How to Find the Right Pixie Cut

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With the help of a trusted hair stylist and a dash of confidence, anyone can sport any type of pixie cut! Certain styles will help you highlight or conceal different facial features, and different styles work better with different hair types. [1] Once you know your face shape, you can determine which features you want to play up and which you want to balance out. For better or worse, your pixie cut won’t stay the same forever. You can choose to maintain your cute crop, or allow your tresses to grow out. Whichever style you choose, have fun and be bold!

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:

Determining Your Face Shape

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  1. Look in a mirror to get a straight-on view of your face. Use an eyeliner pencil to mark a dotted line around the outside edges of your face. Start at your forehead, drawing the dotted line across at your hairline, and then extend it down to trace the outside edges of your cheeks and jaws. Continue the line around the base of your chin. [2]
    • You can snap a photo of your face, print it out, and trace around your face on the print-out, if you prefer. [3]
    • Consider having someone else take your photo from a few steps away, instead of using a selfie which distorts your facial proportions.
  2. You can make the comparisons visually, or use a tape measure to get the exact proportions. First, determine which part of your face is the widest (forehead, cheekbones, or jaw). Then look at the shape of your chin and jawline (rounded, square, or pointed). Lastly, check whether your face is longer than it is wide, or wider than it is long.
    • This will help you determine which of the face shapes you have: round, oval, square, rectangular, heart, or diamond.
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  3. You have a round face if your cheekbones are the widest part of your face, your chin features soft curves in a rounded shape, and your face is wider than it is long. [4]
    • If your face is longer than it is wide, you have an oval face.
  4. Your face is square-shaped if your jaw is the widest part of your face. You have a strong, square jawline and your face is wider than it is long. [5]
    • However, if your face is longer than it is wide, you have a rectangular-shaped face.
  5. Your face is likely heart-shaped if your forehead or cheekbones are wider than your jaw. The signature feature of a heart-shaped face is a chin that tapers down to a point. Usually, your face will be wider than it is long if it’s heart-shaped. [6]
    • If your face is longer than it is wide, and your forehead is narrower than your cheekbones, you have a diamond-shaped face.
  6. As long as you have confidence, you can pull off any haircut! [7] But you might not love just any haircut if it doesn’t deliver the effect you intended. Then think about whether you want to use your hair to highlight your features or soften them.
    • For example, if you have a short and wide round face, you might want to elongate it with sweeping bangs. Or, you might want super-short fringe that emphasizes your cute, compact features. [8]
    • Search online for photos of celebrities with your face shape to see how different haircuts transform their faces.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 4:

Choosing a Cut Based on Face Shape

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  1. If you want to enhance the elfin beauty of your heart-shaped face, get a cut with plenty of volume up top. Try short baby bangs to make your chin seem smaller and your eyes lower-set on your face. [9] To draw attention to the length and elegance of your oval face, keep your hair short on the sides and add volume at the top. [10]
    • Oval and heart-shaped faces naturally lend themselves to a variety of pixie cuts, so feel free to experiment! [11]
    • The narrow chin of a heart-shaped face and the long proportions of an oval face, especially if paired with sculpted cheekbones, can balance out lots of volume up top but can also feel balanced under buzz-cut style pixies. [12]
  2. A tousled schoolboy-style haircut cut will play up your sculpted cheekbones and jawline. Keep it voluminous and use a gel or pomade product to hold your choppy locks in place. [13]
    • This kind of boyish look can be especially fun when contrasted with feminine style choices.
  3. By adding length and volume at your crown and roots, you’ll lengthen out your overall face shape. This is especially effective on square and round faces. You can keep the hair off of your forehead to add even more length.
    • Consider a pixie with choppy texture framing your face and adding volume all over. This kind of style will break up the soft round curves of a round face and will emphasize the angular contours of a square face. [14]
    • A sleek, long side bang tucked behind your ear will mirror the roundness and shortness of your face. You can avoid this style if you’d rather balance out your proportions, but it can be a chic way to emphasize your facial structure. [15]
  4. Oval, diamond, and rectangular faces tend to be longer and leaner than other face shapes. If you’d rather make your long face appear shorter, add a sweeping side bang and maintain some layers and volume at the sides of your face to widen it out. [16]
    • Since diamond-shaped faces are narrower at the forehead, they can benefit from choppy tendrils at the top and around the sides for added width. [17]
  5. Opt for a deeper side part and a dynamic, asymmetrical style to play up your angular features. If your hair conceals your broader forehead and cheekbones, it will help your chin appear narrower. [18] Consider adding angular pieces in front of your ears to mask the width of your cheekbones and emphasize your strong bone structure.
    • You can go an extra step and keep one side of your hair (with the sideswept bangs) fuller and more voluminous, while chopping the other side shorter. [19]
    • By playing with face-framing texture and bangs that distract from the width of your face, you can make your chin and jawline appear narrower and more angular.
  6. Not all diamond and heart-shaped faces end in a sharp pointed chin, but if yours does you can downplay this with a longer pixie. Avoid top-heavy styles and get a cut that keeps some hair around your chin.
    • Try an angled bob, which involves longer hair in the front and a shorter crop in the back. This can be a fun and flattering style.
    • A choppy bob can serve as a great starting point that you can eventually shift to a shorter pixie style.
  7. If you have a rectangular, diamond, or oval face and want to distract from the height of your forehead, and the overall length of your face, keep some hair over your forehead in the form of soft sideswept bangs. [20]
    • Baby bangs and lots of volume at the top can highlight the length of your forehead, but this attention-grabbing style isn’t for everyone.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 4:

Considering Hair Type

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  1. Curly and wavy hair can result in an array of dynamic, beautifully textured pixie styles, as long as you maintain enough length for your curls to take shape. [21] Get layers to make your hair feel lighter, rather than weighed down. Layers wil add plenty of volume, movement, and texture to your cut. [22]
    • If you’re not sure how your curls will perform in a short crop, you can try going for a bob first.
    • Observe the habits of your shorter curls and master a few styling tricks before going in for the pixie.
  2. Unless you want to add width to balance out a narrow face, you should stick to a pixie with shorter trimmed sides. Consider getting a cut that tapers down in around the back and bottom as well to manage your hair’s texture and volume. But keep plenty of fullness and layers at the top of your style, to take advantage of your voluminous tresses. [23]
    • Avoid getting a blunt pixie cut if you have thicker hair. It won’t provide as much movement and might not feel balanced.
  3. While fine hair can feel limp in a heavy, long haircut, it can be light and voluminous when chopped short. Add plenty of layers so your hair looks nice and full. Choppy, asymmetrical cuts look especially great with fine hair. Try bangs that are graduated from short to long. Or go straight for baby bangs!.
    • You may want to avoid a heavy side bang since it could get weighted down and start looking a little limp.
    • For even more depth and dimension, consider adding lowlights and highlights that will emphasize your pixie’s volume. [24]
  4. If you have fine hair, develop an arsenal of products that will add dynamism and movement to your pixie. Try a variety of styling mousses and pomades, texturizing sprays, and hairsprays and see which ones you like best. Dry shampoo will be handy for keeping next-day styles fresh and lively. [25]
    • Work these products into your roots to keep your style choppy and voluminous.
    • Try teasing your roots as well for extra lift. [26]
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Part 4
Part 4 of 4:

Designing a Cut with Styling Versatility

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  1. Angled side bangs can frame your face and emphasize your cheekbones. But you don’t always need to style them in front of your face! Long bangs can be brushed back off your face and arranged into an edgy, masculine coif. [27]
    • A coif involves arranging your bangs up and off of your forehead so that they add height and texture to your pixie. You can add curls or waves, or go for a spikey effect.
    • Use styling pomade to add volume at the roots and hold your hair in place in a coif.
  2. If your hair holds a curl, this instantly broadens your pixie styling potential. Whether you plan to liven up your straight hair with glamorous retro finger waves or soft, tousled curls, get a slightly longer pixie cut with layers. [28]
    • For maximum pixie curling potential, get a long pixie that borders on bob territory.
    • Alternatively, you can keep your pixie shorter at the back and longer towards the front to add in just a few face-framing curls.
  3. Do you want to try the gelled, slicked-back look? If so, keep your hair long enough to tuck behind your ears, and aim for a cut that’s sleek at the back and neat around the nape of your neck. [29]
    • Choppier cuts won’t hold this style as well. Textured layers will be hard to keep down smoothly.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Are there any face shapes that do not work well with a pixie cut?
    Patrick Evan
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Patrick Evan is the Owner of Patrick Evan Salon, a hair salon in San Francisco, California. He has been a hairstylist for over 25 years and is a Thermal Reconditioning Specialist, dedicated to transforming difficult curls and waves into sleek, straight hair. Patrick Evan Salon was rated the Best Hair Salon in San Francisco by Allure magazine, and Patrick's work has been featured in Woman’s Day, The Examiner, and 7x7.
    Patrick Evan
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Expert Answer
    Personally, if you want to rock a pixie, I say go for it! Your stylist can talk to you about shaping and showing you how to style it to compliment your face shape. Sometimes that means leaving the fringe area a little longer, or a bit more texture around the face. If your head, for example, is a bit cone-shaped the cut should be done with a bit more fullness in the corners to make sure the shape is balanced out into an oval. At the end of the day, whatever makes you feel confident is what’s best.
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  • Question
    What is a long pixie cut?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    A long pixie cut is somewhere in between a bob and a traditional short pixie. The hair tends to be longer in the front, creating a softer frame for the face.
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  • Question
    How do you style a pixie cut?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    There are a lot of different possibilities! To soften up your look, blow-dry your bangs and gently sweep them to one side. You can also create an edgier, more textured look by working through some pomade or light-weight wax and roughing up your hair just a little. Experiment with brushing your hair back, changing the location of your part, or puffing it up with a little volumizer.
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      Tips

      • Study your hair’s growth patterns before getting your pixie cut. This way, you’ll be able to discuss styling options with your stylist, and you won’t be too surprised or frustrated at your hair’s behavior once you have a pixie.
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      • If you’re not happy with your pixie, remember that your hair will grow back! It might feel awkward and uncomfortable for a little while, but it’s all part of the process. You will learn a lot about your hair during the process, which will help you make informed decisions the next time you cut your hair.
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      • Find a trusted and highly-rated stylist who specializes in pixie cuts. Look for client feedback and discuss your vision with the stylist (before walking in for your appointment!) to see whether they’ll be the best person for the job.
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      References

      1. ↑ Patrick Evan. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 17 January 2019.
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/79hQu9es6Ok?t=23
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/79hQu9es6Ok?t=15
      4. ↑ https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/face-shape
      5. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/what-my-face-shape-learn-how-determine-your-face-shape-t139826
      6. ↑ https://www.today.com/style/what-my-face-shape-learn-how-determine-your-face-shape-t139826
      7. ↑ Patrick Evan. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 17 January 2019.
      8. ↑ https://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-short-hairstyles-face-shape/p106482/page2
      9. ↑ https://graziadaily.co.uk/beauty-hair/hair/best-pixie-haircuts/
      1. ↑ https://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-short-hairstyles-face-shape/p260675/page3
      2. ↑ https://coveteur.com/2019/04/04/best-pixie-cut-for-face-shape/
      3. ↑ https://graziadaily.co.uk/beauty-hair/hair/best-pixie-haircuts/
      4. ↑ https://graziadaily.co.uk/beauty-hair/hair/best-pixie-haircuts/
      5. ↑ https://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-short-hairstyles-face-shape/p260671/page12
      6. ↑ https://coveteur.com/2019/04/04/best-pixie-cut-for-face-shape/
      7. ↑ Patrick Evan. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 17 January 2019.
      8. ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@keepcalmandclipemin/video/7268365206844099873
      9. ↑ https://www.cosmo.ph/beauty/hair/pixie-cuts-for-every-face-shape-a1669-20170526
      10. ↑ https://www.thetrendspotter.net/cute-pixie-cuts/
      11. ↑ https://fashionista.com/2013/11/yes-you-can-pull-off-a-pixie-cut
      12. ↑ https://www.thetrendspotter.net/30-chic-short-hairstyles-thick-hair/
      13. ↑ https://coveteur.com/2019/04/04/best-pixie-cut-for-face-shape/
      14. ↑ https://www.fabmood.com/inspiration/50-short-hairstyles-that-looks-so-sassy-8/
      15. ↑ https://pophaircuts.com/pixie-cut-with-fine-hair
      16. ↑ https://fashionista.com/2013/11/yes-you-can-pull-off-a-pixie-cut
      17. ↑ https://pophaircuts.com/pixie-cut-with-fine-hair
      18. ↑ https://graziadaily.co.uk/beauty-hair/hair/best-pixie-haircuts/
      19. ↑ https://graziadaily.co.uk/beauty-hair/hair/best-pixie-haircuts/
      20. ↑ https://graziadaily.co.uk/beauty-hair/hair/best-pixie-haircuts/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Pixie cuts are a great, versatile hairstyle that can be modified to fit just about any face shape. If you have an oval or heart-shaped face, get a pixie cut with plenty of layers and volume. You might also try adding baby bangs, which will make your chin seem a bit smaller. If you have a square-shaped face, get a touseled pixie cut, and use gel or pomade to hold your style in place. If your face is fairly short, get a layered pixie cut to lengthen your face. Or, if you have a longer face, get fewer layers and add some sweeping side bangs to balance out your face shape. In general, the thicker your hair, the fewer layers you’ll need to get volume and texture into your style. To learn how to style your new pixie cut, read on!

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