Only curly girls know the real struggle of finding a bouncy, messy, perfectly layered haircut for a larger-than-life volume. Well, as a girl with natural curls, a shoulder-length shag cut, and textured front bangs, today you’ll be getting the most effective short curly hairstyles straight from the source.
In terms of haircuts, the tried and tested secret for luxurious curls is finding the right balance between weight and silhouette. Not too long so your hair won’t fall flat, nor so cropped that coils can’t form. With the short curly hairstyles below, your ringlets will get the full shape they deserve.
I. Short Curly Hairstyles for Round Faces
1.Wispy Curly Bangs with Tapered Pixie Cut Body
For incredible ease of styling, rock a tapered pixie cut as the foundation of your curly hairstyle. As for the top section, keep your curls a little bit longer and let a few of them fall over your forehead naturally. You’ll enjoy wispy bangs without going to the trouble of cutting them specifically for a fringe.
2. Deep Inverted Bob Cut for Curly Hair and Round Face
If you’re willing to play around with angles, a deep inverted bob haircut is just what you need. It’s a lovely change of look if you’ve only sported blunt or choppy cuts, and it adds dimension to your hairstyle. The longer strands in the front will frame any round face, whereas the cropped layers in the back will boost volume.
3. Ombre Pixie Hairstyle with Long Bangs
Make use of color to further define your ringlets with an ombre hairstyle. Start off with a pixie cut body with long side bangs and color the top section of your hair in a contrasting hue. The remaining dark roots and undercut will make the top tones stand out and draw attention away from your face shape.
4. Shaggy Curly Bob Haircut with Highlights and Bangs
Messy and shaggy are the two main effects you want to aim for in short curly hairstyles. Take Meg Ryan’s iconic 90s bob and let your curls give it a textured update. Some scattered highlights will better define your curls, while wispy bangs have a face-framing impact.
5. Graduated Bob Haircut with Blunt Medium Fringe
If your hair lies somewhere between curly and wavy, blend textures to sharpen your facial features. For example, you can cut the back in graduated layers and leave everything choppy and curly around your face. To create a blunt line, crop your bangs for a straight medium-length fringe.
6. Shoulder-length Curly Hairstyle with Deep Side Part
A deep side part enables you to toss your hair to one side and effectively cover a part of your face with a touch of allure and mystery. The shoulder-length haircut base will help lift your curls all around, complementing your face shape.
7. Messy Pixie Bob Hairstyle with Ruffled Curls
To take even more weight out of your hair and highlight your eyes, go even shorter with a tousled pixie bob hairstyle. Not quite as short as a pixie nor so long to be classified as a bob, the hybrid haircut is ideal for pushing curls up and building shape in the upper part of your appearance.
8. Micro Fringe with Mid-length Messy Shaggy Bob Cut
Another way you can rock short curly hairstyles with bangs is through an edgy micro fringe. It exceeds your natural hairline only by about an inch, sharpening it without concealing too much of your face. Couple it with a mid-length shaggy bob haircut with lots of short layers on top.
9. Concave Shoulder-length Haircut with Center Part
Any short concave haircut will make your face appear narrower and longer. Consequently, it reduces the less flattering aspects that come with a round face shape. It has an even greater effect elongating effect when you wear a middle part without any bangs.
10. Side-tossed Messy Pixie Hairstyle for Curly Hair
For a casual take on short curly hairstyles for round faces, check out this easygoing pixie cut with a messy side-tossed top. You can switch parts any time you like, sweeping your curls to the opposing side in the process.
II. Very Short Curly Hairstyles
11. Big Chop Textured Top and Undercut Design Hairstyle
If you’re ready to embark on a healthy natural hair journey, the big chop will be the first step on your to-do list. To make the process less intimidating and more exciting, add a vivid color change to the list too. Top everything off with a cool undercut design for a bold and confident silhouette.
12. Graduated Short Curly Bob Hairstyle
Back graduation gives you a ton of extra volume simply by de-bulking the targeted area. Once you relieve it of all that weight and throw in short 360-degree layers, your curls will be popping.
13. Big Fringe and Top with Tapered Undercut
Here is a high, tight, and ultra voluminous cut for women who want low maintenance short curly hairstyles. Taper the sides and back until you reach the upper sides of your head. From there, allow your curls to thrive and keep them as long and messy as you want.
14. Curly Retro Mod Cut with Shaggy Layers
For a blast from the past, put your own curly twist on the boyish mod cut. Work in as many shaggy layers as you can, through either overdirecting or carving and slicing. Whichever technique you choose, make sure you get that tilted circular body in the end.
15. Curly Mullet Hairstyle with Swept Back Hair
If you’re rather on the hunt for sleek approaches to short curly hairstyles, a slicked or swept back look will help. To make the hairstyle more visually interesting, cut the sides shorter and leave the back longer for a tight modern mullet.
16. V-shaped Tapered Neckline with Short Tight Pixie Cut
Now, it’s a party up front and business in the back with this clean cut pixie. Here, the most remarkable feature is the V-shaped neckline, tightly tapered to close off the pixie at the base of the neck. The hair gets progressively longer as it eases up the crown of the head, without exceeding one full inch of coils in total.
17. Bouncy Pixie Bob for Short Curly Hair
If you struggle with maintaining volume in your curly hairstyle, opt for a closer crop right up to the corner of your jawline. The result is a face-framing pixie bob that will lift your curls from the roots without weighing them down whatsoever.
18. Platinum Tips and Dark Roots Short Messy Curly Hairstyle
On the other hand, if individual curl definition is your goal, here’s the best coloring trick in the book. Retain your natural dark roots and add platinum blonde to the tips for a dip-dye effect. The sharp contrast will highlight each of the ringlets and create the appearance of additional texture.
19. Tapered Pompadour Pixie with Long Bangs Hairstyle
Another classic cut is the curly pompadour, supported by a closely cropped undercut. The sides should be fairly tapered and the back just a bit longer, so to create flow towards the crown. Finally, the curls on top should be long, messy, and cascading over the forehead.
You may also be interested in 50+ Alluring Short Hairstyles with Bangs
20. Straight Blunt Bangs and Big Loose Curls Hairstyle
For extensive contrast, combine a number of lines, cutting methods, and styling techniques. Begin with short bangs with a hard blunt line. Continue with a choppy concave bob. When you’re all set with the base, touch it up with big curls and ruffled styling.
III. African American Short Curly Hairstyles
21. Tight Cropped Curls and Sleek Baby Hairs
Yet another way to blend textures is with a super short, post big chop pixie with your baby hairs laid. The cropped coils will stand out beautifully against your sleek hairline, with the mixed textures successfully complementing one another.
23. Tapered Pixie with Long Top Hairstyle
An alternative tapered pixie has more of an afro touch in the upper area. The sides can be shaved down even completely, but the back should be cut short and the top left long and lusciously curly. As your curls grow, you’ll be able to style them on either side with ease.
24. Sculpted Round Concave Afro Hairstyles with Wispy Bangs
If you’re already pretty far off on your natural hair journey, it will be all about shaping your tight curls along the way. One way is through a big rounded afro body, longer at the top and progressively shorter towards the nape.
25. Sleek Medium Bob Haircut for Natural Hair
On the other hand, if you want less of a rounded shape and more of a sleek body, try a blunt medium bob with minimal layers. In fact, if any, the layers should be maintained around the cutting line for the simple purpose of definition. Shorter layers will increase the roundness of your silhouette.
26. Piecey Mixed Texture Pixie Haircut
A piecey haircut foundation gives you full freedom to experiment with textures. For starters, you can use the top and back sections to accentuate your curls. From that point, you can straighten a few pieces of hair in the front for deep textured bangs.
27. Short Natural Hair with Baby Bangs and Gradual Cutting Line
Dimension and angles are everything when it comes to short curly hairstyles. The most popular approach is to cut your hair at a V-shaped angle from the halfway point of your face downwards. It allows for volume and fullness at the top while freeing the back and lower sides of bulk.
28. Full Afro and Bangs Hairstyle with Big Curls
If you have a wider curl pattern, you can make the most of it for a huge afro with full curly bangs. To do this, you’ll need to have short layers carved and sliced piece by piece throughout your locks, forming a round body.
29. Curls and Braids Combined Hairstyle
For a mixed protective hairstyle for natural hair, try pairing your curls with some cornrows on the sides. In doing so, you’ll be reducing styling time while creating an appealing shape for everyday wear.
30. Bantu Knot Out Medium Bob Hairstyle for Natural Hair
As one of the most useful and beautiful short curly hairstyles for kinky hair, Bantu knots protect and define your coils at the same time. After a Bantu knot out, your curls will be thick, big, accentuated, and ready to rock straight out of the wraps.
31. Crochet Braids Medium Bob Hairstyle
For pretty short hairstyles when transitioning to natural hair, you can rely on crochet braids for a seamless imitation. The extensions will be gently braided into your natural hair, mirroring the texture you will obtain after your own growth.
IV. Short Curly Hairstyles for Thick Hair
32. Messy Modern Pageboy Haircut for Thick Curly Hair
Instead of trying to shape your curls counterintuitively, go with the flow and pick a rounded pageboy haircut base. The hairstyle is similar to a bowl cut in terms of shape, with the exception that the curls will go all the way down your neck in the process.
33. Cropped Short Bob Haircut for Thick Curly Hair
Thick hair can often be a nuisance more than a blessing, so you have to hop on the de-bulking train to get rid of all that unnecessary weight. To achieve a light and bouncy hairstyle, crop your curls to a short bob at around ear’s length.
34. Messy Shoulder-length Shag Cut with Textured Bangs
I can personally vouch for this shoulder-length shag cut, as it mirrors my current hairstyle with uncanny accuracy. From my experience thus far, the textured layers and messy styling work wonders in lifting previously damaged curly hair.
35. Short Rounded Bob Hairstyle for Thick Tight Coils
If you’re lucky enough to have a super tight curl pattern, you can emphasize your coils with a short rounded bob haircut. It helps define every single curl, eliminating any risks of adding weight and pulling them down.
36. Dimensional Concave Curly Bob with Shaggy Bangs
It’s easy to see why curly bangs have become one of the year’s biggest trends – they bring definition and texture to any short curly hairstyle. A set of shaggy bangs brings body and volume to the front, especially when paired with a dimensional concave bob.
37. Piecey Defined Pixie Cut with Bangs for Thick Hair
Speaking of definition, here’s a foolproof way to highlight every last curl – a piecey pixie for thick hair. It works by taking every thick strand and emphasizing it on its own. Together, the pixie creates a textured and piecey aspect.
38. Rounded Curly Pixie Cut with Wispy Highlights
Make your tight curls even tighter by cropping them close to the scalp and adding a dash of color. In this case, highlighting is the ideal technique for definition, contributing to the overall texturized look this short pixie comes with.
39. Angled Medium Bob Haircut with Side Part
Most short curly hairstyles don’t rely on angles for volume, but this one goes to show that a subtle angle can be definitive for some. If your thick curly hair doesn’t seem to hold any shape, cut it at slight inverted angles for shape and movement.
40. Thick Curly Bangs and Diamond Medium Bob Haircut
Here is another example of how the triangular or diamond shaped bob can effectively contour almost any short curly hairstyle. As with most hairstyles in this category, the full curly bangs flawlessly complete the hair shaping work.
41. Angular Fringe Loose Curly Pixie for Thick Hair
For looser curls, an angular fringe haircut with shorter sides is a miracle worker. To begin with, the deep side part and steep angle sharpen your features. In addition, the tapered sides sculpt the hairstyle by taking off excess hair weight.
V. Easy Hairstyles for Short Curly Hair
42. Half Up Box Ties with Beads for Kinky Hair
If you have afro-textured hair, you can use metal beads or other types of loc jewelry for accessorizing short curly hairstyles. For instance, you can split the upper part of your hair in small boxes and tie them off with the beads for a half up half down hairstyle.
43. Top Curly Knot Hairstyle with Sleek Back and Sides
For long summer days or a quick cute style, the pineapple top knot is just what you need. Gather all of your hair and tie it at the crown of your head. You can slick the back, sides, and edges down for a sleek-textured contrast.
44. Protective Headband Hairstyle for Short Curly Hair
Speaking of edges, you can efficiently protect them from damage with a silk headband. Wrap it loosely around your head and style the curls in the back as desired. It doubles as a protective and stylish hair accessory for natural hair.
45. Curly Faux Hawk Hairstyle
With a pack of bobby pins and some patience, you can create a voluminous curly faux hawk for the day. Bring each curl towards the top center and secure it with a pin down the middle of your head.
46. Wet Look Short Layered Curly Bob Hairstyle
If you want to skip big volume this time, opt for a sleek wet look alternative. Here, it’s all in the styling product, so pick one that’s meant to moisturize and maintain a wet aspect on your curls. The hairstyle is ideal for any haircuts in the bob category.
47. Curly Space Buns and Long Side Bangs Hairstyle
Space buns are essentially pigtails in the form of mini buns. To obtain them, either tie or pin your hair in two high buns, one on each upper corner of your crown. If you have bangs, leave them out in the front and sweep them to the side.
48. Side Pinned Hairstyle for Shoulder-length Curly Hair and Side Bangs
For a great dose of volume without teasing or breaking your curls, try a side pinned hairstyle. Make sure your hair pin is strong enough to hold thick curls and tuck it on one side along the arch above your ear. The rest of your hair should flow in big bouncy curls on the other side.
49. Half Up Statement Clip Hairstyle for Loose Curl Accentuation
Loosely curly hair can always benefit from a statement hair accessory for accentuation. To get the look below, tie your hair half up half down, and place the jumbo pin in the center. Ensure that the curls in the lower back part of your hairstyle are well contoured.
50. Protective Turban Hairstyle for Natural Kinky Hair
Whether snow, rain, or shine, your curls deserve the appropriate protection. You can do so with a big turban that covers the first half of your hair, shielding it from weather damage. It also works for quickly masking flat roots, if ever needed.
51. Pin Up Bandana Pixie Hairstyle for Loose Messy Curls
If you’re into pin-up fashion and pin up hairstyles, all you need is a bandana for instantly glamorous short curly hairstyles. The look works best for girls with pixie cuts and long bangs, as the bandana wraps around the head and over the base of the bangs.
Conclusion
To put everything in a nutshell, successful short curly hairstyles depend on skilled cutting, As a piece of personal advice, seek local recommendations of stylists with considerable experience in cutting curly hair specifically. Otherwise, you risk having a few extra inches disappear when your curls bounce back up.
As far as styling is concerned, make sure you use a diffuser instead of a regular blow dryer, always with a low heat setting. Finally, to maintain defined curls in between washes, cover your hair with a protective accessory when sleeping. A silk bonnet or even a t-shirt will work wonders.
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