Pixie haircuts manage that rare trick of being both timeless and of the moment. From iconic 1960s stars like Diana Ross and Twiggy to modern-day muses like Ruth Negga and Dame Judi Dench, the pixie crop’s popularity has barely wavered through the decades.
And while going ultra-short can feel intimidating if you've never tried it before, pixie haircuts can actually be some of the most low-maintenance, easy hairstyles around. So what makes these particular short hairstyles for women so appealing? As the shorter cousin of bob hairstyles, the secret of pixie haircuts' success is in their simplicity. As long as you stay on top of your trims, day-to-day styling becomes a breeze.
"With this style, it’s all about the cut, so if you’re someone who just wants to jump out of bed and be ready for the day this could be for you," agrees Nicole Petty, Haircare Expert at Milk + Blush. A chic look and low-maintenance styling—who wouldn't want that?
Dame Judi Dench's iconic pixie haircut
70+ pixie haircuts for every hair type and face shape
Short pixie haircuts
Short pixie haircuts are seriously stylish—just look to celebrities like Charlize Theron and Rihanna, who have all dabbled in elfin crops with beautiful results. Pixie crops also make very flattering short hairstyles for thick hair, with plenty of shaping to create a softer look.
And how often should you cut your hair? To keep the style looking fresh, you’ll need to visit the salon around every four weeks or it'll start to resemble a long pixie or bob before you know it. Keep that cut in check and you'll only need the best hair dryer to look super elegant every day.
1. The super short pixie haircut
Face shape: Oval, heart | Hair type: Medium-thick
2. The pixie cut with feathered bangs
Face shape: Oval, heart, square | Hair type: Any
3. The boyish pixie cut
Face shape: Oval, heart, square | Hair type: Fine to medium
4. The short and spiky pixie cut
Face shape: Oval, heart | Hair type: Fine to thick
5. The pompadour pixie cut
Face shape: Oval, diamond, heart | Hair type: Any
6. The bleached super-short pixie
Face shape: Long, heart, oval | Hair type: Medium-thick
7. The elfin pixie haircut
Face shape: Heart, oval | Hair type: Fine-medium
8. Think pink short pixie
Face shape: Heart, oval | Hair type: Medium-thick
9. The finger-wave pixie
Face shape: Heart, oval | Hair type: Natural, textured
10. The short pixie with bangs
Face shape: Round, heart | Hair type: Any
11. The polished pixie
Face shape: Round, oval, square | Hair type: Fine-medium
12. The short coily pixie
Face shape: Heart, oval, round | Hair type: Coily, curly, kinky
13. Pixie cut with full bangs
Face shape: Any, particularly oval | Hair type: Fine-medium
14. Textured pixie
Face shape: round and heart | Hair type: medium to thick
15. Cropped bangs pixie
Face shape: Any, particularly round | Hair type: Medium-thick
16. Quiff pixie cut
Face shape: Any, particularly square | Hair type: Fine-medium
17. Short, Thick and Even Pixie
Face Shape: Any| Hair Type: Medium-Thick
18. Graduated Shave Pixie
Face Shape: Any, particularly oval | Hair type: Fine-medium
19. Short Pixie With Side Bangs
Face Shape: Square, round and heart | Hair Type: medium-thick
20. The elfin Side Burn Pixie
Face shape: Any, except for long | Hair Type: Any
Long pixie haircuts
Longer pixie crops give you a little more to work with in terms of styling. “With length on top, the pixie is a little more versatile as you’re able to flip the hair from side to side,” Bobby explains.
“You can maintain length on the sides and sometimes tuck behind the ear to create some great silhouettes. For me, the ‘nape’ has to come in and hug the neck for profile and head shape, but this can also be left with a softer edge.”
21. The grown-out 'shag' pixie haircut
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Fine-medium
22. The long layered pixie cut
Face shape: Heart, oval | Hair type: Medium-thick
23. The bowl cut pixie
Face shape: Heart, long | Hair type: Fine, straight
24. The long side-swept pixie cut
Face shape: Long, heart, oval | Hair type: Medium-thick, wavy
25. Long on top pixie haircut
Face shape: Heart, square | Hair type: Thick, textured
26. The pixie cut with full bangs
Face shape: Heart, oval, square | Hair type: Medium-thick
27. The French girl pixie crop
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Thick, curly
28. The '90s throwback' heavy pixie
Face shape: Oval, heart, long | Hair type: Medium-thick
29. The undercut long pixie
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Thick
30. The voluminous pixie cut
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Medium-thick
31. Long on top curly pixie
Face shape: Round, oval, heart | Hair type: Curly
32. The feathered pixie
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Medium-thick
33. Stacked bangs pixie
Face shape: Any, particularly oval | Hair type: Medium-thick
34. Curtain bangs pixie
Face shape: Round and heart | Hair type: Fine-medium
35. The Sweep Over Pixie
Face Shape: Any, particularly round | Hair Type: Medium-Thick
36. The Long Red Side Part Pixie
Face Shape: Any, except for heart | Hair Type: medium-thick
37. The Pixie Bob
Face Shape: Any, particularly heart | Hair Type: Any
38. The Marilyn Monroe Curly Layered
Face Shape: Any, particularly oval | Hair Type: medium-thick
Layered pixie haircuts
Textured pixie haircuts with layers add an extra 'lived-in' element to this classic style. One of the most iconic layered pixie cuts of all time is Oscar-winning actor Halle Berry's style from the early '00s, whose choppy look inspired many women to take up the scissors (or hopefully ask their hairdresser to do so). Grab the best dry shampoo and tousle away!
39. Soft layered pixie haircut
Face shape: Square, oval, heart | Hair type: Fine
40. Natural layered pixie
Face shape: Oval, diamond, heart | Hair type: Curly, coily
41. The sweeping pixie cut
Face shape: Diamond, heart | Hair type: Fine, straight
42. The choppy pixie cut
Face shape: Oval, heart, diamond | Hair type: Thick, textured
43. The pixie cut with feathered layers
Face shape: Oval, heart | Hair type: Fine-medium
44. The long sweep pixie cut
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Thick
45. The 'long on top' layered pixie
Face shape: Square, oval | Hair type: Medium-thick
46. The layered flicky pixie
Face shape: Square, oval, heart | Hair type: Medium, textured
47. The tapered coily pixie
Face shape: Oval | Hair type: Curly, coily
48. The wispy pixie cut
Face shape: Oval, round, heart | Hair type: Fine-medium
49. The long layered pixie
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Medium-thick
50. The short layered pixie
Face shape: Oval, round, heart | Hair type: Medium-thick
51. Faded layered pixie
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Medium-thick
52. The layered bangs pixie
Face shape: Any, particularly oval | Hair type: Fine-medium
53. The volumized layered pixie
Face shape: Round and heart | Hair type: Fine-medium
54. The Pixie Mullet
Face Shape: Any, particularly round | Hair Type: Any
55. The Layered Pixie With Side Bangs
Face Shape: Round and oval | Hair Type: medium-thick
56. The Layered Middle Part Pixie
Face Shape: Round, diamond, oval, heart | Hair Type: medium-thick
57. The Shaped Curtain Bangs Pixie
Face Shape: Any, particularly long | Hair Type: Any
Curly pixie haircuts
Curly hair ranges from loose beach hair waves to fabulously coily natural hairstyles, and they all look fabulous in a short pixie haircut. Not only does curly hair give a short style body and texture, with the best hair styling products a defined, curly pixie crop is the epitome of elegance.
58. The classic curly pixie cut
Face shape: Heart, oval | Hair type: Medium, curly
59. The tapered curly pixie cut
Face shape: Long, heart, oval | Hair type: Fine-medium, curly
60. The coily pixie cut
Face shape: Oval, diamond, heart | Hair type: Medium-thick, coily
61. The choppy curly pixie cut
Face shape: Heart, oval | Hair type: Fine-medium, wavy
62. The short back curly pixie cut
Face shape: Oval, heart, long | Hair type: Curly, coily
63. The asymmetric curly pixie
Face shape: Oval, heart | Hair type: Fine-medium, curly
64. The natural glossy pixie
Face shape: Oval, heart, long | Hair type: Natural, coily
65. The French girl curly pixie
Face shape: Any | Hair type: Curly, coily
66. The close-cut curly pixie
Face shape: Oval, round, square | Hair type: Curly, kinky, coily
67. The short sides pixie
Face shape: Oval and round | Hair type: Curly, kinky, coily, wavy
68. The cropped coil pixie
Face shape: Any, particularly round | Hair type: Curly, kinky, coily
69. The natural bangs pixie
Face shape: Round and heart | Hair type: Curly, kinky, wavy
70. The Curly Bowl Pixie
Face Shape: Any, particularly long| Hair Type: Any
71. The Curly Undercut Pixie
Face Shape: Any, particularly oval | Hair Type: Thick
72. The Curly Waterfall Fringe Pixie
Face Shape: Heart and square | Hair Type: medium-thick
73. The Pixie Perm
Face Shape: Any, particularly square and heart| Hair Type: Any
How to choose a flattering pixie haircut
- Face shape: "The pixie can be one of the most liberating cuts, yet it only works with specific features," explains Michael Shaun Corby, Global Creative Director for Living Proof. "It’s best to keep in mind that it will accentuate a strong nose and chin, as well as round and square face shapes. But the cut usually works great for classic oval, heart, and diamond face shapes."
- Cut shape: In good news for those of us not blessed with perfectly oval features, a great stylist can shape pixie haircuts to flatter. "Hair can be shaped to make the face look more oval, as it is the best way to flatter the face," explains legendary hairstylist, Adam Reed. Want a modern Pixie? Adam suggests to "cut curtain bangs into the style for a look that is really on-trend."
- Soft vs sharp: The pixie is characterized by its short and sharp aesthetic and requires regular trims. "Maintaining pixie hair is a commitment, as this usually means a haircut or reshape every four to six weeks," says Bobby Collier, hairstylist at Larry King Salons. "For those who have a grown-out pixie and come through the dreaded ‘in-between’ stage, you could embrace that length on top and go for a softer look, Think Gwyneth Paltrow circa ‘97."
- Layers: Having graduation of length in your pixie haircut can make it far more versatile, allowing you to create updos for short hair and messy bun looks. Michael Shaun Corby adds: "The pixie of this season is actually a bi-level pixie that’s a little longer in the back." This makes one of the most flattering short hairstyles for women over 50, or anyone who wants versatility, explains Corby. "It gives you so many more options when styling, for example pulling some hair forward on the neck, or being able to tie the longer pieces up into a ponytail hairstyle."
How to style a pixie cut
As for what our experts recommend for styling your newly-chopped pixie? "You should always have a cream-based product with some hold," advises Michael. "I'd recommend our Perfect hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Treatment for this. Now that your hair is shorter, you won't need as much product in it. Try the No Frizz Vanishing Oil to lightly tame flyaways and make sure you always have a good hairspray for sweeping up the front or giving it a high-drama wet look.”
“Texturizing sprays and creams can give the pixie a real 90’s grunge feel,” Bobby adds. "Larry King’s Texturizing Clay and Redken’s Windblown are some of the products I’d use."
woman&home thanks Bobby Collier, Michael Shaun Corby, Adam Reed and Nicole Petty for their time and expertise
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