Short Hair Trend: Cutting, Coloring and Styling Cropped Cuts

Short Hair Trend: 3 Celebrity Hair Tips From @hairbyadir
Ready for a major trendspotting? Last year was all about the bob haircut revival—and since then, women have been daring to cut off those grown-out, long layers shorter and shorter! Now, some of our fave celebs are rocking not only pixies, but modern mullets and bowl cuts (yes, BOWL cuts!) and here’s why. Croppin’ it short is empowering and gives clients versatility to quickly change up their looks from edgy to something softer.

That’s why we’re sharing how to strategically approach shorter haircut transformations, plus color and styling tips for personalizing shorter chops. Get it all below!

Products Used

Color Protecting

ColorKick™

Virtue®

Blowouts

Volumizing Primer

Virtue®

Styling

Polish Un-Frizz Cream

Virtue®

Styling

One For All 6-in-1 Styler

Virtue®

1. Before Going Short: Balancing Inspiration & Personalization
Okay, so let’s look at two of the biggest celebrity hair transformations of 2019: Kristen Stewart’s clipper-cut punk makeover and Charlize Theron’s bowl cut, both created by legendary hairdresser and Virtue® Creative Director Adir Abergel (@hairbyadir). It all starts with inspiration—whether it’s a single photo or an entire decade to reference, and then Adir adds personalization with movement, texture and shape.

Kristen Stewart’s ’80s Punk Haircut

• Reference: The look is an homage to the ’80s new wave and punk movements, constructed with a deep side-part into an angular lob that’s tucked behind the ear with a relaxed, cool vibe.

• Personalization: Adir clipper-cut the sides to a number three in a very non conformative way (like Kristen almost did it herself), leaving the back thinned out in a mullet shape with a collapsed effect. He left the top long to create a notched-out lob that could be tucked behind the ear. 

Charlize Theron’s ’90s Bowl Editorial Cut

• Reference: “I had been thinking about how to take Charlize’s dark hair into something cool and modern,” shares Adir. “I created the concept around a ’90s image of Linda Evangelista shot by Peter Lindbergh.”

• Personalization: Adir reached out to London-based stylist Jonny Eagland to create the precise undercut or the look, using scissor-over-comb. Then, Adir cut a symmetric bowl right above the ears and right below the brow. He cut the hair straight across and connected it into a slight V in the back for a softer edge.

2. Custom Color Tip For Adding Softness To Shorter Crops
Your client has just chopped off their hair into a super short crop, now what? Personalize their transformed look with color that emphasizes the haircut. For Charlize, that meant adding dimensional cooler blonde tones and ribbons of rich, rooty darkness.

Adir collabed with colorist Shannon Gallacher to transform her hair into a wheat blonde—“dark in the undercut, grounded by dark roots and accented with cooler tones of wheat and beige highlights in the bowl part of the style.” The KEY to keeping the hair healthy: Adir added Virtue® ColorKick™ human keratin hair filler to the color formulas for increased vibrancy and less damage.

3. Short Hair Styling How-To: Relaxed & Edgy Cropped Look
For short-haired clients, especially first-timers, it’s important to show them how to style their hair at home. Here’s how Adir created a rocker chic look for Kristen:

1. Starting on towel-dried hair, apply Virtue® Volumizing Primer to the roots to create memory at the base.
2. Comb the hair into a deep side part exposing the undercut.
3. Then, apply Virtue® Polish Un-Frizz Cream from mids to ends.
4. Rough-dry the hair 70 percent to create volume at the roots, then brush out for a sleek finish leaving volume at the roots.
5. After establishing the shape, use a flat iron to straighten the ends for a more punk finish.
6. Finish with a mix of Virtue® 6-In-1 Styler and Un-Frizz Cream, applying all over for a shiny and sleek finish.