How to Get an Ellen Degeneres Haircut

Co-authored by Patrick Evan

Last Updated: July 28, 2021 References

Ellen Degeneres is known for many great things, but one of those things is certainly her pixie haircut. She's been rocking the pixie cut for many years, inspiring others to rock it as well. If you're wanting to get the Ellen haircut, trim, texturize, and style your hair to mimic her cute and classy look.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Trimming Your Hair

1
Wash your hair and comb out tangles. Start by washing your hair with shampoo and rinsing it out with water. Then condition it with conditioner and rinse again. This way, your hair will be clean and moisturized before starting the haircut.^{[1]
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Patrick Evan
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 January 2019.} Use a comb to detangle your hair after conditioning and partially towel drying.
2
Cut around the ear. Comb the hair over the ear area. Then comb it again and stop just before hitting the ear. Use shears to cut the hair underneath the comb so that the ear will be exposed. Don't cut across in a clean straight line, but rather cut in small, uneven snips so that the hair lays more naturally above the ear.^{[2]
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3
Use your comb to pull a vertical section out away from the head. Lay your comb vertically against the head and comb a section of hair just behind the ear. Stop before combing all the way through the hair so that you have a good hold of the section. Then simultaneously remove the comb and grab the section between your extended pointer and middle fingers.^{[3]
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4
Cut the section so that the hair is 1.5-2 inches (3.8-5 cm) long. With the hair secured between your fingers, carefully use the shears to cut the hair in a straight line. Aim to cut the hair so it's between 1.5 and 2 inches (3.8-5 cm) long.^{[4]
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5
Move around the back of the head. Continue combing the hair vertically into small sections, pulling the hair out away from the head, and cutting it straight across so that it's 1.5-2 inches (3.8-5 cm) long. Travel around the back of the head as you create these sections and cut the hair.^{[5]
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6
Change the length to 3 inches (7.6 cm) as your work from the crown forward. Once you've trimmed all of the hair on the back of the head, start sectioning and cutting in the same way at the crown of the head. Cut the hair on top of the head to about 3 inches (7.6 cm) as you move forward towards the front of the head.^{[6]
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7
Cut the stray hairs on the corners. Continue sectioning with the comb and cutting the hair straight across at the corners of the head. This is where the head transitions from being horizontal on top to vertical on the sides. Use the head shape as a guide while you work your way around these corners and cut any longer stray hairs that stand out in the section.^{[7]
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- If the person has a head that's more cone-shaped, then leave some more hair in the corners to help balance the look more.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Patrick Evan
  Professional Hair Stylist
  Expert Interview. 17 January 2019.}
8
Cut the hair on the sides of the head. Use this same method to trim the hair all along both sides of the head. Hold the hair out and trim it in a straight line so that it's uniformly 1.5-2 inches in length (3.8-5 cm).^{[9]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Texturizing Your Hair

1
Use a feather razor to give the bangs texture. Comb the bangs down straight against the forehead and then pull the hair straight by holding the ends firmly between your pointer and middle fingers. Lightly carve away at the ends of the hair with a feather razor by sweeping downward in small, quick strokes.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Patrick Evan
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 17 January 2019.} Move from right to left overtop of the eyebrows while you do this.^{[11]
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2
Twist and snip hair all over the head with the shears. Take a small section of hair anywhere on the head. Twist the section by moving your nondominant hand's fingers in a circular motion. Then lightly and quickly chip away at the twisted hair with your shears. Continue doing this all over the head.
- By just cutting pieces of the hair within the twist instead of the whole thing, you can add texture and remove the harsh straight lines created during the initial trim.^{[12]
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3
Remove bulk all over the head with the feather razor. Look for areas where the hair appears thicker than the surrounding hair. Grab a small section of this hair and straighten the strands by holding the ends taut with your fingertips. Then move the feather razor against the strand in small downward sweeping motions while slowly moving down the strand. Do this until the razor is just above your fingers. Continue debulking in sections all over your head.^{[13]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Styling and Maintaining Your Haircut

1
Comb your hair and blow it dry if necessary. Comb your hair out to get rid of any tangles. If your hair is wet or even slightly damp, blow your hair dry at least part of the way with a hair dryer. Make sure to move the dryer around your head and run your other hand through your hair as you go to get equal dryness.
- You can also let your hair dry naturally if you want it to be a little less fluffy.
2
Add style with waxes or pomades. Squirt a dime-sized glob of a hair styling wax or pomade into your palm. Then rub your hands together and run your hands through your hair while focusing on coating the ends.^{[14]
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3
Make your hair shine with a finishing spray. Hold the spray about 6-8 inches (15.2-20.3 cm) away from your head and give your hair a few quick spritzes from a few different angles around your head.
- This will enhance the textured effect and also add shine.
4
Create texture by pulling the hair away from your head. Without texture, a pixie cut like this one can look old-fashioned and severe. Run your hands through your hair and pull the ends out away from your head. Focus on the area above your forehead towards the front of your head.
- This will add piecey texture, which will allow your hair to softly frame your face while also keeping your look trendy.^{[15]
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5
Get your hair trimmed every 4-6 weeks. If you wait too long to trim a short haircut like this one, it can quickly look shaggy and unkempt. To keep your Ellen-style pixie cut looking fresh, have the ends cut every 4-6 weeks.^{[16]
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