A curly pixie cut is a short haircut for women with naturally curly hair that’s cropped into layers, creating a tousled effect. An all-time trend that first blew up in the ’60s, this universally flattering curly short hairstyle is loved by many women for its volume, definition, and high fashion appeal!
Pixies are great short haircuts for curly hair as they are lower maintenance and let you embrace your natural hair texture -without the weight of having long locks. If you’re the type who loves a messy, get-up-and-go look and have less time to spend styling each morning, well, you’re on the right path!
Curly pixies are not just an everyday hairstyle but also fitting for night-outs and formal happenings. Celebrities like Ruth Negga, Halle Berry, Blake Lively, and Rihanna confidently carry theirs while walking on the red carpet!
Keeping the pixie’s length and shape of a curly short haircut could require salon visits every 3-4 weeks. For styling pixie curly cut, use products like gel, spray, and cream to help defrizz and define your curls.
Before your next hair appointment, check out these inspirational pictures of some of the best curly pixie cut ideas.
#1: Curly Layered Pixie
A layered curly pixie does a great job at either removing bulk for thick hair or adding volume for thin hair. Curls like these are the perfect style for short curly haircuts.
#2: The Perfect Curly Pixie
Try the perfect curly pixie for its elegant and dramatic shape. With my years of experience, some natural curl is frizzy and imperfect. Work with what you have, and you can always define your hair with a tiny curling iron once it’s dry. To achieve this style, the sides can be undercut or gelled back to give you the illusion of a short shape. The top should be left long and draping over the eye, and you’ll need to apply curl moisturizing products.
#3: Salt and Pepper Curly Long Pixie for Women Over 60
A curly long pixie style is perfect for women over 60 with thinning hair. This style allows you to keep some length while still embracing your aging hair and making it look its best. To style this look, start by blow-drying the hair. Then use a flat iron or curling wand to create soft and subtle waves. The best product to use to finish this look is pomade. Using pomade will help to define the curls and create texture.
#4: Curly Pixie Cut with a Side Part and Highlights
A curly pixie cut with a side part and highlights is the perfect way to freshen up your look. And you can do this without the commitment of a full head of color. When you get to the salon, ask for the best cut to give your curls the most bouncy, flattering shape. When getting your highlights, remember to ask for them to be strategically placed. This will give your face a more natural, sun-kissed look. To keep your curls looking their best, use a deep conditioner once a week. Also, avoid heat styling when possible.
#5: Cute Curly Pixie for Women Over 70
A cute curly pixie for women over 70 is a stylish easy style haircut. The key factors here are to embrace your hair texture. Make sure to dry it closer to your head shape for a modern profile. I encourage you to air dry or diffuse in place to help accentuate the wave and keep your style flatter. Bringing the top hair more forward and to the side might help with your endeavor. You’ll love the way a curly pixie gives softness to your face.
#6: Natural Silver Curly Pixie
Perk things up with a curly pixie. I personally recommend using the natural movement in your hair. First, it’s easy to use your curls or waves, then fight to straighten them. Second, your curl pattern is unique to you. Try scrunching your silver pixie with the palm of your hand. This will help you see what movement you can create.
#7: Brunette Pixie with Curls and Sideburns
Show off your curls with a brunette pixie with sideburns. A short pixie is one of the best cuts to bring your curls to life. Cutting excess weight and length will be great at making your tresses look even curlier. So, be ready to show off your spirals. In my professional opinion, I would almost always cut curly hair dry to ensure I know the length I am cutting. Wet hair can stretch and when your hair dries, can shrink up to an undesired length.
#8: Gorgeous Tapered Curls
If you’re a curly girl in search of a bold new change, these gorgeous tapered curls are a great option. You can try to grow it out between appointments and still look great, thanks to the blended, tapered sides. Keep your short style looking fresh with regular hair appointments.
#9: The Voluminous Curly Pixie
Voluminous curly pixies are perfect for women over 40 who want a younger look. Consider keeping long bangs for a more youthful look. When styling your curly short pixie cut, use a sea salt spray to enhance your texture.
#10: The Curly Undercut Pixie
This is a great curly pixie undercut because it takes the sides incredibly short but blends the top in a way to keep the silhouette soft. It can sometimes be a challenge with how long to keep the curls on top, so it stays tight enough to keep the shape but long enough to have the freedom to style an undercut for curly hair. You have to get your hair cut far more often than when your hair is longer, so factor that into your budget and time. If your hair is less curly on top, you would need to get reshaped much more often.
Face shape plays a huge role in styling short cuts. For example, if you have a round face, styling to give yourself more height is helpful unless your goal is to accentuate that round shape.
#11: Cute Pixie for Naturally Curly 3C Hair
This cute natural curly pixie cut is best for women with tightly coiled curls and long faces. Adding the bangs across the forehead keeps more of the focus on your eyes. Wear a defined natural 3C curly pixie cut if you don’t want frizzy hair anymore.
#12: The Edgy Pixie
The androgynous, edgy pixie is a mix of graduation in the back and length left on the top of the hair. When getting a curly haircut, it is vital to keep in mind your natural curl pattern and ensure the curls lay how they naturally would. A good curl cream is a great styling product for this hair type to help maintain curls.
#13: Stunning Pixie for Women Over 40
Stunning pixie for women over 40 offers several options for styling. Creating it with short, shaved sides and a layered curly top is perfect for curly-haired women. Layered curls allow for a fuller body and volume. Curly pixies suit oval and heart-shaped faces best.
#14: Ideal for Women Over 50 with Curls
A pixie cut is ideal for women over 50 with curls since they suit many facial shapes, require easy upkeep, and offer a youthful-looking glow. This low-maintenance curly pixie cut also creates the illusion of fuller voluminous curls.
#15: Long Pixie Cut for Older Women
A long pixie cut is perfect for older women with curly hair who want a simple and stylish haircut. To get this cut, ask your stylist for a soft pixie cut where it is shorter on the bottom and longer on the top.
#16: Long Wavy Pixie Cut with Curls
A long wavy pixie cut with curls gives a soft look to curly hair. An interesting asymmetrical pixie cut with a longer side that hugs the cheekbones. It’s great on heart and diamond face shapes. This cut is in the middle with maintenance, about 6-10 weeks to keep the style looking good. Curly hair can be a little more forgiving.
#17: Ideal Pixie for Curly Thick Hair
The best curly pixie haircuts for thick hair include lots of texture. This takes out a lot of the weight and bulkiness.
See a stylist who specializes in DevaCuts or the Curly Girl Method, as they’ll know how to best shape your thick curls.
#18: The Curly Pixie Bob Perm
A curly pixie bob is great for very thick and straight with some natural texture to it. This chop was created by hairstylist Jessy Jin of Vancouver, BC.
“This is a short curly hair cut with a perm that is not as short as a typical pixie but also not quite a medium-length,” says Jin.
If you are considering a pixie perm, Jin says to make sure you have a proper consultation before you book a full appointment. “Gather some pictures to really show what size of curls you want and how natural you want it to look, and also bring your hair history with you. This is very important, for your hair integrity matters,” she notes.
Jin loves prepping short permed hair or naturally curly hair with Pureology color fanatic. “It’s one of my favorite light hydrating leave-in conditioners, that is also color-safe. Also, you can use it on wet or dry, so you can spritz on the second or third day to hydrate their curl.”
#19: The Curly Long Pixie
If you’re afraid to go too short, consider a curly long pixie cut. It’s a great middle-ground and will suit a long face shape, in case you have one. Ask your stylist to keep some longer curly bangs. With this short cut, you can easily style at home by applying a simple pomade and styling with your fingers. If you want more ideas for short hairstyles for curly hair, check out these other long pixie cuts.
#20: Curly Pixie for a Round Face
When it comes to a pixie cut for curly hair, it’s best to keep the cut just above and around the ear area for a face-framing look that flatters a round face shape.
Laying the strands gives the short curly pixie haircuts an edgier appearance.
#21: Pixie for Thin Curly Hair
Getting a super short curly textured pixie with tapered sides is great for women with thin hair because it creates more volume for your curly locks.
After that, get your Liza Minnelli-inspired curly look in a blonde form!
How to style a tapered curly pixie hairstyle:
1. Air dry or diffuse dry hair
2. Finger comb through hair
3. Apply a mist spray for a more textured look.
#22: Asymmetrical Pixie
An asymmetrical pixie cut for thick curly hair is a chic choice for women who like the put-together but messy curls style. Short curls are easy to maintain, creating a fuller look and suit thick curly hair. A curly, asymmetrical pixie has several layers to create a perfect, full style. If you’re feeling bold, shaved sides can create an edgy look.
#23: Blonde Pixie
A trendy blonde pixie goes perfectly with curly, fine hair. Ask your stylist to add layers to create loose curls and more dimension.
It’s a modern way to show off wavy curly pixie cuts with curly bangs.
#24: Side-Parted Wavy Pixie
A side-parted wavy pixie adds tons of waves and volume at the top of the head and is perfect for women with an oval face shape. Wavy hair adds a different look to your usual style as it adds a lot of texture and volume. A permed pixie cut works well since styling comes minimal.
#25: Curly Pixie with Bangs
The key to a cute curly pixie cut with bangs is to ask your stylist for an asymmetrical cut. This allows your bangs to sweep across your face.
To style, add mousse to wet hair, scrunch your tight coils and let hair dry.
See more pixie cut with bangs.
#26: Textured Pixie for Fine Hair
When considering pixie cuts for curly hair that’s fine, opt for layers and styling to mimic fullness. These will keep you looking feminine.
Wearing such cute curly hair feels like being naturally blessed with chunky locks, too.
#27: Super Short and Curly Pixie
Super short and curly pixie is perfect for ladies with oval-faced shapes looking for a simple, manageable yet bold haircut. With shorter sides and a longer top and front, this allows your curls to lay beautifully across your forehead. It creates a beautiful fringe pixie look.
#28: A Very Curly Pixie
A very curly pixie haircut is ideal for women with naturally curly hair who want a little less maintenance. Tight natural curls are perfect for curly short hair, as the curls bounce up a ton and it is not weighed down. A 3B curly pixie is ideal for women who want to accentuate their curls.
#29: The Curly Messy Pixie
This mohawk-inspired curly messy pixie benefits from a full, voluminous crown. It was cut and styled by curl specialist and salon owner Jen Cortez of Minneapolis, MN.
“A haircut like this can highlight your eyes and cheekbones. And, with golden brown hair color, any lady with a warm skin complexion can wear this cut,” says Cortez.
She adds, “any woman with naturally curly hair can pull off this messy curly pixie cut. It’s all about feeling confident in your stylist and their ability to work with your texture.”
#30: Naturally Curly Red Short Pixie
With this gorgeous short curly pixie cut you can get the “big chop” you’ve always wanted. “I used my own technique called the ‘curlspiration’ cut to achieve this look. Keep the top longer an edgier look,” says curly hair specialist Jasmine Levy of Boca Raton, FL.
You don’t need to have previously damaged hair to go this short for a curly look. Levy loves pixies on curly girls since the hair is already textured.
“Any curl pattern from 2a to 4c can rock a naturally curly pixie cut. Just be sure to look for pictures with girls having your curl type, so you can have an idea of how it will turn out,” she notes.
Keeping the hair a little longer and rounded on top works for the round, square, and oval faces.
Like every curly girl, they use a lot of product in their hair, so getting a short cut like this will save so much time and money!
Always keep the curls hydrated especially if you do color. Levy recommends the Deva Curl conditioners, as they give the best hydration. “The only downside is you will be seeing your stylist more often.”
#31: The Natural Pixie for Black Hair
Pixie haircuts for black curly hair like this are all about keeping the sides short and growing the top out. “African-American ladies will look so stunning with this chop, for sure,” says master stylist Teddy Baker of Los Angeles, CA.
“This cut can be adjusted for any type of curl,” notes Baker. “Also, it’s great because you can wear the hair in front of the ears for a softer 70s vibe or slick it behind the ear for a more polished and dressy look.”
With any pixie cut, curly hair needs cream to defrizz/define and a spray or gel to hold the curls in place.
Baker says this pixie for natural hair works best for women with strong features such as high cheekbones, big eyes, or a strong jaw.