Quinta Brunson's Curled Pixie Cut Is Giving Me Hair Envy

a black woman with honey brown hair posing on a red carpet in front of a gray background — (Image credit: Getty Images)

I'm so used to watching Quinta Brunson wear long, springy curls for her go-to hairstyle as Janine on ABC's Abbott Elementary that I often forget that, when she's out of character, she actually has the most flawless pixie cut I've ever seen.

The actress and sitcom creator joined a few of her Abbott Elementary costars at Disney's Emmy Season Toast To TV event on April 27, where she showed up wearing a curve-hugging, black maxi dress with floral designs, short, puffed sleeves, and a lacy bodice. She wore shimmery brown eye makeup along with subtle lash extensions and a nude lip, but my favorite part of her entire look was her pixie cut. Brunson's chocolate brown hair was cut short and styled in springy, flat curls that almost resembled old school finger waves and kiss curls.

a black woman with short, brown hair poses on a red carpet — Quinta Brunson wears a curly pixie cut to an event in Hollywood.

Brunson has experimented with her hair a handful of times over the last few months. She attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party this year wearing long, honey brown extensions, but before that, she attended the NAACP Image Awards wearing a wavy, chocolate brown mullet with blunt bangs. Despite that, she's been pretty committed to the cropped pixie cut since 2024. "I’ve been planning it for a really long time and I kept getting cold feet and I decided it was time to stop getting cold feet and just cut it off," she told an interviewer on the red carpet at that year's Emmy Awards. "Like, I have never felt better. I just feel very much like myself."

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The pixie cut followed very closely behind the bob as one of 2025's most popular haircuts, and it's not losing any momentum this spring. “The edgy pixie is back with more contrast—shorter sides, length on top, and a strong shape that feels confident and modern,” says hairstylist Joel Warren, founder of The Salon Project.

Read ahead to get Brunson's exact look at home.

Wavytalk

Cool Curl Pencil

For shorter lengths, use a skinny hot tool to curl your hair.

TREsemmé

Protecting Heat Spray

Always spray your hair with a heat protectant before touching it with a heat tool.

Lottabody

Wrap Me Foaming Mousse

To give yourself real finger waves, use a light mousse and let the curls set in place.

Diane

6 Piece Assorted Style Comb Set

Use a small comb of your choosing to shape your curls and comb them into place.

ORS

Olive Oil Nourishing Sheen Spray

Finish off with a sheen spray to give yourself some extra shine.

CATEGORIES

Danielle Jackson is the senior beauty writer at Marie Claire. She has nearly a decade of experience covering beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment and was previously the senior beauty editor at Women's Health, where she thoughtfully covered topics related to skincare, haircare, aesthetics, and wellness. Before that, she spent three years as an assistant beauty editor at PS, and in the years since, her work has appeared in titles like Vogue, InStyle, Glamour, and more. Danielle graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in English, and has lived in Brooklyn for almost ten years. When she's not writing, you can find her reading romance novels and talking about sunscreen. You can find her on Instagram @danielleknecole.