Hailey Bieber's bob is one of the most searched hairstyles in Canada — what to know

Thinking of getting a bob? You're not the only one.

It-girl Hailey Bieber chopped her previously chest-length hair in January, in what could be the biggest hair trend of 2023.

To date this year, Bieber is the most searched-for female celebrity for hair inspiration, according to data received from insurance provider Protectivity.

The group used a list of over 140 different hairstyles to analyse Google search volume data and found "Hailey Bieber hair" had more than 1,300 monthly searches in Canada. That's more than other female celebrities tested.

The wolf-cut was the most-searched-for hairstyle without a celeb name attached, with "bob" coming in at fifth place with more 6,600 monthly searches in Canada.

Though Bieber is trending, she's not the only one to make the move. Actress Zendaya chopped her hair off a month prior, at the end of 2022.

One Toronto expert hair stylist is expecting the bob to be the biggest hair trend of the year.

Aliza Esmail, director of salon August and a specialist in precision haircutting, told Yahoo Canada her stylists have "absolutely" seen an increase in bob requests this year.

"I love it," she said. "The bob is one of the most iconic hairstyles of all time."

Esmail said the bob can work with many different hair textures, but people need to have realistic expectations.

Here's what you need to know before getting a chop.

What is a bob and why is it resurging?

A bob cut is short-to-medium-length hair, often with a blunt cut, paired with or without bangs.

For stylist Esmail, the resurfacing of the bob cut didn't come as a surprise.

"I think we all kind of saw the trend coming," she said. "The bob, it comes and goes — and it comes more often than any other style that we've seen out there."

The look may be timeless, but Esmail said the trend could also be resurging because we are falling into an era of "lived in" hair.

"We're really trying to encourage people to work with their natural textures, or their natural growth patterns.

"Even when you talk about hair colour... instead of covering up grey hair that might be coming in, we're learning to adapt it or work with it — or even enhance it."

When it comes to the bob, Esmail said it can be an easy no-effort cut for most people.

Hair textures and what to ask for

According to Esmail, the bob is "one of the most wearable for almost any hair type."

However, she said a consultation with your hairdresser is a must before getting a chop.

"It allows your stylist to gain information, like based on you, your wants, your needs, your lifestyle, your at-home maintenance plan.

"When it comes to the bob, those lengths don't vary hugely... Suitability is number one.

"It's just moving the hair around and seeing what lengths look better, does it look better at the jaw, below the jaw, above the jaw?"

Esmail said "working with your stylist to choose the right length for your face shape and hair texture will only make styling and maintenance easier at home and in between salon visits."

Hailey Bieber's hair "pretty smooth, and maybe even a finer texture," Esmail estimated.

But, the stylist said a bob can work with nearly any texture.

"You can wear a really nice, sleek, straight bob, you can wear a curly bob, it could be wavy. I think that hair textures that could be a little bit more difficult is [natural] Afro hair texture — it'd be a little bit more difficult to have that sort of shape."

Styling tips

Esmail said it's important to stay realistic when switching up your haircut.

In Bieber's case, Esmail guessed her hair is styled in most of her photos, but "she does wear it more natural looking and tousled." She said "it does look effortless, and I don't think that it takes a lot of effort for her to get her hair to look like that."

That's why consultations are important, Esmail added.

"If someone brings me a picture of Hailey Bieber's hair, and they don't have that hair texture at all... I can style it make it look exactly like that, but realistically, are they going to go home and do that themselves?," she claimed.

For those who do want to learn how to style at-home, here are Esmail's best tips:

• For a straight and sleek look, use the "wrap-dry method." Using a paddle brush and a blow drier, brush the hair side to side, backwards and forwards, focusing on smoothing the roots of the hair first, encouraging a natural sleek finish. Once all the hair is dry, follow up with a flat iron for added shine.

• When embracing the natural texture, product choice is key. Start by sectioning your hair horizontally from the bottom to the top, applying a small amount of product in each section as you work your way up the head. Once you’ve applied the product, allow your hair to dry naturally or use a diffuser — and don’t touch your hair until it's at least 80 per cent dry.

• For blown out look with volume and bounce, use a round brush or blow-dry attachment and work in sections no larger than the diameter of the brush for more control. You can start from the bottom and work your way up toward the top.

Esmail said the bob can be worn "sharp and bold, short and sweet, soft and sexy and everything in between."

The most important thing to remember, however, is not only what works best for your face shape but what works for your lifestyle.

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