If your “new year, new you,” mantra always includes a fresh new chop, you’ve come to the right place. It’s truly one of the best ways to usher in a new season, let alone an entire year. Luckily, thanks to the spring runways, buzzy TikTok and Instagram influencers, and celebrity hairstylists, there is no shortage of haircut trends popping up for the new year. “In 2023, we’re going to see boundaries being pushed further than we’ve seen before,” says Jason Lee, hairstylist, colorist and founder of Mela & Kera.
“2022 was all about the return of the ‘90’s and early 2000’s, and now we are going to see those same styles becoming edgier and more aggressive yet extremely minimalist in styling,” the pro continues. As for styles, you can expect bobs, ‘90s supermodel blowouts, bixies, fringe, and debulking cuts to be all the rage next year.
Not only that, hybrid haircuts will be making a name for themselves — where selecting specific sections of several looks will make for one unique, multi-faceted cut. And if you find maintaining a new salon haircut difficult, rest assured there are low-lift options just for you.
In fact, Maggie Hanco*ck, stylist and one of BLONDME's top ambassadors, predicts styling will be minimal in the new year. “For casual days, we’ll lean more into air-dried hair, heatless curls, and waves from sleeping in braids.” Lee credits this lowkey styling approach to Gen Z’s obsession with less put-together looks that feel very organic and intentional.
Ahead, TZR tapped some of the biggest names in hair for their predictions on haircut trends for 2023. Some are tried-and-true staples, others take on a modern variation of a current trend, while others are completely unexpected. Scroll for the 10 haircut trends that will be oh-so popular in the new year.
The Undercut
A cool way to show edge and personality, the undercut is a buzzed section at the nape of the neck and sides that removes excess bulk from hair. It allows you to pull your hair back and release extra weight while simultaneously debulking the hair to let it lay flat.
Farrah Fawcett Flip
Similar to the Y2K boom this year, 2023 will have a major ‘70s resurgence starting with this Farrah Fawcett flip. This cut has subtle layers for movement, rounded bangs (right around the eyebrow) and rounded corners. With the face-framing layers, it enhances the curves and contours of the face.
Octopus Fever
Like an octopus head with tentacles, this cut is rounded and full at the top, then spreads out at the bottom. It is the chicer cousin to the shag and can have lots of added dimension with wispy layers, fridge, and more.
‘90s Supermodel Blowout
Channel your inner Cindy Crawford with the ‘90’s supermodel blowout. To do at-home, Raven Hurtado, stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, recommends blow-drying and curling hair in small sections and then spritzing with hairspray for long lasting hold. Next, brush hair out and encourage volume. If you lack wrist dexterity, you can always use hot rollers or the GHD Glide Smoothing Hot Brush as an alternative. When styling, make sure each product promotes hold and finish off with a shine spray.
The Shullett
A combination of a shag and mullet, the shullet is a versatile haircut that works well on all textures when tailored to the wearer's bone structure. It’s great for those with thinner hair as it adds body and movement. As an added bonus, wash and go is the way to style it right as it craves texture. In other words, the messier, the better here.
Mixie
A hybrid of a mullet and pixie, the mixie is essentially the latter with hair left two to three inches longer at the base of the neck. With piecey layers for movement and texture, it’s an edgy look to start the new year. As a bonus, depending on your texture, it’s low-maintenance and requires as little product as you like. According to Lee, the Mela & Kera Balayage Exceptionnel Wave Foundation Spray is the ideal product for edgy short cuts because it gives texture and grit, without leaving the hair feeling crunchy or sticky.
Baby Fringe
Although eyebrow-grazing, face-framing, and curtain bangs had their moment, next year it’s all about the baby fringe — bangs intentionally cut too short. Justin Totes-Vincilione, professional hairstylist and Authentic Beauty Concept advocate warns that since this technique requires slicing through sections of hair, removing a lot of weight at one time, and on certain textures, it can leave hair looking frizzy after washing. As a pro tip, he recommends applying the frizz-fighting Authentic Beauty Concept Hydrate Lotion to damp hair, leaving the hair supple and manageable, and protected from heat damage.
One-Length Bob
According to Lee, if you’re looking for a slick and unapologetic aesthetic, you can’t go wrong with the one-length bob. Slightly different from a regular bouncy bob, one-length bobs have blunt, sharp ends with one length all around for fullness and movement. When going into the salon, ask your stylist to alleviate the weight at the ends to remove any unnecessary bulkiness for a straight and sleek look. By keeping the cut boxy and square, it will allow the corners to have length and push the remaining hair to your face.
Butterfly Cut
Inspired by TikTok, the butterfly cut is a layered cut that has a feathery look to it, resembling a butterfly wing. It strikes a beautiful balance between short shaggy pieces that hit two to three inches below the chin to add volume, and longer layers that fall below the shoulders. It’s great for those that like length and are looking to grow their hair out.
Bixie
The bixie haircut, is a combination of a pixie and bob cut that we’ll see spilling into 2023. “This trendy cut offers the fullness of a short pixie and the versatility of a bob,” Dove Partner and Celebrity Stylist, Rocco tells TZR.
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