Butterfly Haircut: 5 Reasons Why You Should Get One

by BRENDA L. / 4 JANV. 2023

Reading Time: 7 Minutes

Index

If you’ve been paying attention to the latest trends and/or are a regular follower of #hairtok, chances are you’ve bumped into the butterfly haircut at least once. But what is it, and most importantly: should you get it? Why? Read on to find out how the butterfly hair cut is completely transforming the hairscape this year. If you’re planning on going more daring and are thinking of opting for a short butterfly haircut, we have all of the styling essentials and accessories you’ll need to keep your hair looking healthy, voluminous and salon-quality. In need of some more inspo? Take a look at our blog on the top predicted haircuts, colours and hairstyles for 2024 so you can stay up to speed with all of the latest trends, including butterfly cut hair transformations.

What Is A Butterfly Haircut?

Layers galore, aka the butterfly haircut. The hairstyle takes its name from Sunnie Brook, celebrity hairstylist whose roster of glamorous customers features names such as Jenna Ortega, Emily In Paris’ very own Ashley Park, and utopic superstar Elisabeth Moss. But what’s so special about it and why is it so popular at the moment?

The butterfly hairstyle, however similar to the popular, grungy wolfcut that broke the internet a couple of years ago, it’s different in the sense that it features more layers and a more elevated structure.

The hairstyle presents itself as a supremely crafted layered lob, but with a surprise: in fact, the butterfly haircut’s structure is designed to only mimic a shorter length at the front, hiding XXL tresses in the back. This gives the butterfly haircut some extra wow-factor and lots of versatility, making it the ideal hairstyle for long-haired individuals that would like to play around and switch things up from time to time.

Why Should You Get A Butterfly Haircut?

If your hair type supports this kind of structured, layered hairstyles, you should definitely give it a go. The butterfly haircut works best with thick hair as it will need lots of volume to maintain plump and body in your mane even after such an elaborate layering work. If that's not your case, fear not: you can still get all the magic of a beautiful butterfly haircut and boost it with hair extensions for a full-bodied, voluminous finish. But why would you get a butterfly haircut? Let me give you five reasons.

It Allows You To Try Different Hairstyles

If you’d like to rock shorter, face-framing layers and curtain bangs, the frontal piece of your hair will delight you – mimicking the appearance of a wispy lob. If you keep the rest of your length in the back as the classic version of this cut suggests, you will be left with a super chic faux bob. You can play around with the length on your back with trendy ponytails and half-up, half-down hairstyles that will look trendy, glamorous and romantic.

It Will Lighten Up Your Mane Without Missing Out On Length

The amazing, variegated layers of this haircut will take out the extra volume in coarse, thick hair without forcing you to say goodbye to Rapunzel-like tresses. Inspired by the same concept behind the jellyfish haircut (you can read more about it on our dedicated blog: What Is A Jellyfish Haircut?), the butterfly hairstyle will lighten things up and keep you stylish with a full blend and a 90s feeling to it.

It’s Super Easy And Can Be Achieved At Home

If for one reason or another you seem to be unable to book a salon appointment any time soon, but feel like your mane needs to be freshened up, you’re in luck: although I don’t condone DIY haircuts in general, I have to admit that the butterfly haircut is fairly easy to achieve in the comfort of your own home: all you need to have is a pair of good shears, some hair ties, and a bit of patience. TikTok features thousands of tutorials using the so-called “unicorn haircut technique”.

The Butterfly Layers Haircut Is Popular Amongst Celebrities

Rumour has it, the butterfly haircut is a modern version of the 90s “Rachel”, the infamous haircut inspired by the homonymous character from the popular TV show Friends. The Rachel haircut peaked in popularity as Friends’ fans decided to copy the innovative look sported by Jennifer Aniston. Nowadays, celebrities such as Kaia Gerber, Sabrina Carpenter and influencer Matilda Djerf advocate for this popular haircut through the 90s and 00s revival we’re currently in.

Butterfly Cut Hair It’s Universally Flattering

It doesn’t matter if your face shape is leaning towards square, heart-shaped, round, oval or diamond or triangle; some slight variation of the butterfly haircut will surely compliment your complexion and face structure. You can rock it with a side part, soft curtain bangs or even pair it with a fluffy, bouncy, big 90s blowout. Not sure what face shape you have? Find out in our dedicated blog "hairstyles for oval faces".

How To Do A Butterfly Haircut

Many pro hairdressers and influencers alike posted haircut tutorials on platforms such as Youtube, TIkTok and Instagram Reels to show how to achieve this gorgeous, bouncy and trendy hairstyle at home. Let’s see together how.

Arm yourself with hair ties (preferably nylon ones), thinning shears and precision hair-cutting scissors.
Start with wet hair: this will allow you to achieve a precise cut from the blades, whereas dry hair tends to move around too much, often resulting in choppy ends.
Comb your hair through, moving from the highest point of your head to the front .
Separate the front part of your hair in one big section that starts from your hairline and ends behind the ears.
Thoroughly comb through your hair with a small-toothed comb, creating a ponytail in between your eyebrows.
Tie the ponytail in between your eyebrows.
Tie the rest of your hair in the back in a high ponytail, as high as possible.
Grab the front section and chop off a small bit. This is where you are the master of your own world: a little trim won’t do much, but you’re not expected to cut off a whole five inches of hair all at once. Work your way, bit by bit. If necessary, take the section down and check how the length looks before tying it up again and shortening it! The ideal length would be around chin height, but you could mix and match with curtain bangs if you want (in this case, check out our blog: The Face Framing Bangs Everyone Is Talking About And How To Get Them)
Pull the ponytail in the back all the way to the front, and repeat the process. The amount you want to cut off is around four to five inches, depending on how long your hair is. You can use your fingers as reference, keeping in mind that on average, two fingers are about one inch.
Take down the sections and check how you like the layering! Part your hair in the middle, apply some heat protectant spray, and proceed with a blowdry.
Now you can check the blending and, if your hair is particularly thick, add some more structure with the thinning shears.

How To Style A Butterfly Haircut

Once you’re done with the cutting part, you can arrange your butterfly haircut in different fashions: from bouncy, glossy loose curls to big, fluffy 90s blow dries a la Cher Horowitz from Clueless. The butterfly hairstyle is a layered retro sensation, and works really well with chunky accessories such as big earrings, hoops and chokers to better frame your face area.

Styling it with sea-salt spray will give you a glamorous, textured beachy look perfect to rock through summer but also to keep things interesting with some movement and depth during the colder seasons, working well with cool-tones hair colours too.

Last but not least, adding hair extensions to a butterfly haircut will take it to the next level, with body, fullness and thickness out of this world to achieve the ultimate retro blow-dry.

Conclusion:

Slightly different from the popular wolf-cut , the butterfly haircut is one of the latest entries in the world of animal-inspired hairstyles. Big on movement, layers and natural bounce, the latest TikTok trend resembles the classic popular 90s do of the stars, and it’s quick and easy to recreate at home. Remember to share your butterfly haircut experiences with us on social media @CliphairLimited and tag us in your photos so your locks can inspire others. Whether you decide to try the butterfly haircut or stick with your current style, remember to embrace what makes you feel confident and beautiful!

FAQs

What is a butterfly cut for hair?

A butterfly cut is a hairstyle that features layers designed to create volume and movement. It typically involves shorter layers around the crown of the head and longer layers throughout the rest of the hair. This creates a "butterfly" effect when the hair moves, as the layers appear to flutter like wings. The cut often incorporates face-framing layers and longer pieces in the back, allowing for a lot of styling versatility and the appearance of fuller hair.

What is the difference between a butterfly haircut and a layer cut?

The difference between a butterfly haircut and a layer cut primarily lies in their styling and intent. While both involve cutting the hair in layers, a layer cut is a general term for any haircut with layers that can add volume and texture. In contrast, a butterfly cut specifically focuses on creating a unique silhouette that mimics the movement of a butterfly's wings, with distinct shorter layers on top that add bounce and dimension, while the longer layers remain flowing and soft.

Does a butterfly cut work on thin hair?

Yes, a butterfly cut can work on thin hair, but it needs to be approached with care. The layers in a butterfly cut can add the illusion of volume and movement to thin hair. However, it is essential to avoid cutting too many short layers, which can make thin hair look even thinner. A stylist may adjust the cut to ensure the layers add volume without compromising the overall thickness.

What's the difference between a wolf cut and a butterfly cut?

The difference between a wolf cut and a butterfly cut is that a wolf cut is more edgy and choppy, while a butterfly cut is softer and more refined. The wolf cut combines elements of a shag and a mullet, featuring heavy layers and a tousled texture that gives it a wild, untamed appearance. It often involves shorter layers on top and around the face, with longer layers extending down the back. In contrast, the butterfly cut has a more balanced and symmetrical look, with strategically placed layers that enhance volume and create a flowing silhouette.