Butterfly Haircuts Give the Face-Framing Flattery of a Bob—Without the Chop
Layers on layers.
You may not have heard of a butterfly haircut—but I guarantee you’ve seen it. A little crash course: the cut, which is inspired by the swoop shape of a butterfly’s upper and lower wings, has been around for a beat. The lore starts with The Rachel, which was Jennifer Aniston's haircut on Friends during the '90s. Fast forward to the present day, and searches for the chop have doubled according to Google Trends, making it one of summer 2025’s more popular haircut trends. The ultra-layered haircut is clearly having a second coming with the Sabrina Carpenter-aissance and co-signs from celebrities ranging from Ayo Adebiri to Kelly Rowland.
It’s easy to see why: a butterfly cut offers the face-framing benefit of a bob, but with the versatility of long hair. “It’s a layered cut that creates movement and volume,” explains premier hair colorist and stylist Temur Hamilton, who owns TEMUR on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. “The shorter layers add lift and shape, while the longer layers stay intact to maintain overall length.” You can throw it up in a ponytail or claw clip, use a blow dry brush for a professional-looking blowout, or let it air dry and embrace the angles.
The butterfly cut works with all face shapes and hair textures—you’ll just need to speak with your hairstylist to make the proper adjustments (more on that below). Read ahead for all the butterfly haircut inspo, along with styling tips and tricks.
What Is a Butterfly Haircut?
A butterfly haircut is a bit of an optical illusion. “It’s designed to give the appearance of shorter hair, without sacrificing length,” explains celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimmons. “It features soft, wispy layers that combine shorter, face-framing pieces with longer layers within the hair to create movement and airy volume.”
If you want to master the vibe, ask your stylist for the following: “Shorter, graduated layers around the crown and face that start around the chin to add volume and shape, and keep the bottom layers long and blended smoothly for length,” says Hamilton.
How to Style a Butterfly Haircut
To get a salon-quality look, you need two things: a volumizing spray and a blowout brush (or a round brush and normal blow dryer if you’re feeling adventurous). “Pull the hair away from the face to achieve a voluminous blowout,” says Fitzsimons. If you want to really emphasize the inward swoop, use a straightening iron and angle the hair towards your chin.
You should also clock trims every six to eight weeks to keep the layers fresh and the shape defined. “Since this style relies on precise layering for volume and movement, skipping trims can cause the cut to lose its structure and look heavy,” notes Hamilton.
Does a Butterfly Haircut Work for All Hair Textures?
This style cut isn’t one-size-fits-all. But the good news: it’s easy for your hairstylist to adjust the cut to work with your specific hair type. “If you have finer hair, your stylist may need to adjust the shorter layers to keep them from looking stringy and if you have curly or wavy hair, it will need to be tailored to your specific curl pattern,” says Fitzsimons. For example, if you have coily hair, consider less layers (you’ll still have incredible bounce and volume), while wavy hair can opt for extra layers if they want a curlier air dry.
Does a Butterfly Cut Work for All Face Shapes?
Similar to how you can alter the butterfly cut for your hair texture, you can also make subtle changes to make it the most flattering for your face shape. “For round faces, layers can start slightly below the chin to elongate and slim the face,” says Hamilton. “For square faces, softer, wispy layers around the jawline can balance strong angles.” For heart-shaped faces? Full layers near the chin add width. And for oval faces, the layering can be more balanced throughout, adds Hamilton.
Butterfly Haircut Inspiration
Jennifer Aniston
The one and only Rachel Green on Friends introduced the original butterfly cut. The secret to great styling? The right product. "A thickening spray should be something that works for every hair type," says celebrity hairstylist Clariss Rubenstein. "If hair is finer, it will help with fullness; if hair is thicker, it will help with control for the blowout."
Sydney Sweeney
If you have longer hair and an oval face like Sydney Sweeney, lean into the layers. "If you want to enhance your cheekbones, throw some shorter layers around them," says Rubenstein. If you have a square face? "Avoid the layers starting at your jawbone," and stick to longer layers.
Ayo Edebiri
While the butterfly cut is typically styled straight and curled inward, it also works well with curly hair. Just be prepared for ample volume.
Camila Cabello
Instead of turning your layers in with a flat iron, swoop them out a lá Cabello. Lock it all in with a strong-hold hairspray and you'll be set for even the most humid summer day.
Kelly Rowland
Styling a butterfly cut is super versatile—make like Rowland, grab a curling iron, and embrace a soft wave. Because the cut is so layered, your curls are more likely to stay defined throughout the day.
Sabrina Carpenter
Carpenter is largely responsible for the summer 2025 butterfly cut resurgence. She adds curtain bangs to her chop for an even more flipped-out finish. "When asking your stylist for the butterfly cut, tell them you want shorter layers around the face—be specific about the length you want the shortest to be," says Rubenstein. "Include that you want to maintain length and have the layers move to a band of long layers around the bottom throughout the cut."
Jenna Ortega
Grab a shimmer spray or use a hair gloss in the shower to add an extra boost of sleek shine like Ms. Ortega.
Selena Gomez
The bob haircut trend and the butterfly cut collide on Gomez. Just note: shorter styles are less air-dry friendly, so you'll want to invest in a great blow dryer and round brush.
Jennifer Lopez
Give your long layers a butterfly-esque flair with at least four distinct layers. This look, modeled by Lopez, is a great starter haircut if you just want to (slowly) try out the trend.
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Meet the Experts
Before he was known as Hollywood’s top hair stylist, Andrew Fitzsimons has been obsessed with fashion, beauty and form for more than two decades.His passion led him from humble roots in Ireland to cultivate his talent in the fashion industry in Dublin, then to Paris and New York and LA where he counts Bella Hadid, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Megan Fox, Joan Smalls, and Shay Mitchell as his regular clientele.
Temur's journey began in Batumi, Georgia, where he always felt a calling for America. Leaving everything behind, he bravely traveled to a new country with a different language, determined to build a better future. Temur's natural talent for hairstyling, combined with his keen sense of style and love of elegance, led him to pursue a career in hair.
Inspired by classic beauty, Temur has dedicated the past 14 years to honing his skills and turning his lifelong passion into a profession. He had the transformative opportunity to work closely with his mentor, world renowned hair stylist Sally Hershberger.
Soon after realizing his love for hair coloring, Temur decided to infuse his craft with a new dimension. Collaborating with New York's premier hair colorists, he absorbed fresh perspectives to magnify his skill for creating striking hair transformations.
Temur's expertise lies in tailoring each haircut and color with his signature personalized and creative touch to enhance each client's unique essence.
Clariss Rubenstein is a Los Angeles based hairstylist. Born in Paris and raised in Washington DC, she discovered her passion for beauty and style at an early age. Her work can be seen on high profile clients such as Jennifer Garner, Sofia Vergara, Sarah Silverman, Gemma Chan, Cindy Crawford, Dakota Fanning, Mindy Kaling, Kaley Cuoco, Leighton Meester, Allison Williams, Jordana Brewster, Alison Brie and many more. Her work has been featured in editorials for Vanity Fair, Jalouse and LadyGunn. Her advertising work includes campaigns for James Perse, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Tommy Hilfiger. Clariss is a digital content creator and has partnered with an umbrella of lifestyle and beauty brands including NEXXUS, Authentic Beauty Concept, and Dyson.
