7 Slick Back Hairstyles Curly Hair to Show Your Stylist ASAP

7 Slick Back Hairstyles Curly Hair to Show Your Stylist ASAP

If you’ve got curls and you’re tired of them fighting you every time you reach for a hair tie, slicked back styles might just be your new best friend. There’s something so satisfying about a sleek, controlled look that still lets your natural texture shine through underneath. It’s polished, it’s low-key edgy, and honestly, it photographs beautifully.

Slick back hairstyles work with curly hair better than most people think. The trick is knowing which version suits your curl pattern, your length, and how much time you actually want to spend in front of the mirror. So grab a screenshot of whichever ones catch your eye below, because your stylist is going to want to see these.

Inverted Bob Style

This one’s for anyone who loves a bit of drama in their silhouette. The inverted bob is longer in the front and shorter in the back, so when you slick it down, you get this cool angled effect that frames your jaw perfectly.

It works especially well on curly hair because the natural volume at the crown balances out the shorter back section instead of making it look flat. Round and oval face shapes tend to love this cut the most, though a good stylist can adjust the angle for pretty much anyone.

To style it, smooth a curl cream through damp hair, then use a fine-tooth comb to slick the top back while letting the ends keep a little of their bounce. It’s a low-maintenance style once you get the cut right, and it grows out nicely too.

Braided Ponytail Variation Ideas to Renew Your Look

Sometimes the easiest way to switch things up is to add a braid into the mix. A slicked back ponytail with a small braid running along the hairline gives your curls structure without flattening all that gorgeous texture in the ponytail itself.

This works on basically any curl type, from loose waves to tight coils, and it’s a favorite for medium to thick hair because the braid helps keep flyaways in check. You can go with one skinny braid for something subtle, or try two or three for a more intricate look.

Start by gelling down the front section, then braid a thin strip along your part before pulling everything into a high or low pony. It’s the kind of style that looks like it took way more effort than it actually did.

Gymnastics Hairstyles Ideas to Dazzle and Shine

Borrowed straight from the world of competitive sports, these styles are built for movement and shine, which makes them surprisingly fun for everyday wear too. Think ultra-sleek slicked back sections with the curls left free from the crown down, so you get that glossy, controlled top half with bouncy texture below.

This look is great for fine to medium curly hair since heavy gel on top won’t weigh down the rest of your curls. It’s also a solid pick if you’ve got an active lifestyle and need something that stays put through movement.

A strong-hold gel and a boar bristle brush are your best tools here. Brush the front section flat against your scalp, secure it with bobby pins or a small elastic, and let the rest of your curls do their thing.

Long Defined Curls With Subtle Layers

If you’re not ready to commit to a slicked back style all over, this one gives you the best of both worlds. The top and sides get pulled back smooth, while long, well-defined curls with subtle layering cascade down the back and sides.

This look really shines on thick, long curly hair because the layers keep things from looking too heavy or triangle-shaped. It suits pretty much every face shape since the volume shows up lower down, away from your features.

A curl-defining cream applied to damp hair before you slick back the top will keep frizz at bay while your curls dry naturally or with a diffuser. Touch up every few weeks with a trim to keep those layers looking fresh.

Blonde Hair Sewn-In

For anyone wanting a dramatic change without touching their natural curls with bleach, a sewn-in blonde style is worth asking your stylist about. The base gets slicked back for that sleek, no-fuss foundation, while the sewn-in curls add length, volume, and a whole new color story.

This option is popular with people who have shorter natural hair but want longer, fuller curls without the daily styling commitment. It’s also a great way to test out blonde or dimensional color without any commitment to your actual strands underneath.

Maintenance involves regular salon visits to keep the tracks secure and moisturized, plus a satin scarf at night to protect both your natural hair and the extensions. Ask for honey blonde or golden highlights woven through if you want something that looks a little more lived-in than solid blonde.

Chin-Length Curly Bob with Natural Golden Highlights

Short and sassy, this bob sits right at the chin and gets a boost from warm golden highlights woven through the curls. When you slick back just the top section, the highlights catch the light in a way that makes the whole style look dimensional instead of flat.

Curly bobs at this length work beautifully for medium curl patterns, since tighter coils tend to shrink up more than expected at chin length. Heart and oval face shapes especially benefit from the way this cut skims the jawline.

Keep a curl-enhancing mousse in rotation to define the bob’s shape, and ask your colorist for face-framing highlights rather than an all-over color to keep things looking natural. This is a style that genuinely gets easier to manage the more you learn your own curl pattern.

Shoulder Length Curls With Blunt Ends

There’s something really satisfying about blunt ends on curly hair. Instead of the wispy, feathered look a lot of curly cuts go for, this style keeps the bottom line crisp and straight across, which actually makes curls look denser and more defined.

Shoulder length hits a sweet spot for a lot of curl types since it’s long enough to slick back into a small ponytail on lazy days but still short enough to avoid excessive weight pulling curls straight. Thick and medium hair textures tend to get the most dramatic results from the blunt cut.

To style, slick the crown back with a light gel, then scrunch a curl cream through the ends to keep that blunt line looking crisp rather than stringy. Regular dusting trims every eight to ten weeks will keep the blunt shape from splitting and losing its clean edge.

Whichever of these you end up loving most, the beauty of slicked back curly styles is how adaptable they are. You can dress them up for a night out or keep them casual for a Tuesday grocery run, and they’ll still look intentional either way. Bring this list to your next appointment, talk through your curl pattern and lifestyle with your stylist, and let them help you figure out which version fits you best. Your curls have range, so go ahead and show it off.