The textured crop is one of today’s most popular hairstyles, favored for its effortless appeal and versatile charm. It’s a style that works for virtually anyone, if you’re looking to add volume, redefine your shape, or embrace a laid-back look that’s easy to maintain. This guide will take you through everything you need to know, from the basics to styling hacks, so you can achieve that perfect textured crop and keep it looking fresh.
What is a Textured Crop Hairstyle?
The textured crop is a short hairstyle with the hair on the sides and back cut significantly shorter than the top. The contrast in length allows for a variety of styling options, from smooth and sleek to tousled and voluminous. This haircut’s signature feature is “texture”—created by layering techniques that add movement, dimension, and depth. This style works for all hair types (straight, wavy, curly, or coily) and is highly customizable, making it a fantastic option for both men and women.
Why the Textured Crop is a Game-Changer?
1. Universally Flattering
- This style complements most face shapes. Whether you have an oval, square, round, or diamond-shaped face, a skilled stylist can tailor the textured crop to highlight your best features.
2. Enhances Natural Texture
- For those with naturally wavy or curly hair, the textured crop brings out the best in your hair’s natural shape, adding volume and movement.
To get more ideas for trendy wavy hairstyles read this blog post.
3. Low Maintenance
- The textured crop is easy to style and quick to maintain. A few key products and techniques are all you need for a polished look, making it a practical choice for busy schedules.
4. Highly Customizable
- From short and sleek to medium-length and messy, the textured crop offers endless options. Experiment with different lengths, fringes, and layers to achieve a look that reflects your personal style.
Step-by-Step Guide to Getting the Perfect Textured Crop
Achieving a textured crop that suits your face shape and hair type is all about selecting the right length, cut, and styling technique.
1. Decide on the Right Length
The classic textured crop features a longer top with shorter sides and back. You can customize the length based on your hair type and personal style. For example:
- Short Textured Crop: Keeps the top around 1-2 inches. Great for fine or thin hair as it maximizes volume.
- Medium-Length Textured Crop: A bit longer on top (3-4 inches), allowing for more styling versatility. Ideal for wavy or thick hair.
- Long Textured Crop: The top remains around 4-6 inches, perfect for those with thick, straight hair looking for a dramatic, edgy style.
2. Select the Right Layers for Your Hair Type
- Fine or Straight Hair: Avoid heavy layering; instead, go for soft, choppy layers to create volume without thinning the hair.
- Thick or Wavy Hair: Go for medium to deep layering to remove bulk and create natural movement.
- Curly Hair: Light layers are best for maintaining shape and volume while avoiding frizz.
3. Essential Cutting Techniques
When at the salon, it’s essential to communicate specific techniques to your stylist for the best results:
- Point Cutting: A technique that adds volume by cutting into the hair at an angle, great for a natural, airy finish.
- Weaving and Slicing: These methods remove weight without sacrificing length, perfect for thicker hair types.
- Texturizing Shears: Ideal for finer hair types, these help add dimension and prevent a blunt, heavy look.
- Thinning Scissors (Use Sparingly): While useful, thinning scissors can make hair look too sparse, so they should be used minimally to avoid compromising volume.
4. Customize Your Hairline and Fringe
The textured crop often includes a fringe, which can be customized to suit your face shape and hairline. Options include:
- Blunt Fringe: Straight across for a bold look, best for oval or square faces.
- Side-Swept Fringe: Softens the face, great for round or diamond shapes.
- Disconnected Fringe: Adds an edgy element, creating contrast and movement.
How to Add Texture to Your Hair: DIY Techniques and Products
Adding texture is the key to achieving that effortless, tousled look. Here’s how to get it:
Top Products for Textured Hair
- Texturizing Spray: Provides hold and volume. Spray on damp hair, then scrunch with your fingers for a beachy look.
- Dry Shampoo: Adds grip and matte texture. Use on second-day hair or to refresh your style.
- Texturizing Foam: Perfect for adding soft volume. Apply to damp hair before blow-drying.
- Curl Cream (for Curly Hair): Enhances natural curl patterns, giving definition and control without weighing down the hair.
Home Styling Techniques
- Blow-Drying with a Round Brush: For fine or straight hair, use a round brush while blow-drying to lift the roots and create volume.
- Twist and Air-Dry: For wavy or curly hair, twist sections of damp hair and let them air-dry. This adds natural waves and texture.
- Sleep-in Braids or Buns: Create gentle waves overnight by sleeping in loose braids or buns.
- Flat Iron for Edgy Texturing: For thick or coily hair, use a flat iron to add soft waves or curls for a defined look.
The Best Textured Crop Styles for Men
The textured crop offers a range of options for men. Here are some popular styles to consider:
- Short Textured Crop: Keeps things neat and easy. Great for oval or square face shapes and looks sharp with a tapered or faded finish.
- Medium-Length Crop with Fringe: Adds volume and layers on top for added texture, often paired with a forward-swept fringe. Ideal for those with thick or wavy hair.
- Curly Textured Crop: Enhances curls with a textured updo tailored to accentuate natural curls, perfect for adding height and bounce.
- Shaggy Crop for Messy Style: For a relaxed look, the shaggy crop gives a laid-back, tousled vibe.
Interested to learn trendy hair ideas for men for any occasion?
Women’s Textured Crop: Chic and Low-Maintenance Options
For women, the textured crop combines style with practicality, offering a variety of looks:
- Short Layered Pixie: Perfect for framing the face and adding fullness, particularly flattering for round and oval faces.
- Asymmetrical Crop: An edgy, choppy cut that’s longer on one side, adding structure and interest.
- Messy Textured Pixie: This look combines elegance with a hint of edge, using subtle layers and a bit of length on top to create volume.
How to Maintain Your Textured Crop Hairstyle
Maintaining a textured crop is relatively easy but requires some care to keep it looking fresh and voluminous.
For Fine or Straight Hair
After washing, towel-dry hair until damp. Use a few sprays of texturizing spray and blow-dry, lifting at the roots. Finish with a small amount of hydrating cream for hold and shine.
For Thick or Wavy Hair
To maintain texture, use a bit of mousse on damp hair before blow-drying. To keep volume in check, use a small amount of hair cream or pomade.
For Curly Hair
Air-drying is often best to keep curls defined. Use a curl cream to add bounce and prevent frizz.
Your hair are your asset, care them with love and attention. Explore this guide to get personalized hair care ideas.
FAQs
Ideally, you’ll want at least 2-3 inches of length on top to allow for effective layering and styling. This length provides enough hair to add volume, create texture, and customize the look to your face shape. If your hair is shorter than 2 inches, you may need to let it grow out a bit before achieving a full textured crop effect, though variations can still be done.
While a professional stylist will provide the best results—especially when it comes to advanced layering and blending techniques—you can add texture at home using a few key products. Dry shampoo, texturizing spray, and lightweight styling mousse are excellent choices to create volume and definition. For a DIY textured crop, you can trim the sides and back shorter with clippers and use scissors on the top, but professional help is recommended to avoid mistakes, especially if you’re aiming for a polished, blended look.
Several products can enhance texture without weighing down your hair:
Texturizing Spray: Adds lift and volume with a light, airy feel. Ideal for creating that tousled look.
Dry Shampoo: Not just for refreshing hair, dry shampoo adds grip and texture. Perfect for second-day hair that needs a quick boost.
Texturizing Foam or Mousse: Great for fine to medium hair; adds volume and helps create shape.
Clay or Pomade: Adds definition and hold, ideal for short and choppy textured styles, especially in men’s textured crops.
Curl Cream (for Curly Hair): Enhances natural curl patterns and controls frizz while giving definition to the texture.
Straight hair can be textured using a few key techniques and products. Start by applying a light mousse or texturizing spray on damp hair, then blow-dry with a diffuser or by scrunching your hair upward with your fingers to encourage a wave. You can also use a flat iron to add soft, natural-looking waves or twists. Finish with dry shampoo or texturizing spray for added volume and grip. If your hair is very fine, consider adding light layers to make the texture more noticeable.
Texturizing spray and hair spray serve different purposes:
Texturizing Spray adds volume, grip, and a slightly matte finish to the hair, helping create separation and lift for a lived-in look. It’s ideal for those who want a natural, tousled effect.
Hair Spray is generally used to lock a finished style in place, offering a firm hold but without the same volumizing or matte effect as texturizing spray. It’s best for setting updos or holding curls rather than creating texture.
Absolutely! A textured crop can work beautifully on straight hair, though it may require extra product or styling to achieve the desired look. Adding layers and using texturizing products like sprays, dry shampoo, or light clays can give dimension and depth to straight hair. For a fuller effect, consider a choppy fringe or side-swept bangs, which add movement and interest.
Maintenance for a textured crop is fairly simple, but it does require regular trims every 4-6 weeks to keep the shape fresh. Between cuts, use lightweight styling products to keep volume and separation, and wash with a texturizing or volumizing shampoo to add body. To prevent frizz or dryness, especially for wavy or curly hair, use a leave-in conditioner or a hydrating styling cream occasionally.
For fine or thin hair, the key is to create volume without weighing it down. Start with a volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and follow up with a lightweight mousse or texturizing spray on damp hair before blow-drying. Dry shampoo also adds volume at the roots and helps create the appearance of fuller hair. Keep the layers light and avoid over-layering, as this can make thin hair look sparse.
Wavy or thick hair often has natural volume, so the focus should be on removing bulk and adding shape. Use a texturizing cream or foam to define waves while controlling frizz. Dry shampoo or texturizing spray adds lift without making the hair look poofy. For extra definition, try twisting sections of hair while blow-drying to enhance the natural wave pattern.
The textured crop is highly versatile and can be tailored to almost any face shape:
Oval: Nearly any textured crop style will work, as oval faces are proportionate.
Square or Angular Faces: Consider adding a soft fringe or sweeping bangs to balance strong jawlines.
Round Faces: Opt for longer layers on top and a choppy fringe to add height and lengthen the face.
Diamond or Heart-Shaped Faces: Try leaving a little extra length on top and keeping the sides shorter to highlight cheekbones and soften angular features.
Curly hair can look fantastic with a textured crop! A textured crop enhances curls by adding shape and definition, especially when paired with a layered approach that removes bulk while maintaining length on top. Use a curl cream or leave-in conditioner to define curls without frizz, and let the curls air-dry or use a diffuser to maintain bounce and texture.
To keep the shape and texture looking fresh, it’s best to get a trim every 4-6 weeks. This helps maintain the structure of the layers and prevents the top from getting too long or heavy, which can weigh down the style.
Yes, a textured crop is a great choice for men with a receding hairline. By keeping the top slightly longer and styling it forward with a fringe, the textured crop can disguise thinning areas and add fullness. Ask your stylist for a cut that blends naturally into your hairline and use a lightweight texturizing product to add body.
For short hair, point cutting and razor cutting are excellent techniques to add texture without sacrificing too much length. Both methods create dimension and prevent a blunt, heavy look. Slicing or weaving can also be used to create movement, especially if you’re aiming for a tousled, relaxed finish.
Overusing Thinning Scissors: While thinning scissors can reduce bulk, they may create a sparse look if overused. Point cutting or slicing offers more control for a natural texture.
Using Heavy Products: Avoid thick pomades or heavy gels that weigh down the texture. Lightweight mousses, foams, or sprays will enhance the look without flattening the style.
Skipping Regular Trims: Regular trims are essential for keeping the shape and preventing the layers from looking untidy. Read this guide about trimming your hair and how often you should,
Final Tips to Rocking the Textured Crop
The textured crop is a highly adaptable, timeless look that works with virtually any hair type and face shape. The secret to success is understanding your hair’s natural texture and using the right combination of techniques, layers, and products. With a little know-how and regular touch-ups, the textured crop can be a go-to style that requires minimal effort while delivering maximum impact.
