He used to have the most recognizable head of hair in the world. Seriously. At thirteen, Nick Jonas was basically the poster boy for "the curl." Then, he chopped it all off. For years, the buzz cut was his uniform. But lately, things have changed. If you’ve seen him on a red carpet in 2026, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The length is back, but it’s not the Disney-era shag you remember.
It’s different now.
The Nick Jonas long hair resurgence is less about teen heartthrob vibes and more about a calculated, high-fashion evolution. At the 2026 Golden Globes, he showed up with what stylists are calling a "mini mullet"—shaved on the sides, but with a messy, curly mop on top that spills over into a clean crop at the back. It’s a polarizing look. Some fans are desperate for the Camp Rock ringlets to return in full force, while others are just happy he’s finally abandoned the strict buzz cut he sported during his solo Last Year Was Complicated era.
Honestly, the transition hasn't been easy for him. Nick once joked on TikTok that he’s no longer in the "Top 50" most recognizable heads of hair because he changed it too much. He’s salty about it. But that saltiness has led to some of the most interesting grooming choices of his career.
Why the Nick Jonas Long Hair Evolution Matters
Hair is never just hair for a Jonas. It’s a brand. When Nick grew his hair out for the 2023 Met Gala, his groomer, Marissa Machado, had to use a specific cocktail of products to make sure those natural curls didn't just turn into a frizz bomb. She used FEKKAI Clean Stylers Glossing Cream+ while it was still damp. It's a "stretch and set" technique. You don't just let it air dry; you use your fingers to pull the curls out so they look lived-in, not like a Shirley Temple wig.
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The Problem With Natural Curls
Most guys think growing long hair is a "set it and forget it" situation. It's not. Nick has admitted that growing it back to his signature length is a "project." When you have his specific hair texture—which changed after he shaved it for the first time in 2013—you deal with inconsistent curl patterns.
Some parts are tighter. Some parts are wavy.
To fix this, Machado sometimes has to flat-iron specific pieces to create an "uneven" texture. It sounds counter-intuitive to straighten parts of curly hair to make it look better curly, but that's the level of detail we're talking about here.
The 2026 Shift: The "Unserious" Chop
In 2026, the trend has shifted toward the "deeply unserious" mullet. Nick is leading that charge. While stars like Glen Powell and Jacob Elordi are going for full-on shaggy mullets, Nick's version is more controlled. It fits his "put-together" personality. Machado has often said Nick is the most meticulous of the brothers; he usually has his hair half-done before she even arrives.
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Here is what his current routine looks like for that longer, textured look:
- Scalp Prep: V76 by Vaughn Tonic is a staple for keeping the base healthy.
- Drying Technique: Never high heat. Always a low-heat setting with a diffuser or just finger-styling to prevent the curls from "shrinking" too much.
- The Hero Product: V76 Texture Clay. It gives that matte, "I just woke up like this" look that actually took forty minutes to achieve.
What Fans Keep Getting Wrong
The biggest misconception is that Nick is trying to "reclaim" his youth by growing his hair long again. That’s not it. If you look at the way he styled his hair for Jumanji 3 prep, it’s clear he’s moving toward a more rugged, mature aesthetic. The long hair of 2026 isn't about being a boy bander. It's about movement.
He's also leaning into his "Irish Curls"—a TikTok-coined term for that specific type of thick, dark, coiled texture.
"I like the natural look... maybe at some point I’ll grow my hair back out really curly like I used to have it. But it’s such a project." — Nick Jonas
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He wasn't lying. It requires a dedicated "glam squad" logic even for a guy who usually keeps it low-key. For instance, at the Golden Globes recently, he was spotted fixing Priyanka Chopra’s hair on the red carpet, but his own "mini mullet" didn't move an inch. That’s the power of a flexi-hold hairspray.
How to Get the Look Without a Celebrity Stylist
If you're trying to mimic the Nick Jonas long hair style, you need to understand your own curl type first. Nick has a high-density, medium-coarse texture. If your hair is fine, the "mini mullet" will just look like a bad haircut.
- Don't Over-Wash: Nick’s hair works because it has natural oils. If you strip it every day with harsh shampoo, you’ll get the "poodle" effect.
- The "Twirl" Method: When the hair is wet, twirl individual sections around your finger. This defines the coil before it dries.
- Invest in a Diffuser: You cannot blast curly hair with a regular blow dryer. You'll destroy the pattern.
- The Fade is Key: What makes Nick's long hair look modern is the transition. The sides must be tight. The fade needs to blend into the beard. Without the beard-to-hair transition, the look falls apart.
The reality is that Nick's hair journey is a lesson in patience. He went from the most famous curls in the world to a total buzz cut, and now he’s finding a middle ground that works for a 33-year-old man in 2026. It's sophisticated. It’s a bit edgy. And honestly? It’s much better than the "perfect" hair of his teenage years.
If you're planning on growing yours out, start by booking a "texture cut" rather than a standard trim. Ask your barber for point cutting on the top to create that jagged, messy length Nick is currently rocking.
Stop fighting your natural texture. Nick did for a decade, and he finally seems to have realized that the curls were his superpower all along.