pixie cut · short hair
Pixie vs. Bixie: Which Short Cut ShouldYou Get?
Pixie vs. bixie compared by length, shape, styling, and upkeep, with who suits each short cut, what they're like to grow out, and how to ask your stylist.
Hairover Team
A pixie is close at the sides and back and longer on top. A bixie, a cross between a bob and a pixie, keeps more length around the ears and neck with shaggy layers. The pixie is shorter and sharper, and needs trims every four to six weeks. The bixie is softer and more flexible, and it is a good way to test short hair.
Side by side
| Pixie | Bixie | |
|---|---|---|
| Sides | Close to the head | Ear-length or longer |
| Back | Tapered at the nape | Length at the neck |
| Trims | 4 to 6 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Styling | A little product | Texture spray, sometimes more |
| Covers ears | No | Usually |
| Grow-out | About a year to a bob | Faster |
Choose a pixie if
You want the real short-hair experience. There is almost nothing to dry, and the cut shows off your cheekbones and neck. It looks especially good on fine hair and gray hair. Our pixie cut ideas cover ten versions, from soft to bold.
Choose a bixie if
You like the idea of short hair but do not want to expose your ears or neck. It is more forgiving of cowlicks, and thick or wavy hair has room to move. If you’re not ready for either, look at a short bob or lob.
By face shape
- Round: a pixie with height and a side-swept fringe, or a bixie with volume on top rather than at the ears.
- Square: a bixie softens the jaw, as does a feathered pixie.
- Heart: a bixie adds fullness around the jaw.
- Oblong: either, with a fringe and some side volume.
- Oval: you have free choice.
By hair type
Fine: a choppy pixie is often the fullest-looking choice.
Thick: a bixie needs internal layers, or it can get round and heavy. An undercut pixie removes a lot of bulk.
Curly: both work, with extra length to allow for shrinkage.
How to ask
Pixie: “A soft pixie, tapered at the neck and around the ears, with longer layers on top and a side-swept fringe.”
Bixie: “A short shaggy cut, with length to the bottom of the ears and the top of my neck, layered through the top. Not as tight as a pixie.”
The name is still new to some stylists, so bring a photo. And if you’re heading toward a pixie, try going short in stages. A bixie now can become a pixie in a few weeks.
Related guides
See short hair on yourself
Short cuts are hard to imagine, and they are slow to undo. Hairover lets you upload a clear photo, get a hair analysis, and try hairstyles on your own face in Style Studio.
FAQ
What is a bixie cut?
It is a cross between a bob and a pixie. It keeps a short, layered shape with some bob-like length around the ears and neck.
Which is easier to grow out?
A bixie. It already has more length around the ears and neck, so it moves into a short bob more easily. In fact, it is a common stage when growing out a pixie.
Which suits thin hair?
Both can, but a choppy pixie often makes fine hair look thickest. A bixie with shaggy layers also works, as long as the ends don't get too wispy.
