According to Amanda Elaine Killen, a professional hairstylist and Amika lead pro educator, hair tends to grow about a centimeter per month or 6 inches per year. Some people have hair that grows slightly slower or faster. That said, learning how to grow out your pixie cut is all about learning to embrace the change and work with your length in all its different phases. To learn how to do just that, we spoke with hairstylists to learn some of their best tips and tricks for growing out a pixie cut without having to succumb to awkward haircuts. Ahead, keep reading for some expert advice that’ll make the experience of growing out a pixie easier. RELATED: 6 Best Pixie Cuts to Try in 2021, According to Hairstylists
Get regular shaping haircuts.
Despite what you may think, getting regular haircuts while growing out your pixie cut will help your hair grow more effortlessly. Sierra Kener, a Los Angeles-based professional hairstylist at Nine Zero One salon, refers to these haircuts as “shaping appointments.” She says visiting your stylist for a trim to cut off dead ends and removing excess hair around the nape of the neck will minimize those awkward in-between lengths. Killen also likes this method of shaping. “I prefer to keep the sides and nape area cut shorter than the top until the length of the top of the hair is long enough to meet, merge, and cover the sides of the hair,” she says. “This avoids unflattering or hard-to-manage shapes because the weight of the hair from the top of the head will eventually grow long enough that it can help weigh down the sides and “train” the hair into a manageable style.” Getting regular haircuts will also help chop away split ends, which will hinder the growth of long and healthy hair.
Embrace the texture.
“Texture is a growout’s best friend,” says Killen. “Playful, messy hair is an excellent way to obscure hardness in the hair’s shape and also allows for flexibility in parting.” She recommends investing in a texture spray like the Amika Un.Done Volume and Matte Texture Spray ($27; sephora.com) to help create effortless curls and waves in the hair for movement and hide any harsh demarcation of the sides and top of the hair.
Play with different hairstyles.
On top of the texture, Kener is a fan of playing with different hairstyles. She says adding headbands, hair clips, or even trying a slicked-back style can make styling a pixie fun.
Focus on scalp health.
Great hair starts with a great scalp, says Killen. To help encourage healthy and faster growth, she recommends paying extra attention to your scalp health during the regrowth period. “Regularly exfoliating the scalp with a dry brush or a scalp cleansing product keeps the scalp free of buildup and able to receive nutrients.” Kener also says regular scalp massages can help promote circulation and stimulate hair growth. A scalp massage can be as simple as running your fingers through your hair, or you can make it feel more relaxing and luxe by using a tool, like a gua sha.
Try a growth-focused haircare system.
One of Killen’s final tips is to look for hair products that encourage hair growth. “Using an at-home hair growth-oriented haircare system is beneficial, like amika’s 3D Daily Thickening Treatment ($38, sephora.com), which is formulated with redensyl,” she says. Redensyl is an ingredient that helps prevent hair loss and promotes hair growth. Another option to try is the Nutrafol Growth Activator Hair Serum ($69; amazon.com), which supports scalp health and boosts cell renewal for thicker and stronger hair.
