19 Badass Pixie Cuts That'll Inspire You to Go Short
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Short hair, don’t care. Pixie cuts have been all the rage for awhile, especially for the celebrity set. But we nonfamous folk love the dramatic cut, too. According to Chase Kusero, cofounder of the hair-care line IGK, people with all kinds of face shapes can work a pixie. “It’s less about the shape of your face and more about your attitude and confidence — anyone can pull it off if they own it,” says Kusero. And it works for any hair type, whether thick or fine, straight or coily. “It’s all in the cutting technique," says hairstylist Nick Arrojo. "The right cut will give structure and volume to fine hair and looseness and movement to thick hair, while the point-cutting technique offers enough space to see the texture [of coilier strands].” Because the abbreviated style makes your face the focal point, it can be a very bold and empowering look. “Just be sure your makeup and earring situations are on point,” says hairstylist Hos Hounkpatin. Now put on your game face and get ready to join the pixie club.
Getty Images1/19Jada Pinkett Smith
Balance is key for the Red Table Talk host’s pixie cut. "Tell the hairstylist that you want the top and sides [of your hair] to feel ‘disconnected,’" says Nunzio Saviano, hairstylist and owner of Nunzio Saviano Salon in New York City. "The top of Jada’s hair is very long while the sides are cut short — this gives her a lot of flexibility when it comes to styling. She can leave it curly, straight, or slick it back. Leaving it longer on top also takes away some of the harshness or edge that can happen with a super short style.” To get a soft and smooth look similar to Pinkett Smith’s, use the Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Balm with a small round brush or flatiron.
Getty Images2/19Rowan Blanchard
Blanchard made headlines when she chopped her hair at the beginning of 2019. The actress went for a not-so-ordinary crop with textured layers and itsy-bitsy baby bangs. “Around the ears, you want it to be saggy with length so that it can be softly styled,” says Saviano. “This is a lived-in, feminine, and sexy pixie.” Style it with the L'Oréal Professionnel Dual Stylers by Tecni-Art Liss and Pump-Up Gel to create height at the root, then blow-dry and style with your fingers to create a slightly messy look. “This cut complements Rowan’s angular face shape and hair texture perfectly,” Saviano adds. “The length and direction that her hair is styled really accentuates her gorgeous eyes.”
Getty Images3/19Joey King
The Kissing Booth actress is serving rock and roll vibes with her cut. “There’s some texture on top to give it a carefree air,” says Saviano. “It can be feminine or tomboyish, depending on how it’s styled.” To get King’s look, let your hair air-dry and add Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray, using your fingertips to style. But don't fuss with it too much since you want that "woke up like this" vibe. To finish, add a bit of Bumble and Bumble Semisumo Pomade to add separation. The added texture will make your super-cool crop even cooler. “[Joey is] young and beautiful, so this is the perfect pixie for her to rock,” says Saviano. “You have to have confidence to pull off this look, and it pairs really well with her strong brows and barely there glossy makeup.”
Getty Images4/19Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner is known as much for her pixie haircut as her daughter Kylie is known for her Lip Kits. To get Kris's look, Cutler suggests blow-drying the hair in a C-shape with a round brush and some volumizing spray. "Lift at the root and curve the hair as you follow through. This C-shape creates volume at the roots and then pulls the ends down. You’ll have straighter edges and it won’t look like a bubble. Finish with Redken Align 12 Protective Smoothing Lotion.” This look works for Kris because it hugs the eyes and brows while balancing out her forehead and accentuating her cheekbones.
Getty Images5/19Meagan Good
The natural brunette has been crushing the hair game with a blonde dye job and a soft, short cut. The length can surely be called a classic pixie: It falls shorter than Kris Jenner’s and longer than King’s. To style, Rodney Cutler, hairstylist and owner of Cutler Salons in New York City, says to “use Redken Velvet Gelatine 07 Gel and blow-dry the hair using your hands [to work in the product]. Pull the hair out smooth from the root to the ends with your fingers, as this will smooth and also retain natural texture." Then, spritz on some of the Tresemmé Compressed Micro Mist Hair Spray to highlight the textured finish.” This style is a bit square through the sides, which balances the actress’s oval face shape and symmetry.
Getty Images6/19Halsey
Halsey’s undercut is what takes her pixie to the next level. “Pixie cuts bring attention to the eyes,” says Carolyn Aronson, hairstylist, CEO, and founder of It’s a 10 Haircare. Another good thing about this haircut is that you can just roll out of bed, apply a bit of It’s A 10’s Miracle Texture Fiber throughout, and you’re good to go. Bonus points if you add a bit of shine with Cuvée Beauty Champagne Spray.
Getty Images7/19Ruby Rose
This silver dye job and super short cut is epic on Ruby Rose. Before going to the salon, Aaronson advises bringing an actual photo of what you're looking for. “A pixie cut could have so many variations and can be hard to describe,” she explains. “Your odds of actually getting what you truly desire are much higher [if you bring an example].” Get Rose’s look by adding in Seed Phytonutrients Anti-Frizz Smoothing Cream throughout the hair, then use a fine-tooth comb to create a side part and comb throughout. Spritz on NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Oil Mist for a glossy finish.
Getty Images8/19Zoë Kravitz
Whether platinum or dark, Kravitz’s chic, close crop is the ultimate definition of gamine. “For this style, ask your stylist for a super short pixie, and cut with a razor to help create more texture,” says Arrojo. “Blow-dry with a diffuser to get some expansion.” Finish with a pea-size helping of texture paste (like the R+Co Control Flexible Paste) to give the style mussy definition and a piecey look.
Getty Images9/19Ruth Negga
We’re loving Negga's defined, curly flourishes here. “The look is delicate and soft, and complements her features,” says hairstylist Larry Sims of his client. If your hair is naturally curly, let it air-dry. Then use Smooth ‘N Shine Instant Repair Spray-On Polisher to add shine and tame frizz and flyaways.
Getty Images10/19Katy Perry
The “Chained to the Rhythm” chanteuse made a big swish when she debuted her punky, platinum hairstyle last year. “Katy’s cut is perfect for someone trying to grow out short hair," says Kusero. "Keeping the hair longer on the top gives you more opportunity to play with different styles, and if styled over the forehead, can help shorten a longer face.” Create separation at the ends with a little bit of IGK Rich Kid Coconut Oil Gel, an Allure Best of Beauty 2017 winner.
Getty Images11/19Coco Rocha
The catwalk beauty jazzed her crop with an uptown elegance by swooping it to the side with a Marcel wave. “Use Hair Rules Wavy Mousse on wet or damp hair followed by a pin-curl set. Let air dry. Sleep and wake up to gorgeous waves, or sit under a hood dryer,” instructs hairstylist Raquel Martuscelli. “You can also use a 1/2 inch marcel iron and wrap toward your face. Follow by brushing with a Mason Pearson brush.”
Getty Images12/19Issa Rae
The CoverGirl ambassador and Insecure star has a cute, springy cut that is anything but awkward. “I love this versatile twist-out on Issa,” raves Sims. “The cut is great because you can make the style big or small depending on how you style it — here, the sides are slicked back, which gives the illusion that they’re closely cropped.” To re-create, use a gel, such as Cantu Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel, to tame sides and gather your natural texture on top.
Getty Images13/19Kristen Stewart
Stewart gives major attitude to her grown-out buzz by accenting it with bleached tips and an edgy flip. “By keeping a little length in the bang section, Kristen gives herself a variety of styling options," says Arrojo. "She could sweep the bang to the side, slick it back, or make it look disheveled and piecey. In this case, she chooses to spike it up to give it an edgy couture feeling. The blonde with roots showing creates almost a fox fur effect, which adds even more edginess to the style." Use a firm hold spray (we like The One by Frédéric Fekkai One To Hold Hairspray) to get Stewart's look.
Getty Images14/19Michelle Williams
Williams’s bleached crop is icy perfection. “I love her traditional, short pixie because it’s low maintenance but elegant,” gushes Kusero. “It shows off her facial features by highlighting her cheekbones [and eyes].” Enhance shine and color with Bumble and Bumble Bb. Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil UV Protective Dry Oil Finishing Spray.
Getty Images15/19Kendall Jenner
A model makeover? Sort of. Jenner’s bombshell faux cut at Tom Ford’s spring 2018 show came courtesy of a few well-placed pins. If you're looking to fake a pixie, take note: Instead of lopping off the locks of the catwalk strutters, hairstylist Orlando Pita gathered strands into imperceptible twists and tucked them under. He then used his Orlando Pita Play Climate Change Humidity Blocking Hair Spray to create height and a soft texture.
Getty Images16/19Maria Borges
The Angolan stunner’s Afro-textured pixie made history when she flaunted it down the Victoria’s Secret runway in 2015. “This wake-up-and-go style is very feminine and draws attention to her gorgeous face,” says Sims. “Get it trimmed every four weeks to keep the shape.”
Getty Images17/19Cara Delevingne
The Valerian actress’s pixie looked absolutely divine with this silver-and-pink update. “Playing with color on a shorter cut can be less of a commitment than on longer hair, so you can have more fun with it,” says Kusero. Get Delevingne's look without permanently dyeing your strands with temporary color sprays (try Jerome Russell Temp’Ry Color Spray). Spritz all over or on a few sections — it washes out easily.
Getty Images18/19Scarlett Johansson
A deep side-part adds an effortless touch of sexiness to ScarJo’s coif. “Sweep pomade (try Arrojo Pomade ) from the front through the crown of your head with your fingers to create the slicked-back look,” says Arrojo. Then smooth with hair gel (we like Wella Professionals EIMI Sculpt Force) for a wet finish.
Getty Images19/19Taraji P. Henson
The Empire star’s textured chop is the latest from one of our favorite actresses and hair chameleons. “The gorgeous hairstyle elongates and slims her face due to the height on top,” explains Sims. To define curls, set while wet with a foam styler, like Got2b Kinkier Gloss’n Define Curling Mousse, then use a rat-tail comb to pick out the texture when dry.
