Hair

Best Pixie Cuts for Thin Hair—See the Styles That Add Volume and Flatter Your Face

There’s a reason celebrities have been wearing the shorter style for decades

By Lauren Stachiw April 16, 2025

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Looking for a fresh, low-maintenance hairstyle that adds volume and flatters your features? A pixie cut for thin hair might be the perfect solution. This chic, timeless style isn’t just for the bold—it’s surprisingly versatile and can instantly make fine hair appear fuller and more textured. Whether you prefer soft and wispy or edgy and structured, there’s a pixie to suit everyone. To inspire your next salon visit or if you’re ready to make the chop, we’ve rounded up stunning celebrity pixie cuts, plus easy styling tips to help you get the most out of the hairstyle.

Why pixie cuts are great for thin or thinning hair

“Mega movement and texture created from varying lengths of layers and bangs on a pixie cut give thin hair and the shorter style hair tons of volume,” says New York City-based celebrity hairstylist Jackson Simmonds. “This also ensures the pixies of today look modern, not matronly.”

More benefits of a pixie cut for thin hair

Pixie cuts showcase facial features

Since hair is shorter, the face gets a lot of love when donning a pixie cut. The cropped style makes eyes and cheekbones a major focal point and draws attention upward, lifting features with it to counteract any droopiness that comes with aging.

Pixie cuts are customizable

Depending on where hair is thinning, the style can be constructed to conceal sparse spots. For example, if your hairline is receding, adding bangs will help camouflage it. The lengths of pixie cuts also vary, so you can go with a short and spiky style, a long layered ‘do, or something in between.

Pixie cuts flatter all face shapes

As mentioned above, since the cut can be tailored to your needs, it also works for all face shapes. Those with angular features—aka square and heart-shaped faces—should opt for pixies with a rounded shape or lots of texture from layers to help soften the jawline. If you have an oval face, a longer pixie will help add optical width to balance the face’s length. And those with a round face, ear-length pixies with angled or feathery layers will contour the face to help counteract fullness.

Pixie cuts work for all hair types

From fine, thin, coarse, wavy, curly and more—a pixie cut will work with your hair, not against it. A stylist can work their magic to adjust the short style to enhance your hair’s texture.

Pixie cuts are easy to style

While the cut does need to be trimmed frequently to maintain its shape, one of the biggest pros of pixies comes to styling. They require little styling time, says celebrity hairstylist Carrie Butterworth. Just work a small amount of mousse or pomade into damp hair and air-dry or blow-dry.

How to style a pixie cut for thin hair

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Speaking of styling the short style, here are some simple tricks to wow with a pixie.

To create lasting volume in a pixie cut, you’ll need to start with the right drying technique and tools, says celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons. “First, use a flat or paddle brush when blow-drying. It provides a stable surface against which to dry the hair, helping to build structure,” he says. Next, apply a dollop of mousse to damp hair, and as you blow-dry, brush hair in various directions—forward, backward, upward, outward—while lifting at the roots. Finish with a texturizing spray, like Andrew Fitzsimons Après Sexe Texture Spray, to add extra body. Hold the can 10″ from the head and spray through the roots.

If you want to infuse the cut with some curls or waves, look to heatless rollers. Using flexible foam rollers will easily grab onto shorter strands to infuse them with bouncy coils. Plus, the tool lifts thinner strands up and off the scalp so hair appears fuller at all angles. To do: Comb and part hair, then roll a 2″ section of hair around a roller, like Scünci Prep Spiral Rollers, working toward the scalp and bend the roller to secure hair. Alternate rolling hair under and over the roller. Repeat until all of your hair is in rollers. Remove in the morning and brush through hair with fingers to loosen the curls and create a bouncy, wavy look.

Celebrity examples of volumizing pixie cuts

Keep scrolling to see the A-listers who have rocked the shorter ‘do and showcase just how volumizing the style can be.

Pixie cut for thin hair: Jamie Lee Curtis

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Jamie Lee Curtis has worn various pixie cuts for decades and this short, spiky version is perfect for thinner tresses. To get the look: Ask for a razor-cut, multilayered pixie leaving a ½" of length on the sides and 2" to 3" of length on top.
Pixie cut for thinning hair: Maggie Gyllenhaal

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Soft, long layers on Maggie Gyllenhaal’s short style pull the focus away from any sparse spots. To get the look: Ask your hairstylist for a pixie that’s slightly longer on one side with long layers throughout.
Pixie cut for thin hair: Rita Moreno

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The height of Rita Moreno’s pixie was created by a variety of layer lengths concentrated at the crown is a big boo for thin hair. Why? It tricks the eye into seeing a head of hair that looks two times fuller, says Butterworth. To get the look: Request an ear-length pixie with feathery layers up top and wispy, full eyebrow-length fringe that blends seamlessly with slightly longer sides.
Pixie cut for thin hair: Gabrielle Union

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This long pixie/crop on Gabrielle Union is textured and has a slight asymmetrical shape that gives thinner hair mega bounce and body. To get the look: Tell your stylist that you’d like a deep-parted long pixie with stacked layers and “broken” ends.
Pixie cut for thinning hair: Glenn Close

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The rounded silhouette of Glenn Close’s long pixie softens the angles of her square face and helps her hair stack on top of each other for a fuller-looking mane. To get the look: Ask your stylist for a rounded, ear-length pixie with stacked, graduating layers and side bangs.
Pixie cut for thin hair: Tamron Hall

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Snipping full, piecey bangs into a pixie like Tamron Hall’s helps cover up thinning along the hairline, while giving the short style modern flair. To get the look: Ask for a pixie with short sides, long top layers and full, point-cut fringe in front.
Pixie cut for thinning hair: Annie Potts

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Long, wispy layers up top create a “halo of hair” that draws attention upward and makes hair appear more dense overall, as shown on Annie Potts’ style. And feathery bangs not only conceal forehead furrows, but also cover thinning at the temples. To get the look: Request a long pixie with blended layers through the top and soft sideswept fringe in front.
Pixie cut for thinning hair: Maye Musk

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Maye Musk’s short crop with a voluminous swoop features various layers that help trick the eye into seeing a much thicker mane. To get the look: Request a long, ear-length pixie that’s long through the top and short on the sides.
Pixie cut for thin hair: Olivia Colman

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This pixie cut on Olivia Colman features a voluminous top, tight sides and soft fringe that beautifully frames her face and gives short hair movement. To get the look: Tell your hairstylist that you’d like a pixie with neatly cut sides, a longer top, stacked layers and wispy micro bangs.
Pixie cut for thinning hair: Kris Jenner

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A heavily layered pixie cut creates mega volume and movement to short hair,” says celebrity hairstylist Clyde Haygood. Even better? Adding in layers through the top and wispy, piecey bangs work together to mask sparseness along the part and hairline. To get the look: Ask for a pixie that’s heavily layered throughout, is shorter in the back and on the sides, and left longer up top with wispy, eyebrow-skimming bangs.

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