Halle Berry’s short hair was her signature look through the ‘90s and early ‘00s. The actress’ peak pixie-cut moment came at the 2002 Academy Awards, where she made history for being the first Black woman to win the Best Actress award for Monster's Ball. Pairing the pixie cut with an Elie Saab velvet dress, Berry created one of the most iconic Oscars red carpet looks to this day.
The former Miss USA runner up then grew her hair out (or wore longer wigs, we’re not sure) in the ‘00s before getting the chop once again around 2010, this time with some golden highlights framing her face. The model-turned-actress adopted a loose wave to her growing out locks before trying some new styles such as purple extensions and a shorter crop, this time with a fringe, for the 2021 Oscars red carpet.
Whilst she may have grown out her short hair style, and had various hair styles since, Halle Berry's short hair cut is iconic as her roles. Here's how to recreate the actress' short hair according to the experts.
How To Get Halle Berry’s Short Hair Cut
Halle Berry’s pixie cut is a short soft shape that’s versatile and can be styled many different ways, says Chelsey Mcqueen, hair stylist at Blue Tit Clapton. “For the cut, keep it soft - no harsh lines,” says Dom Seeley, celebrity hair stylist and International Creative Director at ColorWow. “You want movable texture and lengths in the right places, to allow you to wear your hair in so many different styles, even though it’s short. It shouldn’t be stuck to one style.”
Halle Berry with her pixie haircut when she won the Oscar for Best Actress in 2002.Frank Micelotta Archive/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Seeley also suggests keeping some “wispy hairs or detail hairs on the hairline around the ears and in the bangs/fringe area” to keep it soft around the face.
“A modern take on the look for 2022 could mean leaving longer sections though the front for a more interesting or dramatic look,” adds McQueen, “but one thing is for sure: I would recommend getting the style cut like clockwork (every 6-12 weeks) to keep it looking sharp.”
How To Get Halle Berry’s Hair Colour
Although Halle Berry has rocked short hair since the early ‘90s, the actress has adapted with each cut and colour. The early days saw an almost natural looking solid darn brunette shade, whilst the early ‘00s saw the introduction of warm golden highlights.
The early days of Halle Berry’s short hair, in the early ‘90s.Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
“Rich brunettes and warm browns with golden highlights really complement Halle Berry’s skin tone,” says Seeley. “It’s very, very subtle colouring but just enhances her texture, and stops her hair looking flat, showing the definition in her haircut.”
When trying to recreate the style in the salon, short hair can sometimes look better as a block colour,” explains Seeley. “That means one shade, with incredible shine to compliment the cut.”
“However, if you do have some length to your pixie or short hair, opt for some brighter pieces on the lengths of the haircut where possible,” he adds. “It’s youthful and shows your playful side.
How To Style Halle Berry’s Short Hair Style
Part of achieving Halle Berry’s signature short hairstyle really is about how you style it. As much as some would love to roll out of bed and have perfect hair, the short hairstyle is prone to bed head and needs a few adjustments to get it red carpet-ready, but it all depends on your personal style.
“I don’t feel like short hair ever goes out of fashion, but it really depends on the person wearing it and their personal style, it doesn’t suit everyone,” says Seeley. “A key message and best piece of advice I can give with short hair is you need to wear the hair and not let the hair wear you.”
A darker version of Halle Berry’s pixie haircut. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
“While Halle Berry’s ‘00s shape is still modern, the styling is not. Try to focus on not over styling,” says celebrity hair stylist Jason Collier. “I would recommend using Jerome Russell Bstyled Matt Paste. Apply a 5-pence size, rub into hands and move gently through the hair to give it a bit of texture. Don’t try to place it into a shape. Instead, allow it to sit naturally for a more modern look.”
Elsewhere, Seeley recommends Color Wow Pop & Lock, an oil/serum hybrid that gives texture and definition but also incredible shine. Pixie cuts can get harder to style when they grow out, but try to stay open to playing around with styles, lengths and textures in between cuts, he adds. “You may be surprised through the growing stages of the cut that you like it longer, or you like it shorter.”
Celebrity hairstylist Neil Moodie recommends a putty product for shorter lengths, such as Coal Putty by Schwarzkopf, but when it's longer, a texture mist such as Sam McKnight's Barely There Texture Mist works wonders.
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