The hashtag #ButterflyHaircut garnering more than 1.1 billion views on TikTok makes it evident this hair trend is here to stay. If you are looking to jump on the bandwagon and enjoy the perks that come with it, we have all the details you need.
So, you have medium to long hair.
Well, first of all, congratulations–that’s some enviable length right there! Though we think short hair has plenty of flattering cuts that can suit you, it’s whispered through the salon grapevine that long hair is the easiest and most versatile length to work with and style.
It’s also the perfect length for showing off your best features (duh!).
With the butterfly haircut, you can go for plenty of stylishly layered looks without much risk because, odds are, they’re going to be perfectly flattering.
Read on to explore the modern variations of the butterfly haircut in all their beauty and nuance.
What is the Butterfly Haircut, Exactly?
We’ve heard of hairstyles named after home furnishings (curtain bangs) and sea creatures (jellyfish haircut)–we’re now moving to winged creatures.
Dubbed the “butterfly haircut”, it’s characterized by a mix of short and long layers that are typically styled away from the face. In a way, they mimic butterfly wings, hence the name.
The shorter layers of this cut can be cut at cheek or chin length, depending on your face shape, while the longer layers can run all the way down. The space between layers is vital for creating movement, volume, and dimension—every girl’s dream trio, no?
Butterfly Haircut Vs Wolf Cut: Are They One And The Same Thing?
The short answer is no.
The long answer is a bit more technical:
When you cut more layers in a butterfly cut, it might just resemble a wolf cut. The latter combines shorter, choppy layers with longer, shaggy segments to create wild, carefree movement.
A butterfly cut, on the other hand, is often parted at the center and boasts voluminous feathery layers.
As a result, the final outcome of these cuts are distinctively different. Butterfly cuts have a soft, bouncy, flowy feel to them, while wolf cuts exude an unmistakably edgy vibe.
Picks of the Bunch: 50 Modern Butterfly Haircut Ideas for 2024
The butterfly cut has reigned supreme over all haircuts for a while now, and if you haven’t tried it, you’re overdue for a salon appointment.
Here is some inspo to get you going:
1) Wispy Layers for Straight Hair
What do you get when you combine intense layering with fiercely cut ends? A hairstyle that looks this good; the super airy waves are a real feast for the eyes.
2) Long Side-Swept Bangs
No, you don’t need to rely solely on the layers for body addition, and this girl shows how to arrive at extra volume with the front pieces seamlessly swept to the side. We’re drooling!
3) Medium-Length Butterfly Haircut
These photos illustrate how a flowy and bouncy style can be achieved without sacrificing airiness. Simply cut the wispy layers across the mid-length and let the ends remain a bit chunky.
4) Curtain Bangs
Is it just us or this cut is (literally) begging to be felt? It’s incredibly soft, thanks to the chic curtain bangs that are positioned exactly where they need to be; as a bonus, they enhance the face-framing aspect and add dimension to the style. TRIPLE WIN!
5) Punk Butterfly Cut
If this hair could talk, it would say something bold and rebellious. Don’t be afraid to go ham on the vibrant colors and asymmetrical cuts–that’s the whole point of going punk, right?
6) Sleek and Modern
There’s a new butterfly cut in town, and it’s flattering on every face shape. Instead of texture or waves, the hair is kept straight and smooth with only subtle hints of the butterfly effect; for this reason, it’s the perfect introductory cut for newbies.
7) Disconnected Butterfly Cut Hairstyle
This style is anything but ordinary. The clear disconnection between the curtain bangs and other face-framing layers allows this beauty to show off her jawline in all its bliss; it also does an excellent job of slimming down the face. LOVE!
8) Flippy Layers
Va-va-voom volume is the calling card of this unique butterfly cut; the layers at the bottom are materfully flipped to add body and character. It’s a particularly smart choice for fine hair girls who want a voluminous look while retaining length.
9) Cherry Cola Dimensional Butterfly Haircut
This blend of the different reds used to achieve the cherry cola color does a fantastic job of creating dimension in the straight hair. Additional texture comes in the shape of masterful layering and chopping; PERFECTION!
10) Laid-Back and Sexy
Stay on the mild side of the butterfly cut by opting for minimal layering and reduced slicing. You won’t fail to turn heads, though–the oh-so-cute bangs that add volume and texture around the face will make sure of that.
11) Choppy Face-Framing Butterfly Cut
While a classic butterfly cut (think: Rachel haircut 1.0) can look dull on straight hair, some choppy layers around the front would give it plenty of definition and texture.
12) Long Butterfly Cut in Blonde
This beauty hits the cool-girl nail on the soft balayage head with long-flipped out bangs and dark roots. Nothing is more daring than a disconnection between the top layers and bottom section, and choppy ends look edgy and modern.
13) Very Long Butterfly Cut
Due to its sheer length, this hair is the perfect canvas for creating intricate butterfly designs and patterns; granted, the sections will come out more flawlessly than usual. Meanwhile, we’ll keep gazing because we simply can’t help it!
14) Wild Bottom Section
You’re unlikely to find a hot butterfly haircut without choppy or wispy bottom layers, as they’re part of the style’s magic. But you can make the cut even wilder with loads of flipped-out ends cascading past the shoulders.
15) Espresso Brunette Butterfly Hairstyle With Flowy Layers
Most butterfly cuts feature a stark separation between the top and bottom layers, not this one–and that is what makes it tastefully unique. We love the way those locks cascade all the way down in seamless fashion.
16) V-Shaped Butterfly Hair
Such lengthy and dense hair requires debulking to give it some sort of shape and movement. And this butterfly haircut ticks all the boxes to a tee.
17) Long Layers
If you’re not a big fan of well-defined bangs, then this look is for you. Layers are long enough to pump up volume on their own, while the choppy ends guarantee texture for days!
18) Wavy Butterfly Cut
Big waves + multi-length layers = An ultra-flattering, super textured hairstyle that catches the eye at first glance. To give your hair extra lift and body, use a volumizing spray or mousse before blow-drying.
19) Stunning Caramel Balayage Style
Every tiny-teeny detail of this butterfly haircut is the stuff of dreams. The full layers dipped in sweet caramel create movement and texture, while the curtain bangs and flicks add a touch of playfulness and verve to the look.
20) Black Butterfly Cut Hairstyle
Brunettes are bound to find endless joy with this cut, especially those with naturally wavy hair and round faces. The long butterfly layers add texture and dimension, while the fringe is high enough to allow for her beautiful cheekbones to pop. Talk about a picture-perfect style!
21) Lowlights Galore
We thought we’d seen it all until this masterpiece popped up on our feed. Perfect for fine or thin hair, the cut utilizes lowlights that are strategically placed across the mane to lend dimension and depth to the hair; WOW-WORTHY!
22) Elongated Feathered Butterfly Hair
It’s extremely choppy and textured, it’s majestically long, it’s perfeeeeect!
23) Butterfly Layered Haircut
Whoever said too much of something is poisonous hadn’t taken in the beauty of this V-shaped butterfly style. Short, intense, wispy layers that run from the crown all the way to the ends culminate into a super soft, super voluminous mane that’s sure to stun.
24) Thin Hair Layered Butterfly Cut
Careful, too many layers can actually make your thin hair appear thinner and devoid of body. Instead, opt for longer layers like this beauty, and your reward will be perfectly textured hair with just enough volume to dazzle.
25) Butterfly Shag Cut
For the bold and adventurous, this cut brings together the best of two worlds: the choppy, layered bliss of the classic shag and the graceful and soft pattern of the butterfly cut. WE APPROVE!
26) Bob With Butterfly Pattern
Not quite a classic bob, not quite a signature butterfly cut, this style is for those who crave an element of intrigue in their medium-length hair.
27) Long Layered Hair With Curled Ends
With bouncy, layered hair as the starting point, curl the ends of your mane to glam up the look even more. And did someone say versatile? That’s right, you can rock this glorious ‘do wherever, whenever.
28) Butterfly Hair With Money-Piece
Let there be light! Your black or dark brown hair could benefit greatly from a softer, lighter hue as the face frame; it’s a move that guarantees dimension, color, and (drumrolls, please) compliments!
29) Soft Ombre
Take it from us, you don’t need to create sharp tones for your butterfly cut to stand out. This dark brown to soft caramel balayage pops like nobody’s business.
30) 70’s Butterfly Hair With Shaggy Bangs
Retro is the name of the game when shaggy fringe meets textured, floaty layers. You’ll get so much movement and airiness with this cut than you’ll know what to do with.
31) Butterfly Cut On Ginger Hair
We like how the bright shade of copper brings so much warmth and fuzziness to this mane. It’s a literal game-changer.
32) Multi-Layered Face Framing Pieces
We dare you to cut your face-framing tresses in varying lengths and sweep them to the side. Granted, you’ll create an incredibly unique and textured look (read: awe-inspiring) that will have you wishing you took the leap earlier.
33) Cute Layered Hairstyle For Thick Hair
The secret’s in the cutting technique. When your dense mane is chopped and layered this intricately, you’re bound to love it even more; it’s the perfect way to enhance the movement and texture of your locks.
34) Ash Blonde Balayage
Close one eye if you crave butterfly layers that instantly volumize your long, straight hair. Close the other eye if you yearn for a highlighted color that is inherently low-key yet effortlessly chic. Oops, now we all can’t see.
35) Long Tousled Butterfly Layers
This is a gorgeous, bedhead look that requires near-zero maintenance. Combine long locks with a center part and tousle the edges for a deliciously messy finish.
36) Blonde Highlights for Thin Hair
Intense layering hardly ever works for thin hair, but with some creativity, you can nail an edgy look that doesn’t go overboard. For the lower part, opt for shorter layers with blunt tips–thank us later.
37) Trendy Butterfly Haircut on Long Hair
Eye-catching caramel ombre paired up with extremely wispy bottom layers? Yes please!
38) Super Soft Balayage
The subtle dark brown balayage in this cut delivers the kind of softness that will have your BFF’s fingers itching for a touch. The wispy layering does the rest.
39) High-Contrast Bangs
We can’t help but fall in love with this gorgeous color pattern that starts with stunning caramel illumination around the face and flows into a whimsical shade of brown.
40) Choppy Butterfly Cut Hair In Copper
If your dream butterfly look features something bright (copper hue) and shaggy (choppy layers), then this look has your name written all over it. Rock the heck out of it, will you?
41) All-Action Butterfly Hair Cut
Long layers? Check. Curtain bangs? Double-check. Face-framing layers? Triple check! It’s rare to find a butterfly cut that checks all the right boxes without blowing anything out of proportion; it is, without doubt, a winning hairstyle, and we’re OBSESSED!
42) Purple Highlights for Dark Brown Butterfly Hair
As if brown butterfly layers needed a boost to really thrive…well, a little soft purple in the mix never hurts, as seen here.
43) Medium-Length Butterfly Cut Layers
Take your face-framing layers to the next level by really curling the short layers at the top away from the face. The outcome is an effect of long curtain bangs that showcase your best features in seamless fashion.
44) Bouncy Butterfly Cut Hairstyle
Featuring an abundance of feathered layers, this cut screams texture from a distance; the flipped-out ends, in particular, are to die for. Some call it magic, we call it masterful styling.
45) Extra Long Cut With Voluminous Layers
This majestic style is ready to apologize, “Sorry, can’t hear you over the volume of my hair.” To attain this look, use a light texturizing spray and blow-dry each layer independently.
46) Honey Blonde Butterfly Cut
The sweetest, sleekest, most sophisticated shade of blonde is calling, and it says it’s ready to pump up the volume of your thin dark brown tresses. If it was up to us, we’d never hang up.
47) Two-Tone Butterfly Haircut
Have two colors you want to showcase in one style? Opt for a split dye; with two poppy colors, this look is sure to make a bold (read: head-turning) statement.
48) Purple Peekaboo Butterfly Haircut
PICTURE PERFECT! Enhance the natural beauty of your butterfly layers by adding some purple highlights; this style looks classy and fun without being overwhelming.
49) Short and Sweet
Grazing the shoulders ever-so-subtly, the bottom layers of this cut are dense enough to better support the face-framing pieces. It’s as springy and bouncy as they come.
50) Charming Chocolate Brown Butterfly Layers
Boasting a seamless cascade of flowing layers, this style oozes simple sophistication. The brown hues delightfully accentuate the layered effect, yielding a stunningly bouncy look, perfect for a brunette queen.
Ethereal Creatures, Ethereal Inspiration
Butterflies are arguably the most graceful and captivating creatures in existence; the way their wings are designed is nothing short of ethereal. As such, donning butterfly cuts and layers means paying homage to the original beauty queen herself (all hail the queen).
Let these 50 butterfly haircut ideas inspire you to transform your mane into an enchanting and magical masterpiece.
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