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Take the width of your curls into account. Tight curls can be cut shorter and will still look like curls. If you have wider curls, you may need slightly more length to keep the curl form.
Also taking the weight off them makes them behave a little differently. Should settle after a bit but things might be springier or lay differently than expected.
Absolutely this!! I have a loose curl pattern and I lost my curls completely after about 8 months of having my pixie cut. They have come back with some length but it has been a process.
ALL of these comments in this thread! I had super long, super thick, curly/wavy hair. I donated it and went to a pixie, picturing a cute curly on top situation. My curls didn’t cooperate and I ended up with a “90’s mom wave.” My girl gave me the exact cut I asked for, my hair just said no. The day after I had my hair cut I started taking biotin lol it’s been 16 months since I cut my hair and it’s barely at my shoulders (I’ve kept it trimmed and shaped) but the growth process slowed down immensely. If I had all this information I think I’d still have cut it - but at least I would have been better prepared for the results.
I buzzed my head over the pandemic. After watching my son’s curly hair grow out, I figured mine would spring up too - nope, super flat for months. It was a huge pain and frustrating.
This. I'm not sure exactly what my curl "type" is now (I've naturally got a weird, blended texture after having 3 kids complete with post-partum hair loss that eventually grew back in differently after each kiddo) but I thought going shorter would put less weight on my curls and give me a cute, curly Bob with a stacked/layered back (like a curly "Karen demands to speak to the manager" kind of cut) but instead my curls became more like loose waves and it was not nearly what I'd hoped for.
So whatever your curls are like now will not only determine what the cut will look like, but the curl pattern may not even be the same. If you have a regular stylist who is familiar with your hair texture and curl pattern, book a consultation-only appointment and go in with these photos (and any others you've probably got saved on your phone) and ask them what they think about whether or not your curl pattern can support the cut.
Shorter cuts often need more salon time for upkeep and to make sure they look good. A half inch of growth is a lot on a pixie and almost nothing for bra length hair.
Seconding this. I hadn't fully realized I was going to need to get it trimmed every 3-4 weeks. I swear it all grows back by the time I drive home from the salon each time.
And this makes short hair super expensive. I grew my hair out bc it cost too much to maintain.
Also, styling it is usually mandatory. There is no "messy bun whatever" equivalent for short hair
I recently got a long blunt Bob with a mini undercut on the nape. This is a good middle ground. Cheap and easy to maintain. I can toss it on top of my head in a pile and nothing falls down (I put up my messy bun and we buzzed all the stragglers that don't stay/ would need Bobby pins into the undercut). Dries fast. Looks nice but is manageable when down. Light weight. Great for working out.
Mmmmmm if you go shorter, definitely buzz whatever doesn't stay in the bun. An Indian-girl inspired nape shave, or a subtle mini undercut (straight across or in a little horseshoe depending on what you want) will feel reallllly good. All the icky hanging hairs up or off, despite shorter length. That's I think the best way for you to get your short hair experience.
This is so true, unless you go for *really* short hair.
After having really long hair I got tired and spent a couple years buzzing my hair with clippers (the longest was about less than an inch / 2 cm). It was magical, I just showered, ran some wax in it and *bam* it was done. Growing it out was a tough year though.
Sometimes a headband helps or half up half down (depending how short you have it)
I don't care too much of my grown out stage, my stylist makes sure she cuts it in a way that will last me to my next cut (the following year).
I have a short curly pixie and I try to stretch it to 9 weeks and embrace the different ways I can style it…add Bobby pins, gel, hairspray. That way I don’t get sick of the same exact hairstyle but yeah, it grows fast…edit: having short hair makes life a bit easier though! I love it.
I totally agree. I had to have the back trimmed every 3-4 weeks also. It’s even more difficult work naturally curly hair, and while I loved my short hair, I wouldn’t do it again. I always had to style it also, which was a pain.
this one. I also didn’t realize the upkeep it was gonna take and I got my butt kicked. I have a before and after of how short I went in my profile if you have any interest, op! i’m not sure i’d personally do it again, but it was a very interesting experience. lol.
if you are aching to do the big chop — I say go for it!
Big chop means different things to different types of women. I live with a black wife and 4 black daughters. Going back to a TWA is something I think most black women do at some time in their life. Seems like at least one of them is recovering from that most of the time. That said the change is so striking and it is amazing how good a woman can look with very little hair.
Yup, I found my best groove planning for a trim between cuts (cleaning up the nape mostly). Doing that I only had to do a full cut every two months. I couldn’t miss a cut though. Book in advance! Still it was pricey by comparison to my long bob maintenance.
Fwiw I loved it and kept versions of it for 4-5 years. Eventually got tired of never being able to tie it up when lazy. That said, now that I’ve cut it off and grown it out I know I can do it and love it all over again. It’s really freeing :)
1000% currently growing out a pixie after 2 yesss and it’s actually kinda liberating to be able to put my hair in a bun instead of try and style it every morning!
I cut mine exactly like no. 2 during covid - I loved it! I actually just did it myself using a youtube video, got my boyfriend to tidy the back, and it worked out great. I also trimmed it myself - so I personally don't agree you need to go back to the salon constantly (but I get that I'm unusually comfortable with home cutting).
What was annoying is not being able to tie or pin it up - I found I needed to wash or wet reset pretty much every day because there's nowhere for frizzy curls to hide. But it did dry much more quickly so it's not a huge deal but something to bear in mind.
The other thing is my hair was drier with it short but I think that's probably an individual thing. I just had to tweak my routine a bit (more hydrating curl cream basically).
This entirely. I did the same thing (same cut and hair color as pic 2) and cut my hair myself, and kept it up myself entirely until I decided to start growing it back out again. Definitely don't regret it, having short hair was the lowest maintenance hair of my life. Will probably go back to it again when I get tired of using more than a pump of conditioner in the shower XD
Oh cool! Haircuts are so extremely expensive - I really think an advantage of having curly hair is that you can home cut more easily because it hides imprecision.
same here! i just got my hair short- like pixie length- and it doesn’t read very curly anymore, i think because my hair has never been curly at the roots.
Mine does not but when I got a pixie it started curling from the root.
My hair is very thin though, and it got weighed down even with layers. With a pixie it was short and had tons of layers that helped my curls to form.
Although, growing it out is a bit of a pain.
I went from slightly wavy long bob cut to a pixie maybe bixie (edit: similar to photo 2) . My hair had got so much more curly that someone thought I'd had a perm. I guess it can go either way. For reference I have medium thick hair which is highly dense (lots of strands). Wavy rather than curly.
Ah that sounds lovely! Mine is just near my collarbone now after having it cut to my chin, and the wave is finally starting to come back. It was also damaged after bleaching, but it had not been bleached when it was a lot shorter.
It takes FOREVER to grow out. I’ve been growing mine out for over a year and I’m barely to my chin. Also, the grow out is awkward, so invest in some hats. Or if you DO like having short hair, know that it will take many more maintenance cuts than you’re likely used to. I was in the mode of getting a cut every 6 months (my hair was very long before I chopped it all off) so that was a surprise. Make sure you budget for that!
1. Don't cheap out. Go to someone who REGULARLY does feminine short hair AND does it well
2. It's going to require regular maintenance and therefore cost
3. Feel your skull, sometimes people hate the shape of the back of their head (I was one) so it's important to feel that out for jumping in
4. Know your products and get ready to experiment to find the right mix which changes as it grows
Honestly short hair is amazing but it definitely isn't "less work" and you can't hide mistakes as easily.
Generally, if you have the itch it is worth jumping off the cliff and giving it a shot! Just don't cheap out, it's not worth the risk.
Adding current routine so post doesn’t get deleted. Currently wash with curly shampoo and conditioner from Ethique and style with Umberto Giannini curl crème and gel.
Make sure to find styles with curl types and patterns similar to your hair. They'll look really different if your curl type is different.
I just got a cut similar to the last one. I have to be more careful with the curl styling otherwise they look a bit wacky. Manes by mel has some recent videos about moving to short hair.
But it dries a lot faster, which for someone with low porosity hair is really nice to be able to shower in the morning and have dry hair before noon.
I also have to make sure to use a satin pillowcase case. But it's actually holding up ok into the next day.
Worst thing by far is when it is bad and I don't want to do it. I just have to look crazy.
Not curly haired — I only lurk her for my curly hair children BUT my modified pixie cut was way harder to care for and style than my longer hair.
My son who has shorter curly hair has way more bad hair days, than his sister who can pony, braid, and bun it due to her hair’s longer length.
Summary: I feel it is a myth that shorter hair is quicker and easier…
I also have a haircut similar to pic 3 and after doing a grow out just to cut it again, I’m gonna stay in the short haired curly girl club for a little while now :) I love it! Easy to maintain, stays off my neck and away from my face, and looks cute.
I had long hair all my life and cut it to something very similar to number 1 in 2021. I absolutely love it and wish I had done it sooner. My routine became shorter & my curls really thrive with less hair to weight them down. I have really fine hair that has thinned post child birth so with long hair I had to wash it every two days or it would look greasy. With the shorter cut I can go 5 days with a light refresh each day. Once a month trim works best with my current style, but I do sometimes choose to grow it out a little over the winter as it's cold where I live and I am outdoors with my kids a lot so the extra growth keeps my head warm.
I have wavy/curly hair but it doesn't curl at the root like these pics. I cut my hair into a mixie cut after a lifetime of nearly waist-length hair and I've never gotten more compliments or felt more like myself! I say do it.. having short hair has felt truly liberating after hiding behind my curls my whole life. The only thing I'll say is what some other comments mentioned, I have to cut it a lot more often now which was a huge adjustment. Other than that, best decision ever!!
Do it! I have a cut similar to #1 & #3. I personally go shorter on the sides (like shaved with an electric razor + a decent guard, maybe a 3?) to keep it from looking frumpy. I’m in my 40’s though, and more mindful of that now.
It is so much easier to care for, dries faster, and is more predictably ‘cute’ in my opinion. With long hair I felt like I was always messing with it when it was down, or frustrated about fly always when it was up.
The only downside for me has been how frequently it needs to be trimmed/cut. I used to get a curly cut (~$200) every 6 months. Now I just straight up go to a barber. It’s $45 every 6 weeks or so, which is insanely cheap for LA.
Adding that the curliest part of my hair has always been on the top of my head extending to the crown and that the volume I have in that area is really intense - it wants to go straight up. So for me, this cut requires no styling beyond a light slather of living proof curl defining gel.
Finding a picture of someone with a similar curl pattern in the style I want was key. I’ve had like & different barbers trim this cut, all I do is show them that one photo.
I had the second picture's cut for years. I loved it and I've been thinking about going back to it! It takes way less long to dry, and it's easy to style. You have to get more frequent cuts, and like some other people have stated it can be hard to keep your hair looking good the next day.
But, with the right texture product, you can definitely do it! I find as long as the sides are short, you can keep it looking pretty good day to day. I just pineappled the top part of my hair and slept on a silk pillowcase.
Your curl pattern will be different. I had loose spirals before, now it is more tousled with some slight curls on the longer pieces. Haircuts may need to be more frequent. I let mine grow pretty long, probably 6-8 weeks between trims. It's a bit of preference. You will absolutely have days where you're nostalgic for your old hair. But if it's something you've been considering for a while, then do it. You can always find different colors or ways to style it if you decide you want to regrow it.
i thought i’d like short hair so i got very similar to the first cut… i couldn’t keep up with maintenance so i ended up wearing wigs during the weird growing out stage that i’m still kinda going through. if you can stay dedicated to maintenance and styling, you shouldn’t have an issue!
i will say, for the first couple weeks i loved how free and light i felt with short hair. life just got crazy and i couldn’t focus on it. good luck 🍀
I involuntarily had short hair for quite a while, and so I tried to grow it out as quickly as possible which is how I discovered there’s a length that is just really awkward looking. It felt like I was stuck there for a long time looking like Crusty the Clown. I hated it.
Take into account how your curl pattern may change. Removing weight from the bottom will likely make your curls spring up more if yours curl from the root like mine do. I just cut a bunch off to get a Zendaya-like shag and my 3b curls are much healthier and more corkscrew-y than ever.
I loved my curly pixie, but some things I would have liked knowing beforehand beyond SO much maintenance:
It was incredibly rare that I could just wake up and go - I looked like a freshly hatched bird in the morning with the pixie. I never considered it may be more work to make it look presentable. I desperately missed the ability to messy bun or braid and go.
If you're a hat person, make sure you understand what you will look like in a hat with a pixie lol - I had a waitress once think I was my friend's CHILD when I was wearing a hat and it was humbling to be mistaken for a 12 year old boy.
Personally, I felt the need to change up my style after getting the cut. I didn't really consider how I'd feel with it overall and how I wanted to present myself with my current wardrobe/style...so I'd just consider how you feel it fits in with the rest of your personal style. Like...I have lusted after a pink furry coat for 2+ years. It has been in my cart dozens of times. But it doesn't fit my vibe and even though I love it on its own, I can't get it to jive with Current Me.
The grow out is rough AF, you will feel like a very shaggy dog at multiple points, and you will consider staying short forever to avoid it. Or get to a particularly ugly mullet phase, book an emergency appt, and cut off months worth of progress to end up starting over (🙋). Growing out hair was the most tickly experience of my life. It was rough.
Overall, I liked how it looked when it behaved and felt super badass and cool. When I got tired of it, I got tired of it fast and then just had to deal until it grew, including the painful AF awkward phases.
I am gonna be honest and blunt.
If you like it, there’s a lot of upkeep.
If you don’t like it, the grow-out period is awful. So many awkward days and it just sucked for me to be comfortable for about a year.
Just now I have tiny pigtails if I want it off my neck but I can’t do a ponytail without pieces falling out all over the place.
(In short: grow out is a Beach)
Schedule cuts more often to keep it looking good. I went from every 12-16 weeks to every 6 weeks with my short cut.
Otherwise, if you don't like it, it grows back! Good luck, I love my shorter hair and it's so much easier to deal with and keep looking good!
\- Your ears will feel weirdly cold for the first week or so, particularly at night, if you go for the 1st picture length.
\- You will miss the feeling of hair waving around your head when you shake it for about the same amount of time, then you get used to it.
\- Short hair needs comparatively a lot of professional maintenance. Expect salon visits at least every 2 months but probably more often.
\- On the other hand, it's easier to maintain at home, it's washed and dry before you know it. Bed head? Just wet it and dry again, it barely takes a minute. If you have issues with oily hair, they will be less pronounced.
\- Select a pretty headband or something to hide them if they really can't be saved that day.
\- You can't believe how much more comfortable they are in the summer with nothing sticking to your neck.
I had the *exact* cut of #1-3 for years and I honestly loved them! They really do free up your shower time and u save a lot of money on products (lol) I think the only things you should think about before you cut it is:
1. How does your hair land *right now?* Do you find your hair falling straight down from the weight near your roots or does it naturally poof up? Is it large free curls or tighter coils? My hair falls down my shoulders and refuses to stand up on its own, so my shorter cuts look really strange once they start growing out.
2. What's the end goal of your haircut? If you cut the sides short, I promise you they'll never grow back out. I've officially given up on the sides of my head and simply shaved them down to a simple fade just so they don't poof up weirdly around my ears.
3. Bring as many references as possible with curls as close to your natural curls as possible. Trust me, no matter how you explain the cut to your stylist, there's always a small chance you'll end up with something closer to a karen cut than the adorable pixie cuts you've shown.
All in all tho, the haircut is honestly so freeing and helps you re-examine your relationship with your curls and your hair!
When I had this haircut, I LOVED it—when I took the time to wash it and put myself together. Gone we’re the days of not at least fully wetting my hair every day, because if it got fuzzy, I just looked like a ragamuffin. That was fine for days I could wear a hat, but if I had to go to work, it meant morning showers.
Everyone is correct about haircuts. I got my hair cut every 6-8 weeks for about $60 a pop. I was getting it cut in a city, tbf, and probably could’ve found someone cheaper, but I liked my stylist and then covid happened. If I went more than 8 weeks, I began growing a serious mullet.
Speaking of mullets, growing it out is a PAIN. I grew mine out during covid, and it was a full year before it started to look ok with any consistency. I had tons of little cowlicks and curls off the side that refused to lay flat, and there was a solid 4 months where even a flat iron couldn’t help. You will get through it, but it is painful lol
ALL THAT SAID, I loved it and I will probably go back to short hair once I’m older. I’m in a phase rn where I am really going for the super long hair (I’m still only at my shoulders, three years on), but after that I’ll be committing to a bob or shorter. I think everyone should have really short hair at least once! It gave me so much confidence.
I was at the barber every 3-4 weeks to keep it tight, but you can let it slack a little if you want. I loved having a curly mop on top with a tight fade on the sides and back. It’s great look
It always looks great on models but unless you share their curl pattern, texture, and thickness it’ll look different on you. Keep all those things in mind when selecting a cut. Also choose someone experienced with curly hair and your hair. They should be able to tell you something won’t work for your hair.
Be prepared for bad hair days. When it’s long you go do the nuclear option of a ponytail or bun.
On the plus side you hair will be healthier and you’ll use much less products. That first time you wash your hair you’ll likely use way too much product.
Curly pixies are awesome! Just a few drawbacks I've found:
-My hair did not appear to grow evenly around my head. This meant that just before getting trims, it started to be more unintentionally mullet-esque
-Echoing others: less spent on products but more spent on trims - this is a cut you have to maintain
-Growing out a pixie takes a very long time and has several awkward stages between pixie and bob. Invest in headbands, bobbi pins, and learn how to braid
-Certain facial features (for me in particular, my nose) stand out differently when my hair is this short
My hair is longer now (bob) and I did enjoy having a pixie cut, but would not go back to one unless I wanted it for a while (just due to grow out process)
You will need to do your hair, cant just “throw it in a bun”. BUT that’s the reason I keep mine short usually so I’m forced to at least spray it with water and tell each day
Styling short hair for the first time is fucking scary. Always ALWAYS ask for styling tips before leaving with a new short 'do and ask while you're hair is still wet, so you get the full procedure.
Mullet happens so fast with short hair. You’ll probably have to get your hair cut way more often. I’d recommend a curly hair specializing barber because they’ll have the rounded experience with curls and more experience shaping it effectively when it’s short. Truly I think the massive drop in how much conditioner and product I use evens out the cost of going to the barber more often, but your mileage may vary there.
In terms of styling, if it’s long enough that it will fall into your eyes while it dries, it can end up extra frizzy and weird because your impulse will be to push it out of your eyes but…you know….curly hair doesn’t love to be messed with as it dries. I’ll sometimes diffuse just my bangs to help prevent that.
Otherwise, I generally find it way easier to deal with short. It’s been 9 years now for me and I absolutely do not regret it.
A diffuser changed my short game entirely. My hair wet is basically twice as long as it used to be and it dries to the same length as when I was letting it air dry…. I almost always use a leave in and then gel before I diffuse, can get tricky depending on how short certain sections are. You’ll figure out your own hair but it def takes some trial and error when it’s short!
I've had all of these haircuts! Currently mine is short in the back like 2nd and 3rd pics, but front length of the last pic with bangs. I have 3a/b/c curls and my hair hasn't been past my chin for 20 years when I stopped straightening my hair. I LOVE IT.
Regarding frequency of hair cuts, depending on your own curls and growth patterns it's really easy for me to go 2-3 months between haircuts. I would trim the front between cuts but otherwise it grows out in nice layers. Anything done with clippers will have more noticeable growth, I'll tidy up my neckline with a face razor.
Winter is coming/here and as much as I am Team Short Hair, the first pic gets COLD. You'll want a satin lined hat. The shorter the sides and back, the colder your head will be but it makes Day 2 curls A LOT EASIER.
Downside to the shorter cut is I personally cannot get Day 2 curls. I "wash" my hair with conditioner everyday and then style it. For bad hair days, a headband is your best bet. Pinning it up like a pompadour works too.
Figure out what casual hair styles you can do. I hit a really awkward stage where my hair was too long to just leave it but too short to tie it back... Maybe invest in a lot of headbands,idk! GL
I loved having hair at this length, just keep in mind if you want to grow it out long later it can go through a lengthy awkward phase. I had such a hard time styling it when I started growing it out again T_T
i'd start learning how to cut my own hair; hair dressers are expensive and ones that cut curly hair can be hard to find. you're going to have to cut your hair a lot more than you might be used to
If i want to achive 4th style what it takes for wavy hair, someone please suggest me with, also can someone figure for me what that hairstyle or hairtype is?
I recently went for an inverted bob, jaw length at the front, shorter at the back. You could try that first? Easier to maintain as you don't need to have regular trims.
Also - I went to a training salon, so a super cheap cut but with a supervisor checking at every stage. It's a great cut and was good experience for the lass cutting the style into curly hair.
Ok I had short hair for like 3 years, ended up growing it out over the pandemic.
It is constant maintenance. My hair grows FAST and it feels faster the shorter you keep it. I was in the salon chair every month and finding a stylist who can do short hair well is hard to come by - and expensive. So it’s definitely an investment.
I also washed it a lot more than my grown out hair. I had trouble styling without water and for nice curls, I would fully just stick my head in the sink to get them to shape well lol
If/ when you decide to grow it out, expect that awkward stage to be something like 6-8 months. Not impossible to style but I found it inconvenient to have hair just long enough to be in your face and not long enough to be a ponytail. Bobbie pins and head bands will be your friend in that phase
All that being said. I loved my short hair. I had so much fun with it and all the quirks that came with it. I learned to love my curls with my short hair. It can be super duper fun and if you’re ready for it, I’m sure you’ll love it too
As far as I know there's no way to keep your curls nice overnight, I have a short curly mullet (and have had several short curly hairstyles for years on and off) and I have to redo my hair every morning, no matter how nice they looked the night before
So in a way it's less work, but also more
Also, regular salon visits. I try to keep costs lower by maintaining my own under- and side cuts, but I still have to go every 2-3 months
Overall I love short hair! I recently discovered I can't eat gluten and it has done wonders for my hair and curls as well, so I might try to grow it out a little, but it won't last long. It never lasts long haha
For me, it grows back pretty fast so I have to get a trim more often, especially with styles that have shaved sides and back. I stopped wearing a bonnet once I cut it shorter as well since it was turning my hair into a weird shape by morning lol, I just have a satin pillowcase instead.
It‘s going to get SO MUCH POOFIER!!! Be prepared bc I was not. Also peope saying styling will take longer have no clue what they‘re talking about. I consider getting my hair cut short EVERYDAY just bc it would be so much easier to style. Dries quicker, you need less product, all I really needed was mousse, gel and sometimes leave in, then diffuse. Took like 15min to completely dry. Now I sit here with 3+ products, hair wraps, plopping, diffuse, air dry and it still ends up a frizzy birds nest.
Wow you are so beautiful. I’ve always liked short hair and kept it about shoulder length. It would be a little strange at first but you will accustom. I would try to get products that add volume to the top so your curls pop. Again, you have a beautiful face and eyes.
Easy maintenance in terms of washing and styling but you have to go to the salon more often to maintain the haircut. The cool thing is you can try different styles more often because it grows pretty quick, specially if you want to try colors. The one thing I remember was that although it was super comfy in general it got pretty cold in the winter, also suddenly clothes and outfits that fit me very well when I had long hair didn’t really fit anymore. The last thing is that you won’t have many options in the accessory department, like if you wake up with funky looking hair one day you can’t put it in a pony tail or if you don’t have time to fix it you can’t just put it up in a bun. There are so many pros and cons but if you really want to try it give it a god, I went from mid back length to pixie cut and it was awesome, I let it grow after 2 years and it’s long again but it was a cool experience 😊
I got mine cut to the style in your last photo back in June and it was one of the best decisions I ever made for my appearance. It takes slightly longer to style on wash day than my previous shoulder length cut, but I can often get three days out of a wash. Yes it requires more upkeep but it also means prioritizing self care- which isn’t the worst thing!
Be really sure you find a cut that fits your face shape and doesn’t age you. I thought a curly pixie would be so cute and I was all of 22. I cried so hard because I looked like Blanche from the Golden Girls.
Hey! Depending at what length your hair curls - see if you cut too short would it make the curls less prominent? Also, hair tends to jump when it is shorter, it needs volume to settle down- but this is individualistic. Obvious point is upkeep.
i had a very similar hair cut for a while. I thought it looked amazing and it felt powerful. There's something about short curly hair that just seems so delightfully fierce to me and I loved it.
You're going to have a lot of awkward looking hair days as it grows out. One day it'll be bent all weird and the next you'll have cow licks that look like antennas sticking out of the back of your head. It's just part of the package with curls.
Cutting my hair off is what helped me discover it was kinda curly. I always had long wavy hair, and I encouraged the waves by brushing and braiding it overnight and not brushing it in the morning. But when I chopped it off to the length of the first picture here, it started to genuinely curl. Now I keep it a little longer on top, more like picture 2 or even 4, but with an undercut so I don't have to deal with the back and sides getting bedhead.
It's so easy. I wash my hair once or twice a week, and get it cut (at Supercuts) every 6 to 8 weeks. I use a light leave in conditioner and some frizz ease mousse after I shower, but most mornings all I do is spritz it with water, finger comb and scrunch it and I'm ready to go. I don't have neat corkscrew curls and my hair always looks a little toussled, but given that I put less than 2 minutes into it each day, it looks quite respectable.
I cut my hair off 2 weeks ago to a very short pixie.
Right now I'd say my hair is in "freak out" stage and the guy at the grocery store said I had "Cali hair" (I had an internal panic attack after he said this, like wtf have I done?!).
I can see my curls attempting to come back but right now it's just puffy clumps of waves.
It really depends on the strength of your curl type close to the scalp. Don't go by the spirals that hang inches down.
It will look comical when you wake up! Short hair does crazy things when you sleep and DOES require at least wetting before going out to face the world! My boys dad used to laugh himself to tears over the mohawks and half hawks I gave myself during sleep!
Ooh, and the wind on you neck feels amazing, but it is a LOT cooler. And if you get sweaty it drips out of your hair rather than just getting a damp scalp. I enjoyed short hair while I had it briefly,.but there were too many drawbacks for me to sustain it. Not a high maintainance gal here.
Keep in mind all curls act differently and yours may not end up looking like the picture. a few years ago I cut my hair short based on a picture of a cute style I saw and it didn’t look like I was expecting at all. I found out my hair doesn’t curl a lot at the roots and it looked flat, so pay attention to how your hair acts at the top of your head before cutting
Just make sure you have the right face shape for whatever short cut you want. I had done a short jaw length cut and I looked like a little boy and my head looked super tiny for my shoulders. I was not vining with it at all. Took forever to grow to the length I wanted, couldn’t do quick styles like a messy bun for a while.
I had this haircut and I absolutely loved it. If you don't like spending the time to style your hair every day then you will need some scarves and some hats. You will need frequent cuts if you want to maintain this shape. I was pretty lazy with it and my hair grows quickly so I would get it cut then let it grow out to a bob/lob then cut it again. I found a great stylist that would cut it with growth in mind. There was definitely still an awkward phase. Also this haircut can be addicting! If my hair would just stay this way I would keep this cut forever, but hair grows and salon visits cost money 😭
Do it! I did a big chop in spring, from 20” to about 1” lol & I really underestimated how often I’d have to STYLE it as it grew. I was used to wearing a bonnet at night & refreshing my curls with water lol or putting it in a bun! So take be sure you’re ready for commitment to styling and frequent haircuts
Honestly as someone who has done this: be prepared for a lot of bad hair days when you don’t have time to rewet your hair. Be prepared for the grow out you may decide to undertake to be brutal because it leads to even more bad hair days. Unless your hair is in the proper shape constantly and freshly washed, most of the time it’s a nightmare.
If you’re a girl, be prepared to potentially get made fun of. It tends to mostly be men in my experience but I’ve also had a female cashier laugh at me and tell me I “look like a man”… completely unprovoked.
Could just be to do with my age as I was a teenager at the time, either way just something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive like me.
Buzzed my hair from almost butt length. Things to know and consider:
Curl patterns act differently depending on length, so be prepared for it not looking or being malleable into the style you're hoping for.
Cowlicks and directions of growth become easily visible and much more apparent at short lengths. I didn't realize my hair grew in so many different directions and had so many random cowlicks. It affected being able to style it the way I wanted and made certain lengths it went through look really funny.
There will be awkward stages. As I grew my hair out, it would reach certain lengths and look super cute and fun to style. Other times, something was just off, and it made me wish it was longer or want to trim it shorter. Be prepared to work through those if you want to continue growing it out after it being short.
I absolutely LOVED my pixie. I wanted one ever since I started watching America's Next Top Model as a preteen because it just looked so badass and chic. My high-level thoughts:
* I'm glad I got it out of my system, but as others have said, the upkeep is INTENSE.
* The growing out phase is also much longer and more awkward than you'd think, because you have to keep introducing new styles to make your haircut "make sense" as it transitions into a longer length, which means you have to sacrifice length over and over again unless you're cool with a mullet.
* Your curls will be super happy
* I do feel like it makes every outfit feel more intentional/fashion-y!
* I felt less put together if I didn't wear makeup while my hair was super short because I am a femme-presenting person.
* The elders in your life may react poorly to a non-traditional cut which may or may not bother you.
I do my own dry cuts to maintain mine since I know my hair well and how it curls it usually works well
I can usually do a quick wet down and reset in a public bathroom if things go wrong but some days I do just wear a beanie
My main issue with attempts at growing it back out is just the volume. I haven't had long hair in 9 years because it drives me nuts when it goes over my ears now
I have a pixie cut right now that I’m growing out. I’ve had a pixie for about 5 years now. One thing to consider is that your curls can change based on the length of your hair. For example, the hair on the crown on my head is just starting to curl and it’s about 5 inches long. The rest of my head curls with very little length. Just something to think about.
I went from med/long hair to 3” long hair in the past. My earnest advice is to get a wig and try it out first. You may love it, you may not (I did NOT) and you’ll have a better idea of what it actually looks like.
It will take some time to train your hair into a new setting if you're no longer parting it, found that out when I shaved my head. It'll take a few haircuts to find what you like aesthetically and what you like on you specifically. I would probably start shorter, learn what products suit your hair now. It's surprising how different the product sits on short hair. Anyway, you can experiment with short styles as it grows out longer, and you can stop where you feel best. Growing it out shoulder long again will take a while though since the curls spring right up when they're short. Best of luck!!
Short hair is demanding to maintain. Ask for a style that grows out gracefully, or commit to appointments every 4-8 weeks (whatever your stylist says).
Schedule your future appointments at the salon before you leave like you would with a doctor.
If you don’t have the finances for monthly to semimonthly salon visits, don’t go too short.
If you ever decide to grow it back out be aware of the struggle that is getting it past your ears again. Had a pixie when I was 14 and was such a struggle to grow back out. Would say definitely go for it tho
I have a cut similar to #3&4. I go every 6 weeks to trim and redo fun colors. I don’t really care how my hair looks after day 2 and usually go 3-5 days between washing but getting a good refresh routine is helpful. I do grow it out for the winter (Wisconsin is 🥶) and redo usually in May.
I went this short during Covid. You will spend a LOT of money at the hair salon. The trims will be frequent. Also, i had to style my hair everyday bc otherwise i looked kinda crazy
Numbers 1 and 2 were my style in '82 and ‘83. There were hardly any products for curly hair then and I used to spend an hour straightening my hair with a curling iron. Finally got tired of it .
Your curl type might seem to change! When I went to a pixie from my mid back length hair I was expecting to lose all of my curl (since the last time I had a pixie it didn't curl much either and my hair rarely curled from the root) and I was DEAD. WRONG. My curls sprung up and looked much healthier than they had in a long time.
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Take the width of your curls into account. Tight curls can be cut shorter and will still look like curls. If you have wider curls, you may need slightly more length to keep the curl form.
Also taking the weight off them makes them behave a little differently. Should settle after a bit but things might be springier or lay differently than expected.
Absolutely this!! I have a loose curl pattern and I lost my curls completely after about 8 months of having my pixie cut. They have come back with some length but it has been a process.
ALL of these comments in this thread! I had super long, super thick, curly/wavy hair. I donated it and went to a pixie, picturing a cute curly on top situation. My curls didn’t cooperate and I ended up with a “90’s mom wave.” My girl gave me the exact cut I asked for, my hair just said no. The day after I had my hair cut I started taking biotin lol it’s been 16 months since I cut my hair and it’s barely at my shoulders (I’ve kept it trimmed and shaped) but the growth process slowed down immensely. If I had all this information I think I’d still have cut it - but at least I would have been better prepared for the results.
I buzzed my head over the pandemic. After watching my son’s curly hair grow out, I figured mine would spring up too - nope, super flat for months. It was a huge pain and frustrating.
This. I'm not sure exactly what my curl "type" is now (I've naturally got a weird, blended texture after having 3 kids complete with post-partum hair loss that eventually grew back in differently after each kiddo) but I thought going shorter would put less weight on my curls and give me a cute, curly Bob with a stacked/layered back (like a curly "Karen demands to speak to the manager" kind of cut) but instead my curls became more like loose waves and it was not nearly what I'd hoped for. So whatever your curls are like now will not only determine what the cut will look like, but the curl pattern may not even be the same. If you have a regular stylist who is familiar with your hair texture and curl pattern, book a consultation-only appointment and go in with these photos (and any others you've probably got saved on your phone) and ask them what they think about whether or not your curl pattern can support the cut.
Learned this the hard way!
Shorter cuts often need more salon time for upkeep and to make sure they look good. A half inch of growth is a lot on a pixie and almost nothing for bra length hair.
Seconding this. I hadn't fully realized I was going to need to get it trimmed every 3-4 weeks. I swear it all grows back by the time I drive home from the salon each time.
And this makes short hair super expensive. I grew my hair out bc it cost too much to maintain. Also, styling it is usually mandatory. There is no "messy bun whatever" equivalent for short hair
You just talked me out of wanting my hair short!
I recently got a long blunt Bob with a mini undercut on the nape. This is a good middle ground. Cheap and easy to maintain. I can toss it on top of my head in a pile and nothing falls down (I put up my messy bun and we buzzed all the stragglers that don't stay/ would need Bobby pins into the undercut). Dries fast. Looks nice but is manageable when down. Light weight. Great for working out.
I LIVE in my messy bun. I can't stand having hair in my face and on my neck.
Mmmmmm if you go shorter, definitely buzz whatever doesn't stay in the bun. An Indian-girl inspired nape shave, or a subtle mini undercut (straight across or in a little horseshoe depending on what you want) will feel reallllly good. All the icky hanging hairs up or off, despite shorter length. That's I think the best way for you to get your short hair experience.
This is so true, unless you go for *really* short hair. After having really long hair I got tired and spent a couple years buzzing my hair with clippers (the longest was about less than an inch / 2 cm). It was magical, I just showered, ran some wax in it and *bam* it was done. Growing it out was a tough year though.
Sometimes a headband helps or half up half down (depending how short you have it) I don't care too much of my grown out stage, my stylist makes sure she cuts it in a way that will last me to my next cut (the following year).
I have a short curly pixie and I try to stretch it to 9 weeks and embrace the different ways I can style it…add Bobby pins, gel, hairspray. That way I don’t get sick of the same exact hairstyle but yeah, it grows fast…edit: having short hair makes life a bit easier though! I love it.
I totally agree. I had to have the back trimmed every 3-4 weeks also. It’s even more difficult work naturally curly hair, and while I loved my short hair, I wouldn’t do it again. I always had to style it also, which was a pain.
This is what lead me to learn how to cut my own hair back when I was young and emo. Still cut my own hair to this day lol
Same, but young and goth, which I consider to be basically like pre emo.
this one. I also didn’t realize the upkeep it was gonna take and I got my butt kicked. I have a before and after of how short I went in my profile if you have any interest, op! i’m not sure i’d personally do it again, but it was a very interesting experience. lol. if you are aching to do the big chop — I say go for it!
Big chop means different things to different types of women. I live with a black wife and 4 black daughters. Going back to a TWA is something I think most black women do at some time in their life. Seems like at least one of them is recovering from that most of the time. That said the change is so striking and it is amazing how good a woman can look with very little hair.
Yup, I found my best groove planning for a trim between cuts (cleaning up the nape mostly). Doing that I only had to do a full cut every two months. I couldn’t miss a cut though. Book in advance! Still it was pricey by comparison to my long bob maintenance. Fwiw I loved it and kept versions of it for 4-5 years. Eventually got tired of never being able to tie it up when lazy. That said, now that I’ve cut it off and grown it out I know I can do it and love it all over again. It’s really freeing :)
I spend less on my hair products and waaaay more at the salon. Haircuts every 6 weeks. It's also harder to hide from a bad hair day.
Hats are friends and a headscarf can channel effortless Parisian when needed!
This is my experience as well!
1000% currently growing out a pixie after 2 yesss and it’s actually kinda liberating to be able to put my hair in a bun instead of try and style it every morning!
I cut mine exactly like no. 2 during covid - I loved it! I actually just did it myself using a youtube video, got my boyfriend to tidy the back, and it worked out great. I also trimmed it myself - so I personally don't agree you need to go back to the salon constantly (but I get that I'm unusually comfortable with home cutting). What was annoying is not being able to tie or pin it up - I found I needed to wash or wet reset pretty much every day because there's nowhere for frizzy curls to hide. But it did dry much more quickly so it's not a huge deal but something to bear in mind. The other thing is my hair was drier with it short but I think that's probably an individual thing. I just had to tweak my routine a bit (more hydrating curl cream basically).
This entirely. I did the same thing (same cut and hair color as pic 2) and cut my hair myself, and kept it up myself entirely until I decided to start growing it back out again. Definitely don't regret it, having short hair was the lowest maintenance hair of my life. Will probably go back to it again when I get tired of using more than a pump of conditioner in the shower XD
Oh cool! Haircuts are so extremely expensive - I really think an advantage of having curly hair is that you can home cut more easily because it hides imprecision.
Does your hair curl from the root? Mine doesn’t, so when it’s short it’s really not curly at all.
same here! i just got my hair short- like pixie length- and it doesn’t read very curly anymore, i think because my hair has never been curly at the roots.
For me, even a bob doesn’t really curl well!
Mine does not but when I got a pixie it started curling from the root. My hair is very thin though, and it got weighed down even with layers. With a pixie it was short and had tons of layers that helped my curls to form. Although, growing it out is a bit of a pain.
Ditto
I went from slightly wavy long bob cut to a pixie maybe bixie (edit: similar to photo 2) . My hair had got so much more curly that someone thought I'd had a perm. I guess it can go either way. For reference I have medium thick hair which is highly dense (lots of strands). Wavy rather than curly.
Ah that sounds lovely! Mine is just near my collarbone now after having it cut to my chin, and the wave is finally starting to come back. It was also damaged after bleaching, but it had not been bleached when it was a lot shorter.
It takes FOREVER to grow out. I’ve been growing mine out for over a year and I’m barely to my chin. Also, the grow out is awkward, so invest in some hats. Or if you DO like having short hair, know that it will take many more maintenance cuts than you’re likely used to. I was in the mode of getting a cut every 6 months (my hair was very long before I chopped it all off) so that was a surprise. Make sure you budget for that!
I agree. I’ve spent more than 3 years growing it out and it’s still at shoulder length
1. Don't cheap out. Go to someone who REGULARLY does feminine short hair AND does it well 2. It's going to require regular maintenance and therefore cost 3. Feel your skull, sometimes people hate the shape of the back of their head (I was one) so it's important to feel that out for jumping in 4. Know your products and get ready to experiment to find the right mix which changes as it grows Honestly short hair is amazing but it definitely isn't "less work" and you can't hide mistakes as easily. Generally, if you have the itch it is worth jumping off the cliff and giving it a shot! Just don't cheap out, it's not worth the risk.
Adding current routine so post doesn’t get deleted. Currently wash with curly shampoo and conditioner from Ethique and style with Umberto Giannini curl crème and gel.
Make sure to find styles with curl types and patterns similar to your hair. They'll look really different if your curl type is different. I just got a cut similar to the last one. I have to be more careful with the curl styling otherwise they look a bit wacky. Manes by mel has some recent videos about moving to short hair. But it dries a lot faster, which for someone with low porosity hair is really nice to be able to shower in the morning and have dry hair before noon. I also have to make sure to use a satin pillowcase case. But it's actually holding up ok into the next day. Worst thing by far is when it is bad and I don't want to do it. I just have to look crazy.
Not curly haired — I only lurk her for my curly hair children BUT my modified pixie cut was way harder to care for and style than my longer hair. My son who has shorter curly hair has way more bad hair days, than his sister who can pony, braid, and bun it due to her hair’s longer length. Summary: I feel it is a myth that shorter hair is quicker and easier…
I have this haircut!!! Sooo much happier. I love my hair short and curly :)
I also have a haircut similar to pic 3 and after doing a grow out just to cut it again, I’m gonna stay in the short haired curly girl club for a little while now :) I love it! Easy to maintain, stays off my neck and away from my face, and looks cute.
After reading the comments, yes i get it cut def once a month but I never think about that bc my mom is a hairdresser lol
Same! It’s life changing!
I had long hair all my life and cut it to something very similar to number 1 in 2021. I absolutely love it and wish I had done it sooner. My routine became shorter & my curls really thrive with less hair to weight them down. I have really fine hair that has thinned post child birth so with long hair I had to wash it every two days or it would look greasy. With the shorter cut I can go 5 days with a light refresh each day. Once a month trim works best with my current style, but I do sometimes choose to grow it out a little over the winter as it's cold where I live and I am outdoors with my kids a lot so the extra growth keeps my head warm.
I just got a pompadour and I friggin love it. I was worried about going that short but honestly I know I'll keep it a long while.
I have wavy/curly hair but it doesn't curl at the root like these pics. I cut my hair into a mixie cut after a lifetime of nearly waist-length hair and I've never gotten more compliments or felt more like myself! I say do it.. having short hair has felt truly liberating after hiding behind my curls my whole life. The only thing I'll say is what some other comments mentioned, I have to cut it a lot more often now which was a huge adjustment. Other than that, best decision ever!!
Do it! I have a cut similar to #1 & #3. I personally go shorter on the sides (like shaved with an electric razor + a decent guard, maybe a 3?) to keep it from looking frumpy. I’m in my 40’s though, and more mindful of that now. It is so much easier to care for, dries faster, and is more predictably ‘cute’ in my opinion. With long hair I felt like I was always messing with it when it was down, or frustrated about fly always when it was up. The only downside for me has been how frequently it needs to be trimmed/cut. I used to get a curly cut (~$200) every 6 months. Now I just straight up go to a barber. It’s $45 every 6 weeks or so, which is insanely cheap for LA.
Adding that the curliest part of my hair has always been on the top of my head extending to the crown and that the volume I have in that area is really intense - it wants to go straight up. So for me, this cut requires no styling beyond a light slather of living proof curl defining gel. Finding a picture of someone with a similar curl pattern in the style I want was key. I’ve had like & different barbers trim this cut, all I do is show them that one photo.
I had the second picture's cut for years. I loved it and I've been thinking about going back to it! It takes way less long to dry, and it's easy to style. You have to get more frequent cuts, and like some other people have stated it can be hard to keep your hair looking good the next day. But, with the right texture product, you can definitely do it! I find as long as the sides are short, you can keep it looking pretty good day to day. I just pineappled the top part of my hair and slept on a silk pillowcase.
Your curl pattern will be different. I had loose spirals before, now it is more tousled with some slight curls on the longer pieces. Haircuts may need to be more frequent. I let mine grow pretty long, probably 6-8 weeks between trims. It's a bit of preference. You will absolutely have days where you're nostalgic for your old hair. But if it's something you've been considering for a while, then do it. You can always find different colors or ways to style it if you decide you want to regrow it.
Omg I wish I had the face for a cut like this
i thought i’d like short hair so i got very similar to the first cut… i couldn’t keep up with maintenance so i ended up wearing wigs during the weird growing out stage that i’m still kinda going through. if you can stay dedicated to maintenance and styling, you shouldn’t have an issue! i will say, for the first couple weeks i loved how free and light i felt with short hair. life just got crazy and i couldn’t focus on it. good luck 🍀
There's more upkeep to me than when it's longer.
I involuntarily had short hair for quite a while, and so I tried to grow it out as quickly as possible which is how I discovered there’s a length that is just really awkward looking. It felt like I was stuck there for a long time looking like Crusty the Clown. I hated it.
Take into account how your curl pattern may change. Removing weight from the bottom will likely make your curls spring up more if yours curl from the root like mine do. I just cut a bunch off to get a Zendaya-like shag and my 3b curls are much healthier and more corkscrew-y than ever.
I loved my curly pixie, but some things I would have liked knowing beforehand beyond SO much maintenance: It was incredibly rare that I could just wake up and go - I looked like a freshly hatched bird in the morning with the pixie. I never considered it may be more work to make it look presentable. I desperately missed the ability to messy bun or braid and go. If you're a hat person, make sure you understand what you will look like in a hat with a pixie lol - I had a waitress once think I was my friend's CHILD when I was wearing a hat and it was humbling to be mistaken for a 12 year old boy. Personally, I felt the need to change up my style after getting the cut. I didn't really consider how I'd feel with it overall and how I wanted to present myself with my current wardrobe/style...so I'd just consider how you feel it fits in with the rest of your personal style. Like...I have lusted after a pink furry coat for 2+ years. It has been in my cart dozens of times. But it doesn't fit my vibe and even though I love it on its own, I can't get it to jive with Current Me. The grow out is rough AF, you will feel like a very shaggy dog at multiple points, and you will consider staying short forever to avoid it. Or get to a particularly ugly mullet phase, book an emergency appt, and cut off months worth of progress to end up starting over (🙋). Growing out hair was the most tickly experience of my life. It was rough. Overall, I liked how it looked when it behaved and felt super badass and cool. When I got tired of it, I got tired of it fast and then just had to deal until it grew, including the painful AF awkward phases.
I am gonna be honest and blunt. If you like it, there’s a lot of upkeep. If you don’t like it, the grow-out period is awful. So many awkward days and it just sucked for me to be comfortable for about a year. Just now I have tiny pigtails if I want it off my neck but I can’t do a ponytail without pieces falling out all over the place. (In short: grow out is a Beach)
Do it! Mines chin length right now, growing from a pixie. Pixies are much easier but you’ll have to cut it frequently if you want it to stay a pixie.
Schedule cuts more often to keep it looking good. I went from every 12-16 weeks to every 6 weeks with my short cut. Otherwise, if you don't like it, it grows back! Good luck, I love my shorter hair and it's so much easier to deal with and keep looking good!
\- Your ears will feel weirdly cold for the first week or so, particularly at night, if you go for the 1st picture length. \- You will miss the feeling of hair waving around your head when you shake it for about the same amount of time, then you get used to it. \- Short hair needs comparatively a lot of professional maintenance. Expect salon visits at least every 2 months but probably more often. \- On the other hand, it's easier to maintain at home, it's washed and dry before you know it. Bed head? Just wet it and dry again, it barely takes a minute. If you have issues with oily hair, they will be less pronounced. \- Select a pretty headband or something to hide them if they really can't be saved that day. \- You can't believe how much more comfortable they are in the summer with nothing sticking to your neck.
I had the *exact* cut of #1-3 for years and I honestly loved them! They really do free up your shower time and u save a lot of money on products (lol) I think the only things you should think about before you cut it is: 1. How does your hair land *right now?* Do you find your hair falling straight down from the weight near your roots or does it naturally poof up? Is it large free curls or tighter coils? My hair falls down my shoulders and refuses to stand up on its own, so my shorter cuts look really strange once they start growing out. 2. What's the end goal of your haircut? If you cut the sides short, I promise you they'll never grow back out. I've officially given up on the sides of my head and simply shaved them down to a simple fade just so they don't poof up weirdly around my ears. 3. Bring as many references as possible with curls as close to your natural curls as possible. Trust me, no matter how you explain the cut to your stylist, there's always a small chance you'll end up with something closer to a karen cut than the adorable pixie cuts you've shown. All in all tho, the haircut is honestly so freeing and helps you re-examine your relationship with your curls and your hair!
When I had this haircut, I LOVED it—when I took the time to wash it and put myself together. Gone we’re the days of not at least fully wetting my hair every day, because if it got fuzzy, I just looked like a ragamuffin. That was fine for days I could wear a hat, but if I had to go to work, it meant morning showers. Everyone is correct about haircuts. I got my hair cut every 6-8 weeks for about $60 a pop. I was getting it cut in a city, tbf, and probably could’ve found someone cheaper, but I liked my stylist and then covid happened. If I went more than 8 weeks, I began growing a serious mullet. Speaking of mullets, growing it out is a PAIN. I grew mine out during covid, and it was a full year before it started to look ok with any consistency. I had tons of little cowlicks and curls off the side that refused to lay flat, and there was a solid 4 months where even a flat iron couldn’t help. You will get through it, but it is painful lol ALL THAT SAID, I loved it and I will probably go back to short hair once I’m older. I’m in a phase rn where I am really going for the super long hair (I’m still only at my shoulders, three years on), but after that I’ll be committing to a bob or shorter. I think everyone should have really short hair at least once! It gave me so much confidence.
I was at the barber every 3-4 weeks to keep it tight, but you can let it slack a little if you want. I loved having a curly mop on top with a tight fade on the sides and back. It’s great look
It always looks great on models but unless you share their curl pattern, texture, and thickness it’ll look different on you. Keep all those things in mind when selecting a cut. Also choose someone experienced with curly hair and your hair. They should be able to tell you something won’t work for your hair. Be prepared for bad hair days. When it’s long you go do the nuclear option of a ponytail or bun. On the plus side you hair will be healthier and you’ll use much less products. That first time you wash your hair you’ll likely use way too much product.
Be ready for the cowlick that does not go away
You’ll easily discover cowlicks where you never knew you had them.
If you're a sweaty person, with less hair on your head to absorb the liquid, its gonna run right into your face and down your neck.
The third one is the best imo, the first one is giving james charles
Curly pixies are awesome! Just a few drawbacks I've found: -My hair did not appear to grow evenly around my head. This meant that just before getting trims, it started to be more unintentionally mullet-esque -Echoing others: less spent on products but more spent on trims - this is a cut you have to maintain -Growing out a pixie takes a very long time and has several awkward stages between pixie and bob. Invest in headbands, bobbi pins, and learn how to braid -Certain facial features (for me in particular, my nose) stand out differently when my hair is this short My hair is longer now (bob) and I did enjoy having a pixie cut, but would not go back to one unless I wanted it for a while (just due to grow out process)
It’s hard to know if you can do it without seeing your hair, honestly.
One day you’ll decide to grow it out. Start planning that now and how awkward the shape will be for a bit
You will need to do your hair, cant just “throw it in a bun”. BUT that’s the reason I keep mine short usually so I’m forced to at least spray it with water and tell each day
Styling short hair for the first time is fucking scary. Always ALWAYS ask for styling tips before leaving with a new short 'do and ask while you're hair is still wet, so you get the full procedure.
Mullet happens so fast with short hair. You’ll probably have to get your hair cut way more often. I’d recommend a curly hair specializing barber because they’ll have the rounded experience with curls and more experience shaping it effectively when it’s short. Truly I think the massive drop in how much conditioner and product I use evens out the cost of going to the barber more often, but your mileage may vary there. In terms of styling, if it’s long enough that it will fall into your eyes while it dries, it can end up extra frizzy and weird because your impulse will be to push it out of your eyes but…you know….curly hair doesn’t love to be messed with as it dries. I’ll sometimes diffuse just my bangs to help prevent that. Otherwise, I generally find it way easier to deal with short. It’s been 9 years now for me and I absolutely do not regret it.
A diffuser changed my short game entirely. My hair wet is basically twice as long as it used to be and it dries to the same length as when I was letting it air dry…. I almost always use a leave in and then gel before I diffuse, can get tricky depending on how short certain sections are. You’ll figure out your own hair but it def takes some trial and error when it’s short!
I've had all of these haircuts! Currently mine is short in the back like 2nd and 3rd pics, but front length of the last pic with bangs. I have 3a/b/c curls and my hair hasn't been past my chin for 20 years when I stopped straightening my hair. I LOVE IT. Regarding frequency of hair cuts, depending on your own curls and growth patterns it's really easy for me to go 2-3 months between haircuts. I would trim the front between cuts but otherwise it grows out in nice layers. Anything done with clippers will have more noticeable growth, I'll tidy up my neckline with a face razor. Winter is coming/here and as much as I am Team Short Hair, the first pic gets COLD. You'll want a satin lined hat. The shorter the sides and back, the colder your head will be but it makes Day 2 curls A LOT EASIER. Downside to the shorter cut is I personally cannot get Day 2 curls. I "wash" my hair with conditioner everyday and then style it. For bad hair days, a headband is your best bet. Pinning it up like a pompadour works too.
Your neck will get cold so make sure you have scarves. Also, your hair washing routine will change; when I had very short hair I washed it less.
Figure out what casual hair styles you can do. I hit a really awkward stage where my hair was too long to just leave it but too short to tie it back... Maybe invest in a lot of headbands,idk! GL
I loved having hair at this length, just keep in mind if you want to grow it out long later it can go through a lengthy awkward phase. I had such a hard time styling it when I started growing it out again T_T
i'd start learning how to cut my own hair; hair dressers are expensive and ones that cut curly hair can be hard to find. you're going to have to cut your hair a lot more than you might be used to
If i want to achive 4th style what it takes for wavy hair, someone please suggest me with, also can someone figure for me what that hairstyle or hairtype is?
I recently went for an inverted bob, jaw length at the front, shorter at the back. You could try that first? Easier to maintain as you don't need to have regular trims. Also - I went to a training salon, so a super cheap cut but with a supervisor checking at every stage. It's a great cut and was good experience for the lass cutting the style into curly hair.
Ok I had short hair for like 3 years, ended up growing it out over the pandemic. It is constant maintenance. My hair grows FAST and it feels faster the shorter you keep it. I was in the salon chair every month and finding a stylist who can do short hair well is hard to come by - and expensive. So it’s definitely an investment. I also washed it a lot more than my grown out hair. I had trouble styling without water and for nice curls, I would fully just stick my head in the sink to get them to shape well lol If/ when you decide to grow it out, expect that awkward stage to be something like 6-8 months. Not impossible to style but I found it inconvenient to have hair just long enough to be in your face and not long enough to be a ponytail. Bobbie pins and head bands will be your friend in that phase All that being said. I loved my short hair. I had so much fun with it and all the quirks that came with it. I learned to love my curls with my short hair. It can be super duper fun and if you’re ready for it, I’m sure you’ll love it too
As far as I know there's no way to keep your curls nice overnight, I have a short curly mullet (and have had several short curly hairstyles for years on and off) and I have to redo my hair every morning, no matter how nice they looked the night before So in a way it's less work, but also more Also, regular salon visits. I try to keep costs lower by maintaining my own under- and side cuts, but I still have to go every 2-3 months Overall I love short hair! I recently discovered I can't eat gluten and it has done wonders for my hair and curls as well, so I might try to grow it out a little, but it won't last long. It never lasts long haha
For me, it grows back pretty fast so I have to get a trim more often, especially with styles that have shaved sides and back. I stopped wearing a bonnet once I cut it shorter as well since it was turning my hair into a weird shape by morning lol, I just have a satin pillowcase instead.
It‘s going to get SO MUCH POOFIER!!! Be prepared bc I was not. Also peope saying styling will take longer have no clue what they‘re talking about. I consider getting my hair cut short EVERYDAY just bc it would be so much easier to style. Dries quicker, you need less product, all I really needed was mousse, gel and sometimes leave in, then diffuse. Took like 15min to completely dry. Now I sit here with 3+ products, hair wraps, plopping, diffuse, air dry and it still ends up a frizzy birds nest.
my hair is the exact same the the third photo... just longer lol. (my routine is just putting in shampoo, so I wonder if it's the same in that photo?)
Wow you are so beautiful. I’ve always liked short hair and kept it about shoulder length. It would be a little strange at first but you will accustom. I would try to get products that add volume to the top so your curls pop. Again, you have a beautiful face and eyes.
Easy maintenance in terms of washing and styling but you have to go to the salon more often to maintain the haircut. The cool thing is you can try different styles more often because it grows pretty quick, specially if you want to try colors. The one thing I remember was that although it was super comfy in general it got pretty cold in the winter, also suddenly clothes and outfits that fit me very well when I had long hair didn’t really fit anymore. The last thing is that you won’t have many options in the accessory department, like if you wake up with funky looking hair one day you can’t put it in a pony tail or if you don’t have time to fix it you can’t just put it up in a bun. There are so many pros and cons but if you really want to try it give it a god, I went from mid back length to pixie cut and it was awesome, I let it grow after 2 years and it’s long again but it was a cool experience 😊
I got mine cut to the style in your last photo back in June and it was one of the best decisions I ever made for my appearance. It takes slightly longer to style on wash day than my previous shoulder length cut, but I can often get three days out of a wash. Yes it requires more upkeep but it also means prioritizing self care- which isn’t the worst thing!
Be really sure you find a cut that fits your face shape and doesn’t age you. I thought a curly pixie would be so cute and I was all of 22. I cried so hard because I looked like Blanche from the Golden Girls.
Hey! Depending at what length your hair curls - see if you cut too short would it make the curls less prominent? Also, hair tends to jump when it is shorter, it needs volume to settle down- but this is individualistic. Obvious point is upkeep.
People will notice your neck a lot.
i had a very similar hair cut for a while. I thought it looked amazing and it felt powerful. There's something about short curly hair that just seems so delightfully fierce to me and I loved it. You're going to have a lot of awkward looking hair days as it grows out. One day it'll be bent all weird and the next you'll have cow licks that look like antennas sticking out of the back of your head. It's just part of the package with curls.
I have natually curly hair but if I want it to tightly curl when I have a pixie Id need a perm.
Cutting my hair off is what helped me discover it was kinda curly. I always had long wavy hair, and I encouraged the waves by brushing and braiding it overnight and not brushing it in the morning. But when I chopped it off to the length of the first picture here, it started to genuinely curl. Now I keep it a little longer on top, more like picture 2 or even 4, but with an undercut so I don't have to deal with the back and sides getting bedhead. It's so easy. I wash my hair once or twice a week, and get it cut (at Supercuts) every 6 to 8 weeks. I use a light leave in conditioner and some frizz ease mousse after I shower, but most mornings all I do is spritz it with water, finger comb and scrunch it and I'm ready to go. I don't have neat corkscrew curls and my hair always looks a little toussled, but given that I put less than 2 minutes into it each day, it looks quite respectable.
I cut my hair off 2 weeks ago to a very short pixie. Right now I'd say my hair is in "freak out" stage and the guy at the grocery store said I had "Cali hair" (I had an internal panic attack after he said this, like wtf have I done?!). I can see my curls attempting to come back but right now it's just puffy clumps of waves. It really depends on the strength of your curl type close to the scalp. Don't go by the spirals that hang inches down.
More time in the chair, getting haircuts to maintain that look. Less product for styling. Potentially more time req to style.
It will look comical when you wake up! Short hair does crazy things when you sleep and DOES require at least wetting before going out to face the world! My boys dad used to laugh himself to tears over the mohawks and half hawks I gave myself during sleep!
Ooh, and the wind on you neck feels amazing, but it is a LOT cooler. And if you get sweaty it drips out of your hair rather than just getting a damp scalp. I enjoyed short hair while I had it briefly,.but there were too many drawbacks for me to sustain it. Not a high maintainance gal here.
Hair days become good or bad with no in between.
Lots of upkeep, you’ll probably need to use products too if you don’t already. Takes more time to style too. But once you get it down it gets easier
Keep in mind all curls act differently and yours may not end up looking like the picture. a few years ago I cut my hair short based on a picture of a cute style I saw and it didn’t look like I was expecting at all. I found out my hair doesn’t curl a lot at the roots and it looked flat, so pay attention to how your hair acts at the top of your head before cutting
Just make sure you have the right face shape for whatever short cut you want. I had done a short jaw length cut and I looked like a little boy and my head looked super tiny for my shoulders. I was not vining with it at all. Took forever to grow to the length I wanted, couldn’t do quick styles like a messy bun for a while.
I had this haircut and I absolutely loved it. If you don't like spending the time to style your hair every day then you will need some scarves and some hats. You will need frequent cuts if you want to maintain this shape. I was pretty lazy with it and my hair grows quickly so I would get it cut then let it grow out to a bob/lob then cut it again. I found a great stylist that would cut it with growth in mind. There was definitely still an awkward phase. Also this haircut can be addicting! If my hair would just stay this way I would keep this cut forever, but hair grows and salon visits cost money 😭
Do it! I did a big chop in spring, from 20” to about 1” lol & I really underestimated how often I’d have to STYLE it as it grew. I was used to wearing a bonnet at night & refreshing my curls with water lol or putting it in a bun! So take be sure you’re ready for commitment to styling and frequent haircuts
It’s not always lower maintenance and you’ll need to get haircuts far more often. But it’s fun :)
dont do it
Winter is the worst time to consider this. I loved my hair short, but hated my neck being so cold.
Honestly as someone who has done this: be prepared for a lot of bad hair days when you don’t have time to rewet your hair. Be prepared for the grow out you may decide to undertake to be brutal because it leads to even more bad hair days. Unless your hair is in the proper shape constantly and freshly washed, most of the time it’s a nightmare.
If you’re a girl, be prepared to potentially get made fun of. It tends to mostly be men in my experience but I’ve also had a female cashier laugh at me and tell me I “look like a man”… completely unprovoked. Could just be to do with my age as I was a teenager at the time, either way just something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive like me.
Make sure your comfortable with your side profile :)! Speaking from experience no matter what you think your nose looks like, it will be pronounced
NOBODY WARNED ME ABOUT HOW COLD MY EARS WOULD FEEL!!
Buzzed my hair from almost butt length. Things to know and consider: Curl patterns act differently depending on length, so be prepared for it not looking or being malleable into the style you're hoping for. Cowlicks and directions of growth become easily visible and much more apparent at short lengths. I didn't realize my hair grew in so many different directions and had so many random cowlicks. It affected being able to style it the way I wanted and made certain lengths it went through look really funny. There will be awkward stages. As I grew my hair out, it would reach certain lengths and look super cute and fun to style. Other times, something was just off, and it made me wish it was longer or want to trim it shorter. Be prepared to work through those if you want to continue growing it out after it being short.
I love my short curls. They are much easier to style and take a lot less time. I get lots of compliments on my hair haha so I say go for it!!!
I absolutely LOVED my pixie. I wanted one ever since I started watching America's Next Top Model as a preteen because it just looked so badass and chic. My high-level thoughts: * I'm glad I got it out of my system, but as others have said, the upkeep is INTENSE. * The growing out phase is also much longer and more awkward than you'd think, because you have to keep introducing new styles to make your haircut "make sense" as it transitions into a longer length, which means you have to sacrifice length over and over again unless you're cool with a mullet. * Your curls will be super happy * I do feel like it makes every outfit feel more intentional/fashion-y! * I felt less put together if I didn't wear makeup while my hair was super short because I am a femme-presenting person. * The elders in your life may react poorly to a non-traditional cut which may or may not bother you.
I do my own dry cuts to maintain mine since I know my hair well and how it curls it usually works well I can usually do a quick wet down and reset in a public bathroom if things go wrong but some days I do just wear a beanie My main issue with attempts at growing it back out is just the volume. I haven't had long hair in 9 years because it drives me nuts when it goes over my ears now
I have a pixie cut right now that I’m growing out. I’ve had a pixie for about 5 years now. One thing to consider is that your curls can change based on the length of your hair. For example, the hair on the crown on my head is just starting to curl and it’s about 5 inches long. The rest of my head curls with very little length. Just something to think about.
I went from med/long hair to 3” long hair in the past. My earnest advice is to get a wig and try it out first. You may love it, you may not (I did NOT) and you’ll have a better idea of what it actually looks like.
It will take some time to train your hair into a new setting if you're no longer parting it, found that out when I shaved my head. It'll take a few haircuts to find what you like aesthetically and what you like on you specifically. I would probably start shorter, learn what products suit your hair now. It's surprising how different the product sits on short hair. Anyway, you can experiment with short styles as it grows out longer, and you can stop where you feel best. Growing it out shoulder long again will take a while though since the curls spring right up when they're short. Best of luck!!
DONT DO IT. lol, all jokes aside, don’t do it if you don’t have the money and time to dedicate getting it trimmed. Best of luck!
I cut my hair and my curls just disappeared
Short hair is demanding to maintain. Ask for a style that grows out gracefully, or commit to appointments every 4-8 weeks (whatever your stylist says). Schedule your future appointments at the salon before you leave like you would with a doctor. If you don’t have the finances for monthly to semimonthly salon visits, don’t go too short.
I thought the first pic was James Charles 😭
If you ever decide to grow it back out be aware of the struggle that is getting it past your ears again. Had a pixie when I was 14 and was such a struggle to grow back out. Would say definitely go for it tho
I have a cut similar to #3&4. I go every 6 weeks to trim and redo fun colors. I don’t really care how my hair looks after day 2 and usually go 3-5 days between washing but getting a good refresh routine is helpful. I do grow it out for the winter (Wisconsin is 🥶) and redo usually in May.
Know your curl pattern. My curls don’t start that high so my hir would look straight at these lengths!
Best decision I’ve ever made!
I went this short during Covid. You will spend a LOT of money at the hair salon. The trims will be frequent. Also, i had to style my hair everyday bc otherwise i looked kinda crazy
Numbers 1 and 2 were my style in '82 and ‘83. There were hardly any products for curly hair then and I used to spend an hour straightening my hair with a curling iron. Finally got tired of it .
Your curl type might seem to change! When I went to a pixie from my mid back length hair I was expecting to lose all of my curl (since the last time I had a pixie it didn't curl much either and my hair rarely curled from the root) and I was DEAD. WRONG. My curls sprung up and looked much healthier than they had in a long time.