Butterfly Haircut: The Secret to Volume and Flowing Layers

Introduction

The butterfly haircut or butterfly cut is such a popular short hairstyle for women which was adopted a few years back. Boasting layers that expand downward like the wings of a butterfly, this layered haircut has of throw-back feel that works well with both straight and curly hair, as it provides body and movement to hair. 

According to Wend, the butterfly cut first came into fashion in the 1990s with celebrities such as Mariah Carey, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Aniston among the first to adopt the hairstyle. Although the cut came into vogue in the late nineties and early 2000 it faded out, but the fashion is back in vogue once again because everything from the 90s is back in the fashion trends in beauty and fashion.

Various Aspects of the Butterfly Haircut

The butterfly cutting received its rather playful moniker due to its end being clipped one way in such a manner as the wings of a butterfly; during flight. To achieve this layered silhouette, several signature elements set the butterfly cut apart from other short hairstyles:

Face-Framing Front Layers

• The shortest layers of the butterfly cut live around the face and usually begin at, or higher, than the cheekbones.
• These pieces sit gently around the front of the face, as well as visibly increase width and fullness at the crown. 

A-Line Shape

• The back and the sides are shorter than the front which can be in A-form.
•  This ensures that the silhouette is not so rigid and squared off looking like a box or blunt at the corners.

Flipped-Out Bottom Layers  

•  At chin level, in some haircutting techniques, these longest layers commence and turn out upwards flirtatiously
•  When coiled, these ends swing into position and out of position—toward and away from the face.

Layering Throughout In Stages  

•  Some of the sections of the hair are cut off in various patterns inside the hair known as layering.
•  This enables the ends to rise smoothly and into prominence 

Full, Sweeping Bangs

• There are many styles of the butterfly cut; however, the thick and full bangs are normally usual with this type of haircut.
• These can also be cut bluntly across the forehead or at an angle

 The Origins

While it can be traced back to many other short-layered hairstyles that were in vogue during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Some believe that the first real butterfly cut was featured by the Hollywood actress Julia Roberts who wore her hair short in the 1990 movie Pretty Woman. 

But not much different was an astonishing movie that depicted the life of the legendary Dorothy Dandridge and her performance by Halle Berry in the film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, released in 1999. Halle effectively wore a longer variant of the cut, but it had little tendrils moving at the face-framing and the ends were mostly sculpted in the butterfly style.

During the 90s as such short hairstyles as the pixie cut, shag, and bob regained popularity, for them the butterfly became the most preferred option with Drew Barrymore, Victoria Beckham, and Jennifer Aniston wearing it. 

Is Butterfly Haircut Right for You?

Like most short hairstyles, the butterfly popularly suits people with oval round square, and even heart-shaped faces. The layers balance the overall appearance while the ends that are flipped tenderize stronger jaws. People with longer faces need to know that when the volume is built at the sides it seems either wider or overbearing. 

It is also suitable for straight wavy and curly hair types though women with highly tightened curls might like to keep the curls long in order to experience longer hang times. Thinning or lifeless hair would also be best served by the stacked layers that simply take mass off while providing the hair with momentum. 

In the end, there is a myriad of butterfly cuts including the nape to the collarbone length that one can kind of arrange to enhance certain aspects of the face while minimizing other angular features.

Good candidates for the cut include those wanting:

•  Increased volume and body
•  Face-framing layers 
•  Movement through the ends
•  A soft yet defined jawline 
•  Playful retro vibes

 Ways of Wearing the Butterfly Haircut

The best thing about this cut is that it still looks great either when done, straight, curly, or sleek. This is especially good news for those who have naturally wavy or curly hair as the layers add to their texture naturally. But even stick-straight hair gets the extra volume where it needs it most: from layering. 

Here are go-to styling tips for amplifying your butterfly cut:

Air Dry for Texture

• Adopt natural texture by letting hair dry on natural moisture after washing it. 
• Spray in some sea salt spray when the hair is still wet for added texture. 

Curl the Ends

• Instead of focusing curls (with iron or rollers) only on the bottom butterfly layers.
• Flip curls outwards and inwards to get that asymmetrical flirtatious look. 

Sculpt with Product

• Mousse should firmly be held at the ends when it is almost dry and the strands should be arranged and set.
• Using the regulation, reapply the name and address to freshen the shape but without needing to re-style it completely.

Try Headband Styles

• Compare them with pretty headbands that are placed farther back, short back, and sides.
• Search for sculptural woven or jeweled styles that look up-to-date.

Create Deep Side Parts 

• Replace a predictable middle section with edgy deep side combs 
• Longer face-framing layers can sweep farther across if the parting direction is considered.

Wearing a rather slick look is what Stick-Straight Sleekness is all about!

Check Out: The Short Butterfly Haircut: A Stylist’s Guide to Subtlety and Femininity.

Butterfly Haircut Inspiration

Some celebrity-approved versions of the classic butterfly cut and similar short layered looks worth considering before your chop:

1. Jennifer Aniston: The Iconic Rachel Cut

Jennifer Aniston wore many looks as Rachel in Friends, but the grown-out shaggy texture was the perfect addition to the butterfly shape. 

2. Halle Berry: Collarbone Length Butterfly  

Halle shocked both on the red carpet and in film (BAPs) with elongated, framing shots on the layers

3. Kerry Washington: The Angled Lob

Kerry’s asymmetrical collarbone lob retains the shortest layers at the crown with texturized flipped tips

4. Michelle Williams: The Piecey Pixie 

Michelle of course has a very short pixie cut that is heavily layered and sliced to form wings around the periphery of the face. 

 Partnering with the Right Haircutter 

For achieving the specifics of layers and ratios of hair that we all want that perfect butterfly shape, location, and haircutter is even more critical than the salon chain itself. 

Be very precise when explaining how short you want it – collarbone, lob, shoulder, etc and let them know you want it even shorter on the inside and longer in the front. Get the butcher-type cut inspiration pics to your stylist so there will be no misunderstandings of the flippy shape you desire from lengthy layered ends. Proper haircutters will cut each section and take their time in layering instead of just taking shears and slashing away in vertical motion. 

A right haircutter will also make sure, that the shortest interior layers that should be cut to achieve the necessary sift, will not take away too much volume from your natural density and hair growth.

 Maintenance

Of course, one of the disadvantages of taking shortcuts is that reshaping touch-ups requires more frequent applications. But of course not an advantage is that these constant trims maintain the hair tips looking healthy and your layers work out into the magnificent butterfly shape. 

Schedule appointments every 8 weeks and start by:

• Blend down any formation with oil so that provides a smooth surface on which the shape can easily be shaved clean.
• Explain in concrete terms how long you want to be preserved  
• Claiming that interior layers should be cleaned up so as not to bulk out
• That is why there is demand for a quick dry-cut finish to see the cut while still styling the hair.
• Pics of the length from all directions that are taken today to be used later for comparison 

Pro tip: Make sure to come to your session with your reference images accessible throughout every session!

 Conclusion

Better than a trim, the butterfly style delivers a tremendously glamorous fashion look based on the 1960s and 1970s trademarks. Originally launched in the 1990s and now back on catwalks and acting as a beauty staple the bob shape works on all hair lengths, density, and tightness when cut properly. 

Probably the most apparent tip on how to get those face-framing layers and flipped-out ends is to seek the assistance of a hairstylist. If you bring inspirational images together with a clear definition of how long and volume you want, you shall have a dimensional Butterfly cut made only for your kind.

This look can be styled neat, messy, or curly or when left to air dry you have one of the cutest short hair looks there is – the butterfly cut!

For More Info: Click Here.

 FAQs About Butterfly Haircut