25 Short Haircuts for Black Women We Love in 2024

Ready to shed some length and go short? There are tons of cute short haircuts for black women, so we compiled the best looks in one place!

We’ll show you gorgeous short cuts tailor-made for your hair texture (relaxed or natural) from pixies to chin-length bobs. Even better? Styling curly, coily, kinky, or relaxed hair texture is never easier than with a short haircut.

It cuts your style time considerably and makes keeping your mane moisturized and defined a cinch. You won’t miss your length a bit once you see how cute these short haircuts for black women are!

25 Best Short Haircuts for Black Women in 2024

Sometimes a little inspiration is all you need to make the plunge into the fun and feisty world of short hair. We found 25 of the best short haircuts for black women to share with you for a hefty dose of inspiration! 

You’ll see examples of short haircuts for black women like barely-there edgy buzz cuts, pretty pixie cuts, chic crops, beautiful bobs, fierce fades, and tapered afros to show off your natural texture.

These short haircuts for black women work with any curl type from 3A to 4C and some feature relaxed hair for sleek looks. Check them out and see which one is calling your name! 

1. Feminine Pixie Cut With Styled-Forward Fringe

Pixie cuts are such a sexy, feminine way to wear short hair. Leaving the bangs longer than the rest of the cut makes them perfect to style brushed forward onto the forehead for a big visual impact.

You don’t want the bangs to be straight-across and blunt for this look. Instead, ask for texture in the bangs to create a piece-y, wispy look that puts your eyes in the spotlight. 

2. Relaxed Pixie With Side-Swept Bangs

Lots of root volume is key for this gorgeous short haircut and really makes it look polished. If your hair has been relaxed, a well-shaped cut like this will give you a template for a range of styles.

We love the wispy, tapered side-swept fringe combined with the flattering volume at the crown. A flat iron, heat protectant, and shine serum is all you need to style this look!

3. Defined 4B Short Crop With Tight Sides

Ultra-tight Z-shaped coils define the 4B hair type, and this short cropped cut brings out that phenomenal texture perfectly. Keeping 4B hair short can help you take care of your hair’s intensive moisture and protein needs with less product.

It also helps minimize shrinkage while defining your natural kinky texture! Keep the sides a little shorter with a nice taper to make the length transition seamless. 

4. High Fade With Long Bleached Bangs

If you’re deciding to go short, why not have a little fun with it? This look is a little higher-maintenance since bald fades need to be touched up every couple of weeks to look fresh.

This fade begins high up around the temples and leaves the skin bare from the neckline to the temple fade zone for a high-contrast look. 

The partially-processed bleached bangs set the look off (and add to the high-maintenance requirements of this cut). Process longer for white-blonde, or revel in the flattering warm copper blonde a partial process gives you.

5. Close-Cropped Buzz Cut

If you’re looking for the easiest short haircuts for black women, don’t miss out on close-cropped buzz cuts. The look is easy to care for and manage, undeniably fierce, and allows your beauty to shine front and center!

Opt for one length all over to keep things simple as shown, or leave a little more length on top to add some height and volume to this gorgeous, no-frills cut. 

6. Long Top Natural Taper

Keep your natural texture but say goodbye to spending hours wrangling and styling long coils with this cute cut! Extra length is left on top for some flattering height and volume, while the sides and back are cut shorter for contrast and to slim the face.

Black women with round and oval faces will benefit most from a cut like this. The boxy shape of the tapered top may be too structured for square faces and put heart-shaped faces off balance.

7. Sophisticated Bleached Crop

Don’t shy away from bleaching your locks if you’re out for a stunning, sophisticated look. Bleached crops can be wild or mild depending on the cut and how you style your outfit.

This posh look accentuates the intensely curly texture of the hair while keeping it short enough for easy maintenance and hair care. 

8. Long Relaxed Pixie Cut

Keeping some extra length on top makes styling a pixie cut easy and versatile. Style the bangs parted to the side, down the center, or pin them back as shown.

The tapered top sides add a boost of volume that’s absolutely perfect for a round or square face. The relaxed texture makes styling incredibly easy, but we’d love this look with natural coils!

9. Natural Curly Chin-Length Bob

Natural curls or coils transform any style into something a little more lively and energetic. The curls bounce and swing as you move to bring your haircut to life!

A chin-length bob featuring natural texture is a great way to show off those curls without being so long that daily styling and hair care takes forever. This look is flattering and simple with tons of ways to style it. We love her twisted and pinned bangs in this example! 

10. Cropped Red Baby Dreads

Starter locs are a great way to control and style very short coily hair long-term. As your hair grows, your locs will get longer and continued maintenance will keep them tight.

Red dye highlights and accentuates the baby dreads perfectly, but if red’s not your color, try a caramel blonde or platinum color to set them off!

If you’re interested in starting your own locs, check out 4 ways to do it here: How to Get Dreads | 4 Ways to Start Dreadlocks.  

11. Short and Elegant South of France Fade

The South of France haircut looks elegant and refined when worn on a woman, and we’re digging the short length in this example.

The South of France fade features a longer strip that runs from the front hairline to the neckline with a close-cropped burst fade on the sides. This is a very flattering cut for a woman with a round, square, or heart face shape as it keeps the sides tight. 

12. Sleek Crop With Finger Waves

This sleek razored crop is parted to the side and styled with finger waves for a stunning, vintage look. Soft, blended layers in the top of the cut allow the hair to seamlessly lie flat for looks like this.

But don’t think you’re limited to sleek styles only! You can easily shake this short haircut up with a fun tousled side-swept style. You just need a little gel and some root volume. 

13. Natural 4A Tapered Pixie With Boosted Volume

Coily hair is blessed in the volume department, and this long-top look allows you to easily show it off! We love this look for 4A hair specifically, as the defined texture is perfect for creating big volume with plenty of coil definition.

This cut is tapered to be longest on top and shorter on the back and sides. That makes it great for a round, oval, or square face (not so much heart faces, as there’s no volume on the lower portion for balance).

Style your coils downward and forward about halfway to the crown. From there, style it up for a boost of flattering volume that makes your eyes pop!

14. Fierce Bleached Buzz Cut

Unleash your fierce femininity with this ultra-short buzz cut and white-blonde bleached color. This bold look will steal the spotlight, attracting compliments and admiring looks wherever you go.

Bleaching your short hair adds an interesting visual element to an otherwise unremarkable (and super easy to manage) haircut.

Think about how simple it’ll be to wash, moisturize, and maintain this short haircut! A trip to the salon every month or two will keep your color maintained and your length trimmed. 

15. Relaxed Side-Swept Pixie Crop

Pixies are so versatile – they can be worn at different lengths and styled in a variety of ways to suit your mood and look. We’re partial to this super short version with barely-there bangs!

The bangs and top are styled to the side to accentuate the razored, piece-y texture of the cut. Keep a little more length on top if you want brow-grazing bangs, or copy the look as-is to keep things posh and a little edgy. 

16. Posh Relaxed Pixie With Side Part

Relaxed hair is nicely set up for sleek styles like this, so take advantage of your smooth texture and opt for a shaped pixie cut with extra length on top.

Leaving some length on top enables you to play around with different parts and create the look of bangs when you brush the top forward. Creating a side part and keeping the front pushed back and sleek creates a posh look that you’ll love. 

17. Buzzed Radiant Red Crop

A buzzed crop is one length all over, making it a simple look to maintain. You could even cut it yourself! The stunning red color is the real kicker here, but that’s better left to a professional.

A short cropped cut like this lets your face and outfit shine, so wear a dramatic eye look or a bold lip to make it feel more special. 

18. Windswept Tapered Crop With Caramel Color

Who doesn’t love the sexy windswept look on short hair? With a deep side part and flipped-up ends for extra height and volume, this tapered crop is suitable for a range of face shapes (especially oval, round, and square).

Caramel highlights add a little dimension to the cut and put the focus on the longer top. Keep the sides gradually tapered to make this look easy to style and care for. 

19. Short Pixie With Long Side Bangs

Pixies and bangs go together so well. Bangs allow you to add some extra length that makes different styles easy to try without dealing with longer strands all-over.

Here, the long bangs are styled to the side with a few peekaboo highlights in a pretty caramel blonde shade for interest. The pixie cut is very short around the sides and back to keep the long bangs the focal point of the look. 

20. Relaxed Curly Chin-Length Bob

Relaxed coils leave your hair with plenty of volume for creating pretty styles like this flirty curled bob. With flattering length hitting around the chin and boosted volume at the roots, you’ll love the way this short haircut makes you look! We like this style best for oval and heart face shapes. 

21. Bleached Cropped Top With Shaved Sides

Fans of very short ‘dos will appreciate the simplicity and ease of this cropped look. The top is a little longer than the shaved sides, and bleached color on top adds to the attractive contrast.

Keep the length short enough to allow your hair to lie flat on top, or leave it a bit longer to let some of your natural curl pop out for extra texture. 

22. Tapered 4C Afro

If you have ultra-kinky 4C hair, you deal with lots of shrinkage and an intensive need for moisture and protein. Getting a tapered medium-short cut can help you easily care for and manage your mane while showing off the incredible texture and volume.

This cut is tapered down the sides and back to shape the hair and create an easy-to-style afro with natural texture. 

23. Short Drop Fade With Bleached Twists

Fades can be absolutely gorgeous on black women, especially with the addition of interesting color and texture on top.

Here, a drop fade keeps the sides and lower back of the cut nice and tight to slim the face and keep extra weight and bulk out of the style. The longer top is styled in bleached twists for a pop of texture and color that absolutely works.  

24. Relaxed Wavy Pixie With Blunt Bangs

We rarely see a pixie paired with blunt bangs, but we’re loving the way it looks with shiny, subtle waves. Relaxed hair gives you the opportunity to play around with sleek styles with less volume.

And brushing the longer top of this pixie cut forward creates a nice, blunt bang that brings attention to your eyes. Sweep the bangs over to the side and point-cut for a wispier, edgy look. 

25. Bold Neon Pink Buzz Cut

If a short buzz cut isn’t bold enough for you, add a vivid color like this neon pink to finish the job! By shaving your hair to this super-short length, you eliminate a lot of the time and products you’d normally need to style and care for your hair.

It’s the easiest way to wear coily hair short, so give it a try – it always grows back if you find a buzz cut isn’t for you. 

Tips for Choosing Short Haircuts for Black Women

Now that you’ve seen several examples of the best short haircuts for black women, you’ve gotten a sense of the general length and type of haircut you like best. But narrowing it down to The One is hard, especially if you’ve never experimented with short hair before! Here are our best tips to choosing the right short haircut for you. 

• Choose cuts that work with your current texture. You may be rocking your naturally curly or coily hair (hair types 3A-4C) or straighter texture from a relaxer. Whatever your current hair texture is will help dictate the types of short haircuts that will work for you. Relaxed hair does well with pixie cuts, bobs, and short cropped cuts that hug the shape of your head. Natural hair texture pairs perfectly with voluminous tapered pixies, tapered chin-length bobs, short crops, buzz cuts, and tapered afro cuts that give your mane some shape. 
• Think about how much time you’ll spend styling it. Some short haircuts are much lower-maintenance than others. If a haircut features a lot of layers, fades, long bangs, relies on defined natural texture, or includes bleached or dyed sections, you’ll spend more time styling and maintaining it. Easy cuts (buzz cuts, short crops, basic pixies, etc.) require less styling time and won’t require touch-ups at the salon as often. Consider how much time you’re willing to dedicate to styling and maintaining your ‘do before you decide.
• Pick a short haircut that flatters your face shape. Short haircuts leave a lot of the face exposed and it’s really important to pick one that’s going to flatter you. The 4 basic face shapes help dictate the types of short haircuts that will work for you – you just need to know what yours is! You might have an oval, round, square, or heart face shape. Once you’ve determined your general shape, you’ll be able to quickly narrow down the types of cuts that will look good on you. Check out our guide to finding flattering cuts for your specific face shape here: What Haircut Should I Get (Women)? | All Face Types.
• Decide how short you want to go. The shorter your haircut, the easier it’ll be to care for and style. But it can also be a little unnerving to go super-short, especially if you’re used to rocking longer hair. If you’ve never worn short hair before, we recommend starting with a chin-length bob, longer pixie, or tapered afro cut to ease into the look. You might decide you’re ready to go shorter or end up glad you didn’t cut more than you did! 
• Make a list of ways to style your favorite cut. Once you’ve narrowed your list down to the short haircut you like best, it’s helpful to make a list of the different ways you can style it. This will help you decide if the cut offers enough variation and options for you to enjoy wearing. If you’re only coming up with one or two ways to style the cut, it may be a good idea to tweak it a bit – adding longer bangs or leaving a little more length on top, for example – to give yourself plenty of options. 

More Things to Consider

With so many short haircuts for black women to choose from, you’ll definitely find one that suits your face shape and overall style. Once you’ve settled on the cut of your dreams, keep these things in mind to make the transition easy. 

• Moisture and protein are your friends. Short haircuts for black women will make the texture and health of your hair that much more apparent, so it’s a good idea to start showing your mane some extra TLC if you plan to go short. Adequate moisture is a given with high porosity, coarse hair – layering creamy, hydrating products will help you keep your hair healthy and moisturized. Choosing products with hair-repairing protein will also help you maintain a healthy, strong texture with unbreakable strands. Try using a hair mask for damaged hair once every 2 weeks to see a difference in the strength and shine of your hair. 
• Protect short hair by preventing damage. Short hair shows damage quickly because there’s less of it and the ends are quite visible near your face. You can get ahead of the issue by preventing damage with a few simple steps. Switch to a satin pillowcase or sleep with your hair in a satin bonnet to prevent tugging and friction. Be gentle when you brush or comb your hair and avoid combing while it’s wet. Look for products with added hydrolyzed protein, which will seal the cuticle and strengthen your strands. Keep your hair moisturized and hydrated with plenty of conditioning products layered in to plump and nourish your strands. 
• Make sure you’ve got the right styling products and tools. Don’t let your new short haircut take you by surprise! Go ahead and grab the styling tools and products you’ll need to make your mane look fabulous each day. For simpler short haircuts like buzz cuts and short crops, you may not need much. But longer pixies with bangs, cuts featuring relaxed texture, and tapered, layered bobs might mean you need to grab a few things. Invest in a good flat iron, a quality hair dryer for curly hair, more effective styling products, and a good heat protectant spray to take your new cut over the top. 

What’s Your Favorite Short Haircut for Black Women?

We hope these examples of short haircuts for black women have inspired you to take the plunge and rock a feisty, short style! 

When you take the time to research the different types of short haircuts that work best for curly, coily, kinky, and relaxed hair, you’re sure to pick a cut that perfectly suits your hair texture and type.

And when you take it a step further to choose cuts that are designed to flatter your specific face shape, you’ll get even better results. 

Get ready to get lots of compliments and a little boost in confidence when you unveil your new, shorter ‘do. It might become your new signature look!