Jennifer Lopez has one of the most beautiful and versatile manes in the entertainment industry. She's not afraid to change things up, going from big, bold curls in long hair to a shoulder length, sleek A-line bob. It's easy for women to envy her hair, but it's not impossible to achieve the same looks at home.
A Breakdown of Jennifer Lopez' Hair Styles
Regardless of length or color, Jennifer Lopez hair styles usually contain some layering for extra movement and versatility. Over the years, she's tried curls, straight hair, loose waves, and updos with success.
Big, Bouncy Curls
J-Lo isn't afraid to go big and bold with her hair. She has worn her long hair in voluminous curls in the past. To achieve the style, run mousse through the hair before you dry it. Blow dry with a round brush to increase the amount of volume in your final look. Use hot rollers (wrap from the ends to the roots) all over the head and allow them to cool before removing them. Spray hairspray all over, then gently run your fingers through the curls with your head upside-down. You're not done achieving maximum volume yet-at the crown of the head and along the part, take one-to-two-inch wide sections and tease the undersides, lower them down, and spray the hair again with hairspray.
Undone Chignon
Shorter face-framing layers are necessary for this long-hair casual updo. Pull out the bangs and short layers around your face and then use your fingers to pull the rest into a low ponytail either in the center or to the side in the back of your head. Secure the ponytail with a hair elastic that blends in with your hair color and begin twisting the length of the ponytail. Wind it around the base of the ponytail and secure the circumference of the style with bobby pins.
Straight and Sleek
This is a style Jennifer Lopez seems to enjoy regardless of hair length or the presence or absence of long bangs. It's also simple to achieve. Spray on a heat-protectant and apply a straightening cream or serum. Divide your hair into sections and then blow dry with a paddle brush. Once the hair is dry, use a ceramic flat iron to lock in shine and smooth the hair even more. Finish up with a shine serum applied to the ends of the hair. You'll sometimes see this called a Sedu or flat iron style because you can use a Sedu iron or other type of flat iron to add the finishing touches for an ultra-straight and shiny look.
Loose Waves
One of the styles Jennifer Lopez is seen in most often is full of loose, bouncy waves. Apply mousse and a heat protectant to damp hair and blow dry. Hold a large-barreled curling iron vertically and wrap the hair around it in a spiral, from about ear level to the ends. Comb your fingers through and spray on hairspray.
Part Up, Part Down
Jennifer Lopez is often seen with just part of her hair near the face pulled back. Sometimes it's just the section right above the center of the forehead that's pulled back from the face and secured with a small barrette or clip. Other times, there are a few face-framing wisps of wavy hair that remain near the face while the small sections just behind those, right above the ears, are tucked up and away with small clips or bobby pins for a romantic look.
Flirty Shoulder Length
There are two shoulder-length styles Jennifer Lopez has sported in the past. One is an A-line cut featuring slightly longer pieces near the front. The other involves long side-swept bangs that act as a soft face-framing layer against a jagged cut shoulder length style. Ask your hairdresser for an angled bob, then blow dry your hair with a medium round brush. When you get to the ends, hold the brush in place with the hair resting on the outside, angling the ends of your hair slightly under. To get the flirty, flipped up style, dry your hair in the same way, but keep the ends on the underside of the brush and roll up so that you're flipping the pieces up and away from your face as you dry your hair.
Top Knot
Jennifer Lopez' top knot is a variation on the undone chignon and will require your hair to be long. It's not quite so casual. Bring the hair back into a sleek ponytail at the crown using a natural bristle brush and secure it with an elastic that matches your hair. Tease the hair by backcombing the length with a rattail comb, then smooth the surface once again with the natural bristle brush. Begin twisting halfway down the length of the ponytail and then wrap it around the base, pinning into place when you're done. Lift up small sections with a rattail comb if you need to in order to achieve a symmetrical look or just add to the volume. If your hair is very thin, you may need to invest in extensions to add thickness to the ponytail before you begin.
Prepare Your Hair and Get the Tools
For many of the Jennifer Lopez hair styles, as long as your hair is long (especially if it's layered), you can get a similar look without a special hair cut. For the best results, however, you can take an image of a specific cut to your hairdresser. Styling your hair to mimic Jennifer Lopez' hair styles isn't too difficult to do at home, even for a hair novice, once you have the right cut and tools.
