27 Haircut For Men Curly Hair Ideas

Curly hair can be a pain because a cut that seems great in a snapshot can shrink up too short, puff out at the sides.

Or you can love a fade/fringe/longer top on someone else, only to learn that your curl pattern and density and growth direction are different.

So, I think the best option with a curly haircut is less about following a trend, and more about understanding how much length and volume. 

In this article I’ll run through 27 haircut choices for men with curly hair, and also share practical recommendations.

Let’s jump in!

Table of Contents

• Which Curly Haircut Works Best for Your Curl Type? 
• Curly Taper Mullet
• Curly Fringe Fade
• Curly Mullet Taper
• Short Curly Crop
• High Curly Fade
• Soft Curly Taper
• Burst Fade Mullet
• Curly Fringe Fade
• Low Curly Fade
• Long Curly Fringe
• Curly Burst Mullet
• Natural Curly Taper
• Curly Drop Fade
• Curly Quiff Taper
• Curly Mohawk Mullet
• Curly Blowout Taper
• Defined Curl Fade
• Short Curly Fade
• High Curly Fade
• Low Curly Taper
• Curly Mohawk Mullet
• Curly Drop Fade
• Ringlet Fringe Fade
• Voluminous Curly Top
• Curly Mullet Fade
• Curly Crop Fade
• Tight Curl Fade
• FAQs
• Should Curly Hair Be Cut Wet or Dry?
• How Do You Stop Curly Hair From Puffing at the Sides?

Which Curly Haircut Works Best for Your Curl Type? 

If you want a curly haircut that genuinely works, start with your curl pattern against the haircut label. 

Looser Type 2 waves tend to work better in layered crops, bro flows or lengthier tapers, as too much weight can flatten them out. 

Type 3 curls have more bounce and shrink, so styles like curly fringes, low tapers and medium layered cuts work nicely. 

Tighter Type 4 coils tend to look better with curved tops, temple tapers and regulated fades that maintain the outline tidy without losing all of the density. 

This low temple taper cleans the ears without flattening the shape if you want to keep the curls rich.

Leave some length through the top and back as curly hair can flare up and make a mullet appear shorter.

Just want to blend the sides softly? Ask your barber to blend the lengthier curls. Don’t push the fade higher. 

If your front falls forward naturally, then a heavier, curly fringe would work best so you are not forcing the curls into position.

Leave some length over the forehead for full ringlets, especially if your curls shrink dramatically while they dry and you lose visible length.

The mid fade does a good job of taking off side bulge but I would leave the transition lower if you prefer an easier grow-out. 

This form is good if you want a mullet without the sides looking shaved as the temple cleanup maintains the profile softer.

Let the curls grow in on the crown and back, but ask for regulated weight at the sides to avoid it mushrooming.

If you like to see your side texture and want the haircut to grow out naturally, then I’d go with this one instead of a high fade. 

If you have shorter curls, a small bit of fringe will add movement to the cut without the commitment of a lengthy style regimen for a full top.

The low fade lessens the puffiness at the temples, and by leaving enough weight above it, the curls are still visually connected.

This is a great option if you want defined curls but don’t want your hair to drop heavy over your forehead. 

A high fade can help clean up the bottom sides of your curls while leaving the top a lot fuller, if your curls have a lot of volume.

Ask your barber to leave enough weight above the fade or the curls will look disjointed after they dry and tighten.

This works best if you desire great contrast. Do expect the clean skin part to exhibit regrowth pretty fast between cuts. 

A softer taper keeps the form in check, but yet maintains the natural fullness around the sides and back for a tighter curl.

Leave the hair long enough to keep the curl pattern rounded, but have the barber clean up the temple and neckline areas only.

If you want a simpler grow-out, I’d go for this because the blend stays subtle instead of a massive faded portion. 

If you want the ears open but still have a lot of curly length in the back, a burst fade works well.

Make sure the transition is snug around the ear, don’t cut too high, that longer rear shape is what helps with balance.

The design needs to be long enough to hang organically so allow for shrinking before you decide how short the back should end up. 

If your curls normally slide forward, a longer fringe will offer you texture without having to push the hair back every day.

Don’t let the fade get too long where it meets the top especially if you have a thick head of curls that likes to pop out at the temples.

I’d leave the front a little longer than you think, curl shrinking may make a soft fringe into a lot shorter crop soon. 

If you’d like to keep the sides clean without sacrificing too much curl volume, this low fade will keep things neat but yet leave some natural fullness.

Tell your barber to fade into the crown gently, since cutting too high might leave dense curls looking sharply divided afterward.

This shape also grows out smoother than a skin-heavy fade, so it’s easier if you like to go longer between treatments. 

A longer fringe means the naturally forward-growing curls have somewhere to fall and helps the cut look deliberate without having to reshape much in the morning.

Leave the temple fade low and maintain enough weight above it so the top is still connecting and doesn’t look too disconnected.

If your curls shrink a lot when they dry, allow a bit more length at the front instead of trying to match the exact completed wet length. 

The best curly mullets are ones that keep the fade tight around the ear and have enough length in the back to allow for noticeable movement.

Ask your barber not to overthink the crown; taking off too much weight might make defined curls look fuzzy and inconsistent.

If you desire more contrast, but still want the rear curls to be the major feature as they mature, I would go with this shape. 

You can leave more hair through the sides for a softer shape, which is better for someone who favors natural curl volume over a harsh fade.

Rather than a dramatic fade, ask for mild cleanup around the temples and neckline, especially if your curls already provide a balanced silhouette.

It also works well between trims as the fuller sides blend into the new growth instead of presenting a distinct fade line. 

If your curls are getting heavy toward the back, a low drop fade will take that weight away without removing fullness from the crown.

Keep the fade following the form of your head, not too high so that the longer curls mix into it naturally.

This is especially effective for thick hair as it cleans the neckline while leaving enough side weight for a balanced look. 

If your curls naturally lift at the front, incorporate that movement into a quiff instead of trying to force them into a flat fringe.

Ask for additional length through the front and crown and then keep the taper low so the haircut has some softness to it.

A lightweight curl cream can assist separate the bends, but hefty treatments can drag finer curls down and eliminate the lift. 

This is a cut that works if you want the curls to feel directional. The burst fade opens up the sides around each ear.

Keep the genuine length in the center and back, as cutting the top too short might flatten the mohawk shape as it dries.

Don’t be too aggressive here with the thinning, you want definite curl clumps to make it look deliberate, not fuzzy in the back from over-thinning. 

Don’t fade everything tight to the head, keep the top and upper sides attached for a more rounded curly look.

The low taper just makes the edges sharper. Useful if you want volume but still require the neckline to look neat.

If your curls spring out easily, ask for a meticulous outline around the sides, instead than taking away bulk haphazardly with point-cutting shears. 

For tight ringlet curls, leave the top long enough for definition but trim the sides to control bulk.

A gentler fade around the temples maintains the haircut tidy while not making the thick curl pattern look too disjointed up top.

This shape is great especially if you want to go for easy everyday styling, because the curls already generate most of the texture organically. 

Shorter curls can still be formed, as long as the barber allows enough top length for the pattern to be created after drying.

For a sharp contrast, request a low skin fade but make sure the blend is subtle around the thicker crown area.

Great for thick curls this practical cut takes away side weight but leaves enough texture so it doesn’t seem flat. 

A greater fade will give you sharp separation and keep the sides tightly under control if you want maximum curl volume on top.

If your curls normally fall forward, keep the front a little longer than the crown to balance the shape overall.

I would only go for this if you enjoy a dramatic contrast because it’s easy to see the regrowth sooner between sessions due of the exposed sides. 

If you want straighter edges, but don’t want to lose the natural width of your curls, a low taper is a good medium ground.

Use some weight around the higher sides so the transition stays gentle and don’t make the curly top too isolated.

This also grows out nicely, making it handy if you don’t want to visit the barber very often. 

For a bolder shape, sweep the curls from front to back, opening up the sides around the ears.

Tell your barber to leave adequate density in the middle, tight curls can lose their mohawk impression if they are thinned out too much.

This cut’s charm comes from the lengthier back, so judge the ultimate length when your curls have dried and constricted totally. 

A low drop fade can help take weight out of dense curls that seem heavy on the sides, without flattening out the rounded top.

Keep the mix darker toward the crown so your curls are still connected and don’t look like a separate cap on top.

If you want definition up top but still like a clean neckline and regulated side volume, this is a handy option. 

If your curls tend to fall downwards, longer ringlets at the front will give you form without having to re-style every morning.

To keep the fringe from feeling disjointed, ask for a low taper through the temples and more weight on top.

If you have a lot of shrinkage in your curls, leave the front a little longer than you want it, and only re-assess once it’s dry. 

For optimal volume, keep the top sides fuller and allow the front curls fall free rather than taper everything tight.

This style works especially well with looser, larger curls, because the extra side length helps the top look balanced, rather than top-heavy.

If you need a product, go for a light one; heavy creams can weigh down softer curls and rob this cut of the airy movement it needs. 

If you are doing a lengthier back shape, keep the temple area tight and leave sufficient curl length through the back.

That thin faded part maintains the profile crisp but the crown still needs weight so the mullet will not collapse.

Have your barber continue shaping the curls dry, especially if your pattern jumps up considerably after washing. 

This keeps the fringe textured rather than cutting it into one thick line, making a forward curly crop simpler to handle.

The high fade takes the bulk out of the sides which lets the longer front stand out without making the overall cut seem wide.

If your curls loosen on stretch, leave some length around the forehead to still have movement in the completed fringe. 

This lower fade is useful when curls that are already tight provide ample height, as it removes side weight without flattening the top.

Keep the blend darker along the ridge so the curls merge gradually rather than perched suddenly above exposed sides.

For everyday styling, define curls when they’re moist and don’t overdo them with product, which can make tight curls seem rigid. 

FAQs

Should Curly Hair Be Cut Wet or Dry?

There’s no regulation, but I would definitely make sure your barber looks at the final shape with your curls completely dried.

Wet hair expands, which might mask any shrinking, and so judging simply that length can leave the completed haircut shorter than you want. 

How Do You Stop Curly Hair From Puffing at the Sides?

Side puffiness is frequently due to too much weight around the temples therefore shortening everything isn’t always the greatest answer either.

I would get your barber to take care of the bulk by shaping or a low taper, but leave enough length on the upper side for it to balance out.