How to Trim Your Pixie Cut

You love your pixie cut, but it's starting to grow out and drive you crazy. Sound familiar? Whether you're trying to save some money or skip a trip to your hairstylist, trimming your own pixie cut is a valuable skill. You can remove a little length and clean up the sides whenever it's feeling shaggy to maintain the look or just trim around your neck if you're trying to outgrow the cut.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Using Scissors and Clippers

  1. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 1
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    Comb the top of your hair into a section and pull it out of your face. Brush the hair on the top of your head forward so it lies flat. Gather the longest part of your pixie up onto the top of your head and clip it in place. If you have a pixie with a lot of length on top, you might comb above your ears around your head and clip the hair up.[1]
    • Have a super short pixie all around? You may not need to clip any hair back.
  2. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 2
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    Wrap a towel around your neck and comb the hair on the sides of your head down. To make cleanup easier, wrap a clean towel around your neck to catch little hairs. In a pinch, you can cut a plastic trash bag and wrap it around you. Tape the bag in place so loose hairs don't fall underneath it. Then, use a comb to smooth the hair down on the sides and back of your head. This is probably where the hair growth is bothering you.[2]
    • If you have a salon cape, put it on so little hairs don't fall all over you.
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  3. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 3
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    Choose a guard based on how short you want to go and snap it onto hair clippers. Hair clipping sets come with a handful of guards that clip onto the blades so you can adjust how close the blades come to your scalp. The clippers range from #1, which cuts down to 1⁄8 inch (0.32 cm) of your scalp, to #8, which leaves your hair 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.[3]
    • The clipper guard size is totally up to you! Just remember that smaller numbers will cut closer to your scalp while larger numbers will leave more length. If in doubt, start with bigger numbers and work towards smaller numbers if your hair is still longer than you like.
  4. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 4
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    Run the clippers down along the back of your neck. Turn on the clippers and comb them down through your hair. To get rid of shaggy bulk, start near your ear line and run the clippers down the long hair that's at the base of your neck. Work just along the neckline, but don't cut up around your ear or you might make the hair on the sides of your head too short.[4]
    • If you're trimming all of your hair and don't want any length on top, comb the clippers over your entire head to cut your pixie back to an even length.
  5. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 5
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    Switch to a guard with a higher number and run the clippers through the sides. If you want to create a gradual fade from the base of your neck up through the sides and toward the top of your hair, choose a guard that's at least 1 or 2 sizes larger than the one you used for the base of your neck. Start near your temple and run the clippers from the crown of your head down towards the base of your neck. Work gradually around the side of your head until you reach the other temple.[5]
    • You can leave the sides as long as you like. Some pixie cuts keep the sides pretty short, while others leave the sides a few inches longer than the neckline.
    • If you want the hair on the sides of your head to be really short, just use the same guard that you used to trim your neckline.
  6. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 6
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    Brush your top hair down and use shears to trim out of place hairs at the back. If you clipped your hair to the top of your head, unclip it and brush your hair down. Pinch a section of hair through your index and middle finger near one side of your head to see how long it's grown out. Then, take your shears and cut as much length from the hair as you want.[6]
    • For a super short pixie, you can probably skip this step since the hair clippers will evenly trim your hair close to your scalp.
  7. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 7
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    Keep trimming the length around the side of your head. Since it's easy to lose your place when you're trimming your own hair, move your fingers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the section you just trimmed. Keep them at the same level on the side of your head and trim your hair to the same length. For example, if you trimmed 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) from the side of your hair near your ears, make sure that you're trimming that same amount as you cut the hair around your head.[7]
    • Once you've gone around your head, you can trim the hair that's lower down on your head to make a tapered pixie style.
  8. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 8
    8
    Drag a guarded razor along your neckline to clean up tiny hairs. A guarded razor looks like a straight razor that's with a metal comb. It's great for cleaning up fine hairs along the neckline. To use it, stand with your back to a mirror and hold another mirror in front of you so you can see your neckline. Take your guarded razor and gently rub it back and forth below your neckline to shave off fine hairs. This makes your neckline more pronounced and makes your whole pixie cut look polished.[8]
    • A guarded razor is really just for trimming near the back or sides of your neck— not for shaving your face or legs.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Growing Out a Pixie

  1. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 9
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    Trim length from the nape of your neck so your style looks polished. If you have thick or wavy hair, the hair near the base of your neck will probably flip or curl out as it grows. Put a guard on hair clippers and run it just along your neckline to remove some length. Remember, the lower the guard number, the closer it cuts to your scalp. If you're trying to leave some length, try a #5 or #6 clipper, for instance. Then, take a guarded razor to shave fine hairs that grow below your neckline.[9]
    • Trim bulk from your nape every few weeks as you grow the style out.
    • Since it can be tricky to cut the back of your hair, ask a friend to help or at least hold a mirror for you.
    • If you have fine or thin hair, you may not need to trim your neckline very often. However, you'll probably need to trim every 4 weeks if you have thick hair.
  2. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 10
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    Don't trim the hair on top of your head. We know it's hard, but resist the urge! The hair on top of your head has to grow out so it reaches the base of your neck. Don't cut it unless you see split ends. This is where cute hair accessories like bobby pins, hair scarves, and headbands come in![10]
  3. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 11
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    Use pins, scarves, and hair accessories to pull your hair back. As your pixie grows out, your hair will be different lengths. Instead of trying to pull it back into a ponytail, use bobby pins, headbands, or hair scarves to work with whatever length you have. Braid the longest hair, for instance, or pull it into a little bun on the top of your head.[11]
    • If your hair is wavy, a few strategic bobby pins can pull the sides of your hair up to make a half-updo or use them to tuck longer hair back.
    • For finer hair, a headband or headscarf can keep loose hairs from falling onto your face. A headscarf works like a headband, but it gives your look a fun retro vibe.
  4. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 12
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    Change your part to redistribute your hair's bulk. As you grow out your hair, you'll probably find that the top hair gets long and shaggy before the hair near your neck catches up. This can make your hair look poofy on the sides. To prevent this, brush your hair forward and to one side of your face instead of parting your hair and brushing it down on the sides.[12]
    • Do you have fine, thin hair? Brush the hair on top of your head forward and then part it down the center. Then, brush the sides down to balance the weight of your hairstyle.
  5. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 13
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    Curl your hair if you've got uneven lengths. If you're trying to grow out your pixie, it can seem like it's taking forever! To create the illusion of volume or texture, curl the hair on top of your head. This is really helpful if you have fine hair and you can see the different lengths. You can use any size barrel or curling iron to make adorable curls.[13]
    • Don't have a curling iron? Use your flat iron to make waves or curls in your hair. Straighten a section of your hair and rotate the flat iron so the hair twists around the iron. Then, hold the hair in place for a few seconds before you remove the flat iron.
  6. Image titled Trim Your Pixie Cut Step 14
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    Slick your hair back with water and pomade for a bold, stylish look. Tired of trying to tame your hair as it grows out? Create a sophisticated style by spritzing your hair with water. Then, rub a little hair gel or pomade between your palms and work it through your hair. Comb your hair into a deep side part and brush the sides back and down to finish your sleek hairstyle.[14]
    • To keep your slicked-back look in place, spritz firm-hold hairspray over your hair.
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Expert Q&A
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  • Question
    How can I trim my split ends?
    Jenny Tran
    Jenny Tran
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Jenny Tran is a Hair Stylist and the Founder of JT Hair Lab by Jenny Tran based in the Dallas, Texas metro area. With over seven years of professional hair styling experience, Jenny specializes in hair coloring, haircutting, and hair extensions. JT Hair Lab is an authorized carrier of R+Co and of Milbon and is committed to using products with quality ingredients.
    Jenny Tran
    Jenny Tran
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    To trim your split ends, just take a pair of shears and dust, or trim, the very tips of the split ends.
  • Question
    What face shape works best for a pixie cut?
    Jenny Tran
    Jenny Tran
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Jenny Tran is a Hair Stylist and the Founder of JT Hair Lab by Jenny Tran based in the Dallas, Texas metro area. With over seven years of professional hair styling experience, Jenny specializes in hair coloring, haircutting, and hair extensions. JT Hair Lab is an authorized carrier of R+Co and of Milbon and is committed to using products with quality ingredients.
    Jenny Tran
    Jenny Tran
    Professional Hair Stylist
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    If you have a longer face or a heart-shaped face, a pixie cut will look the best since it balances out your features.
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Things You'll Need

Using Scissors and Clippers

  • Hair clippers with adjustable guards
  • Hair clips
  • Scissors
  • Brush or comb
  • Cape, optional

Growing Out a Pixie

  • Brush or comb
  • Hair accessories
  • Pomade or hair gel
  • Firm-hold hairspray

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References

  1. ↑ https://youtu.be/MLNuJZ-p1EQ?t=76
  2. ↑ https://youtu.be/MLNuJZ-p1EQ?t=72
  3. ↑ https://youtu.be/1Y59ysXquIk?t=50
  4. ↑ https://youtu.be/kzihWnqczv0?t=127
  5. ↑ https://youtu.be/2lC-EWzPHic?t=306
  6. ↑ https://youtu.be/MLNuJZ-p1EQ?t=428
  7. ↑ https://youtu.be/MLNuJZ-p1EQ?t=436
  8. ↑ https://youtu.be/MLNuJZ-p1EQ?t=475
  9. ↑ https://youtu.be/2Y2y_-nZwSM?t=189
  1. ↑ https://youtu.be/DD5lwGv--GY?t=373
  2. ↑ https://youtu.be/cSiSypkWLTc?t=371
  3. ↑ https://www.glamour.com/story/reader-question-how-do-i-grow
  4. ↑ https://curlonamission.com/2018/06/20/7-ways-to-grow-out-a-pixie-with-naturally-curly-hair/
  5. ↑ https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/pixie-cut-hairstyles

About This Article

Jenny Tran
Co-authored by:
Jenny Tran
Professional Hair Stylist
This article was co-authored by Jenny Tran and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Jenny Tran is a Hair Stylist and the Founder of JT Hair Lab by Jenny Tran based in the Dallas, Texas metro area. With over seven years of professional hair styling experience, Jenny specializes in hair coloring, haircutting, and hair extensions. JT Hair Lab is an authorized carrier of R+Co and of Milbon and is committed to using products with quality ingredients. This article has been viewed 28,624 times.
7 votes - 86%
Co-authors: 6
Updated: June 2, 2021
Views: 28,624
Categories: Trimming Hair
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