked-back ponytail from feeling too stiff or severe.
Jourdan Dunn's '70s-Inspired Curls
Big, voluminous, and straight-up glorious, Dunn's thick, shoulder-skimming curls are a thing of disco dreams (but without the teased and hairsprayed nightmare).
Lupita Nyong'o's Twisted Ponytail
Part ponytail and part topknot, Nyong'o's 'do is a curly sculpture. We'd suggest recreating this look at home, but unless you can finagle some sliver wrap and a zillion bobby-pins and combs, we'll leave this to the inspo boards, instead.
Zendaya's Shag-Inspired Bangs
It's hard to compete with a sparkly rhinestone suit, but the messy bangs and full curls easily hold their own.
Janelle Monáe's Curly Pineapple
No one does hair accessories better than Janelle Monáe, and we're hooked on the cascade of tight curls spilling out from her hat.
Jessica Alba's Pinned-Back Layers
If you're too busy to be bothered with anything hovering in your peripheral vision, sweep and pin your bangs straight back, and curl your shortest layers back to keep the rest of your hair away from your face.
Riley Keough's Auburn Color
Striking without looking cartoon-ish, Keough's fiery red color is anything but boring.
Serena Williams' Diffused Curls
A healthy amount of long layers keeps this look from feeling too heavy, while a good diffuser adds definition to her long curls.
Jaime King's Long, Blunt bangs
The bouncy medium curls are par for the course, but the long, slightly shiny, wet-look bangs are something to experiment with when you're out of dry shampoo.
Jourdan Dunn's Pulled-Back Style
The Jourdan Dunn version of "business in front, party in the back": a sleek crown and brushed-out curls at the back.
Jess Glynne's Curly Lob
Further proof that the lob works in every iteration, even with thick, brushed-out curls.
Ella Eyre's Two-Tone Curls
Growing out dark roots isn't as scary as it looks. Case in point: these two-tone spirals swept up in an Ariana Grande-esque high ponytail.
Kate Hudson's Romantic Updo
Throwback to Kate Hudson in her Almost Famous days, wearing her hair in buoyant spirals that are pinned back in an updo. Prospective brides, take note.
Kiersey Clemons' Disco Hair
Taking volume to new heights, Clemons channels disco darlings like Diana Ross with this gorgeous teased-out style.
Madonna's Screen Siren Style
A large-barrel curling iron is all you need to pull off Madonna's va-va-voom moment seen here (and don't forget to curl away from the face for that angular flick by her eyes).
Thandie Newton's Symmetry
With this Mozart-era volume, the middle part is crucial for keeping Newton's more-is-more curls out of her line of sight.
Debra Messing's Scrunchy Waves
If you don't have naturally curly hair like Messing's, spritz liberally with sea salt spray and scrunch it up (or sleep on half-wet braided hair) for this flowing, bedhead effect.
Solange's Braid Out
For Solange's nebulous curls, braid wet hair and let it dry overnight. Undo in the morning and style as desired. And don't forget to #embracethefrizz.
Penelope Cruz's Understated Curls
Okay, we've seen good hair days before, but there's seriously not a stray hair out of place in Cruz's satiny medium-barrel curls. HOW.
Kate Beckinsale's Super Subtle Highlights
When you've already mastered perfect barrel waves like these, the golden highlights that accent each little curl are just the frosting on top.
Corinne Bailey Rae's Exquisite Volume
When you've got naturally curly hair like Corinne Bailey Rae's (the envy!), play. it. up. by teasing it and piling it over to one side, like this chic, textured wave.
Amanda Seyfried's Half-and-Half Style
Pressed for time but want to keep your fine hair from falling flat? Try a curl that starts mid-way down your hair and wraps into loose ringlets.
Marion Cotillard's Piled-High Curls
For short haired ladies with curls to spare, try slicking it back or tying it in a loose bun.
Dascha Polanco's Top Knot
When you're blessed with cascade of beautifully defined curls, play with proportions by adding a simple top knot as the centerpiece.
Rihanna's Blonde Bangs
Rihanna is president of the constantly-change-your-hairstyle club and these front bangs are among her best looks. Use a texturizing gel for piece-y bangs like these.
Gwen Stefani's Tight Coils
Go big or go home. Get Gwen Stefani's super-curled look by going old-school with over-night curlers. Twist and pin your bangs backs for an unexpected hair moment.
Sarah Jessica Parker's Cool-Girl Waves
Only wrap the middle section of hair around your curling wand to achieve loose-ended waves like SJP. So chic.
Beyoncé's Perfect Spirals
Is it too much if we describe these layered curls as #flawless? Use a one-inch curling wand to re-create these ultra-thin spirals.
Salma Hayek's Classic Curl
Hayek's middle part and natural curls are super natural and understated for the nine-to-five routine.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Pinned-Up Style
Tight curls and short length may make you feel short on options when it comes to styling. One easy styling cue? Pin your hair back then pull out small ringlets on the sides to frame your face.
AnnaLynne McCord's Natural Mane
If you're having a hard time keeping your curls in check in humid weather, never fear. Try this hair plopping technique to keep your curls defined and beat the frizz all day.
Zendaya's Throwback Moment
Okay, so maybe we aren't over mermaid hair. Zendaya is single-handedly bringing it back with this wet look that mimics just-out-of-the-shower strands.
Blake Lively's Old Hollywood Elegance
We're always looking to Blake Lively for hair inspiration, and this look is pure beauty gold. Use a large curling iron to create large, separated waves (we hear that Lively's hair stylist favors the T3 Curling Wand) and pin one side back in three sections.