Are you thinking about getting a hair makeover? Have you made the decision to part ways with your long locks this summer? A new TikTok hair trend has arrived just in time to give us our most fabulous hair of the season! Volume, layers, and femme fatale bangs – the short butterfly haircut has it all!
Table of Contents
- What is a Short Butterfly Haircut?
- What Face Shape Suits a Butterfly Haircut?
- Short Butterfly Haircut Ideas 2023
- Short Butterfly Haircut with Side Bangs
- Short Butterfly Haircut for Thin Hair
- Short Butterfly Haircut for Straight Hair
- Short Butterfly Haircut with Curtain Bangs
- Shoulder-Length Butterfly Haircut with Textured French Bangs
What is a Short Butterfly Haircut?
The butterfly haircut dates all the way back to the 1920s and made a later comeback in the 1960s. It was originally known as “the Parisian cut” and was one of the most popular hairstyles amongst models from Europe all the way to the U.S. At the beginning it was predominately cut on short hair. One of the most famous and recognizable examples is that of Marilyn Monroe. The butterfly haircut is a structured hairdo with short layers at the top section of your head that gives you volume at the roots. It has soft longer layers in the middle which adds to the volume of this haircut and makes it really easy to style and maintain.
What Face Shape Suits a Butterfly Haircut?
The beauty of the butterfly haircut is that it can be easily cut to suit all face shapes. The layered structure of the hairdo also allows it to be tailored to all hair textures and lengths! Here’s how you can adapt the butterfly hairstyle to your face shape:
- Oblong/Oval Face – You can experiment with a longer cut and wispy bangs that will help frame your face and draw attention to the middle section of your face.
- Round/Heart-Shaped Face – A butterfly haircut with French or side bangs is best suited for your face shape! Depending on the length of your neck, a shoulder-length cut might be the optimal choice for you!
- Square/Triangular Face – To make the sharp lines on your face appear softer, there is one solution – lots of layers! Curtain bangs and a below-the-shoulder cut will help give your face a more rounded and feminine appearance.
Short Butterfly Haircut Ideas 2023
The short butterfly haircut is a stunning alternative to the classic layered bob. It allows the natural texture of your hair to come through and looks flawless with minimal styling! The curtain bangs and short front layers create the illusion of a wing-like appearance reminiscent of that of a butterfly. It enhances and highlights your facial features by gently framing your face and drawing attention to the center of your face. It gives you dimension and volume for days while also making your face appear slimmer!
Short Butterfly Haircut with Side Bangs
This alluring ruby red butterfly haircut on short wavy hair is the absolute it-girl look of the summer! It’s playful, edgy and allows your natural beauty to really shine through! The side bangs are ideal if you have a heart-shaped face as they will make your forehead appear slimmer. This structure of the butterfly cut is especially flattering if you have wavy hair texture. It allows your natural waves to take up their shape without any styling and gives you an effortlessly chic tousled look.
Short Butterfly Haircut for Thin Hair
Are you wondering how to make your thin hair appear more voluminous? The short haircut will give you dimension, texture, and structure like no other hairdo you’ve had before! Add soft layers and curl them inwards to achieve a face-framing effect that adds volume not only at the top but also on the sides of your hair!
Read also: The Worst Hairstyles for Thin Hair According to Experts: DOs and DON’Ts for a Healthy Hairdo
Short Butterfly Haircut for Straight Hair
Are you tired of having your straight hair fall flat on your head? Well, it’s time you say ‘goodbye’ to this unflattering look and say ‘hello’ to a modern new appearance! The gradual layers and wispy bangs of the butterfly haircut will add structure and dimension to your hair. This haircut is especially suitable for people with round faces. It will elongate your neck and give your face a slimmer appearance!
Short Butterfly Haircut with Curtain Bangs
Adding curtain bangs to your butterfly cut is a stunning way to embody that classic 70s model look! They will soften your facial features and make your face appear slimmer and longer. This is a perfect hairstyle for those who have a square or triangular face shape!
Read also: How to Cut Curtain Bangs at Home? Find The Easiest Steps Here!
Shoulder-Length Butterfly Haircut with Textured French Bangs
Want to add even more volume and dimension to your haircut? Textured French bangs are the way to go! The soft layers of this type of bangs adds volume to the front and side sections of your face. If you’re someone with sharp facial features, this is a great way to soften them down and make your face appear more round.
FAQs
A butterfly haircut combines short layers with long layers to give your hair dimension, movement, and body. The short, wispy layers hit around the chin to frame your face, highlight your features, and even contour a round face shape.
Does the butterfly haircut work? ›
The butterfly haircut works with all hair types, though natural, curly and wavy textures tend to work best due to the defined, layered nature of the style. However, when it comes to thin hair, you might want to steer away from this cut. Adding lots of layers to already thin hair can make it appear even thinner.
What does a butterfly cut look like on short hair? ›
While the key to achieving a butterfly haircut on any length is usually lots of face-framing layers, the secret with shorter lengths is thinned-out ends: You want to keep things light and feathery. Thinning the ends of the layers to help remove weight creates that butterfly effect on shorter strands, explains Potempa.
What hair is best for butterfly haircut? ›
“Anyone can try this cut, but it's best for wavy or curly hair,” Brook says. Butterfly haircuts look best on waves and curls because the layers are blended to complement your natural hair pattern, making styling low-maintenance.
Why is the butterfly haircut so popular? ›
Its voluminous, feathered layers can add movement and body to thin or fine hair, while its flipped-out ends can create a playful and youthful look. The butterfly cut is also a great option for those who want to frame their face and accentuate their features.
Which is better, wolf cut or butterfly cut? ›
The "Butterfly" cut can be described as a modern take on the classic shag. The name comes from the layering effect that frames the face effortlessly with an overall seamless blend. The "Wolf" cut, is the perfect mix between a textured shag with the shape of a mullet.
Is butterfly cut good for short hair? ›
Because of multiple variances in the layers, a butterfly haircut gives the volume of a short haircut but it doesn't mean you will have to sacrifice your hair length. Instead, the butterfly haircut removes weight and damaged hair ends, leaving your hair voluminous and bouncy that's able to hold its shape.
Is a butterfly haircut hard to maintain? ›
The butterfly cut is one of the most popular haircuts of the year for a reason, but it's not as easy to maintain as it looks. If you have thinning hair, make sure to give your strands the support they need to rock this cut. Use volumizing products to boost your locks for more luscious layers.
How to ask a hairdresser for a butterfly haircut? ›
HOW TO ASK FOR THE BUTTERFLY HAIRCUT
- Whispy bangs (or curtain bangs)
- Heavy face frame (usually, you'd like your bang to not be far from the start of your face frame, so there's not a big disconnect. everything flows together!)
- medium bouncy layers.
The Wolf Cut is similar to the Butterfly Cut, but with more layers.
One of the coolest and trending mens short hairstyles 2024 is Taper Fade. It's a combination of two hair styles – a Taper & Fade and suits best for men short hair style. Generally, this short hair styles for men features short hair on top and a Taper that transforms into a Fade at the bottom.
What is a butterfly haircut for girls? ›
The look is meant to emulate the shape of a butterfly's fluttering wing. But in technical terms, “It's a haircut with a lot of layers, first and foremost,” says Ellis, who regularly styles Aubrey Plaza and Josephine Skriver. “The shortest layer will be no shorter than the face frame.
What face shape is a butterfly haircut? ›
Here's a quick guide: Round Face: The layered texture of the butterfly cut adds angle and lengthens the round face, creating a slimming effect. Oval-shaped faces: Almost all styles suit oval-shaped faces, and the butterfly cut is no exception. Enhances the natural balance of the face.
Does a butterfly cut have curtain bangs? ›
8) Gorgeous butterfly haircut for thin hair
This shoulder-length, butterfly cut with bangs is reminiscent of The Rachel—a fun, bouncy, and ever-popular 90s style. With choppy, short layers and short curtain bangs, this style adds volume to even thin, straight, short hair!
What face shape is best for a butterfly haircut? ›
The butterfly haircut is typically more flattering on oval and round faces due to its layers accentuating cheekbones and softening angles. But that doesn't mean there isn't a way to make it work on any face shape.
What's the difference between layers and butterfly cut? ›
What is the difference between a butterfly cut and a layered cut? Typical layers are shaped to go inwards and shape the face. A butterfly haircut has layers that are back and away from the face, forming the shape of a butterfly's wings.
What is the difference between butterfly cut and layered hair? ›
Coined by hair stylist Sunnie Brook, the butterfly haircut is defined by layering at the crown for a dramatic face frame and big volume. Unlike other layered cuts, where dimensions are blended for all around texture, the butterfly cut relies on high contrast between a chin length layer and longer locks.
What is the difference between butterfly cut and curtain bangs? ›
"The curtain cut brings the focus to the front, with attention given to the middle-parted bangs which blend into face-framing layers," he says. Highlighting the difference even further, Mikic adds, "Layers in a butterfly cut also turn away from the face rather than framing the face.
