Broccoli Haircut: Why It's So Popular How to Style It
Broccoli haircut is style with short, faded, or tapered back and sides, and longer, fuller, and often curly or wavy top, resembling shape of broccoli.
In this article · 29
- What is broccoli haircut?
- Key features
- How to get one
- Does the Broccoli Haircut Work for Everyone?
- How to Style a Broccoli Haircut
- The Mullet Meets Broccoli Cut
- The Straight Broccoli Cut
- The Buzzed Broccoli Cut
- The Curly Broccoli Haircut
- The Full-Bodied Broccoli Haircut
- Why is the broccoli cut so popular?
- The Broccoli Perm: Creating the Look
- What is a Broccoli Perm?
- The Perming Process:
- Considerations Before Getting a Broccoli Perm
- Caring for a Broccoli Head Haircut
- Is the Broccoli Head Right for Your Teen?
- Alternatives to the Broccoli Perm
- FAQs
- What is broccoli haircut?
- What are key features of broccoli haircut?
- How to get broccoli haircut?
- What makes the broccoli haircut different from other Gen Z hairstyles?
- Can people with straight hair get a broccoli haircut without a perm?
- How long does a broccoli perm last?
- Is the broccoli cut appropriate for school or sports?
- Is the broccoli haircut high-maintenance?
- Does the broccoli haircut suit all face shapes?
- What products help maintain the broccoli haircut?
Ask the youngest barber on the floor what teenagers keep booking. Broccoli haircut is still in the top three. It went viral on TikTok in 2022, and four years later it hasn't left. Tight curls on top, faded sides, a silhouette that reads exactly like the vegetable. Here's every variation, how to ask for each, and how to keep it sharp between cuts.
What is broccoli haircut?
The broccoli haircut is a two-part cut. The top is left long enough to hold a defined curl pattern, cut round and dense so the silhouette resembles the head of a broccoli floret. The sides and back are cut short, almost always with a fade. Contrast is the whole point. You need visible height and curl texture up top, cropped or tapered length on the sides, and a clean transition between the two zones.
The look went viral in 2022 through TikTok — tied to figures like Cole Palmer, Landon Barker, and hundreds of teenage creators. It never really faded. As of 2026, it's still the single most-requested cut in the twelve-to-nineteen age bracket in most US barbershops.
You need curls to pull it off. Naturally curly or wavy hair works straight out of the box. Straight hair needs a perm.
Key features
- Top: Long enough to hold a curl pattern — usually three to five inches after it springs up. Cut round, not squared, so the shape reads floret and not box.
- Sides and back: Short. Almost always faded. A fade haircut sharpens the contrast the broccoli look depends on.
- Texture: Curls or waves are non-negotiable. Straight hair reads like a bowl cut without the perm. The tighter the curl pattern, the closer to the classic broccoli silhouette.
How to get one
Walk in and say the words: "broccoli haircut." Every barber under thirty knows the reference. Bring a photo anyway. Then get specific about the two things that actually matter:
- Fade height and type. A low fade haircut keeps the transition close to the ear and reads more conservative. A mid fade haircut puts the taper around temple height and gives the top more visual room. A skin fade drops all the way to bare scalp on the bottom half.
- Top length. For tight curls, ask for two to three inches. For looser waves, three to four. Want it to tower? Go five. Hair cut wet bounces up shorter than you think once it dries.
Naturally curly hair should be cut dry, not wet. Wet-cutting curly hair leaves you uneven once the curls dry and spring back. Any barber worth booking already knows this.
Straight hair needs a barber perm. Book the perm first, then get the cut about a week later so the fresh curl pattern has time to settle.
Does the Broccoli Haircut Work for Everyone?
It works best on:
- Ages twelve to twenty-two. Older than that, it starts reading costume.
- Oval, oblong, and heart-shaped faces. Height on top adds vertical length that flatters wider or rounder features.
- Natural curl patterns 2B through 3C. Coarser 4-type coils suit the full-bodied variation below.
It works worst on:
- Long, narrow faces. The added height stretches the face further.
- Very fine straight hair that won't hold a perm past six weeks.
- Hairlines that recede at the temples. A high fade will expose it.
If your face runs rounder but you still want the volume, ask your barber to keep the top shorter and take the fade higher up.
How to Style a Broccoli Haircut
Wash with a sulfate-free shampoo two or three times a week. Daily washing kills the curl pattern. Between washes, rinse with water and scrunch product back in.
Product order matters:
- Damp hair first. Towel-dry, then let it sit a couple of minutes.
- Leave-in conditioner. Quarter-sized amount. Rake through with your fingers.
- Curl cream or mousse. Curl cream for a defined, glossy finish. Mousse for maximum volume and a matte finish. Scrunch from the ends up.
- Diffuse dry. Low heat, low airflow. Cup the curls into the diffuser instead of blowing air at them.
- Finish with a light hairspray if you want the shape to hold all day.
Don't touch it once it's dry. Every hand-rake breaks up the curl clumps and turns definition into frizz.
The Mullet Meets Broccoli Cut
This version keeps the broccoli silhouette on top and up front, then leaves the back long enough to sit at the collar. Curly top, faded sides, curly tail flowing behind. It suits teens who want something louder than a standard broccoli without fully committing to a mullet.
Best for ages fourteen to twenty and curl types 2B through 3B. Oval and diamond faces carry it best.
How to ask: "Broccoli haircut on top, keep the back long enough to touch my collar, mid fade on the sides." Specify three to four inches on top, four to five inches at the back.
Styling tip: Mousse the top curls for volume, then work a lighter curl cream through the mullet section separately so the back doesn't clump against your neck.
The Straight Broccoli Cut
Straight hair fakes the broccoli look through cut geometry and product. You won't get true broccoli-floret density without a perm, but you can get close. The barber leaves the top thick and layered, then point-cuts the ends so it sits fuller than it naturally would.
Best for ages twelve to eighteen with straight or slightly wavy hair who aren't ready for a chemical treatment. Rectangular and oval faces work best.
How to ask: "Broccoli haircut but keeping it straight — three inches on top, point-cut heavy for volume, low fade on the sides."
Styling tip: Blow-dry the top upward and forward with a round brush, then work in a matte texture powder. Skip the curl cream — it drags straight hair flat.
The Buzzed Broccoli Cut
Skin all the way up the sides, then a compact ball of curls sitting on top. This is the summer version, or the version for guys whose school dress code caps the length on the sides. The contrast reads sharper because the sides are shaved instead of faded.
Best for ages ten to eighteen, tight curls (3A through 3C), and round or square faces where you want vertical lift.
How to ask: "Zero-guard on the sides all the way up to about an inch below the crown, then leave two to three inches of curls on top in a round shape."
Styling tip: With this little length, mousse alone is enough. Apply to damp hair, scrunch, air-dry, don't touch.
The Curly Broccoli Haircut
The prototype. Everything the broccoli cut is supposed to be. A burst fade haircut around the ear, three to four inches of natural 3A-3B curls on top, cut round. If you already have the hair for it, this is the version to book.
Best for ages fourteen to twenty-four with natural curl patterns 2C through 3C. It works on almost every face shape because the top can be sculpted to flatter each one.
How to ask: "Broccoli haircut, burst fade on the sides, three-and-a-half inches on top, cut it dry so the shape sits right."
Styling tip: Use curl cream on soaking wet hair straight out of the shower, then diffuse. Refresh with a curl-refresher spray on day-two hair instead of rewashing.
The Full-Bodied Broccoli Haircut
This is the broccoli cut for coily 4-type hair. Instead of tall vertical height, the top is rounded and dense — closer to a full sphere than a pointed floret. The sides are still faded short. It's the version that most closely resembles the actual vegetable.
Best for ages twelve to twenty-five with coily hair (4A through 4C), and rounder or heart-shaped faces where a soft top balances a sharper jaw.
How to ask: "Broccoli cut but leaning full — round the top into a sphere, mid fade on the sides, about three inches on top."
Styling tip: Layer a curl custard on soaking wet hair, then a curl gel on top to lock in definition. Sleep in a satin bonnet or on a silk pillowcase. Skip this step and you'll wake up with the shape flattened on one side.
Why is the broccoli cut so popular?
Three reasons.
First, it's visually loud without being aggressive. It reads confident, not confrontational. Millennials wore the side-swept fringe. Broccoli is the Gen Z counter to that.
Second, TikTok. The cut got its first big surge in 2022 when Cole Palmer's soccer-field close-ups and creator kids like Landon Barker pushed the look into every teenage feed. The algorithm keeps recycling the trend each school year for a fresh wave of viewers.
Third, it shares DNA with a bunch of other cuts your friends are already getting. The Edgar haircut, the comma haircuts coming out of Korea, the Peso Pluma-inspired cut, and most Korean haircuts for men share the same formula: fade on the sides, styled length up top. Once that shape is trending, kids just pick their variation.
The Broccoli Perm: Creating the Look
If your hair is straight, the perm is the shortcut. Nothing else fully replicates the shape.
A broccoli perm is a partial perm — only the top section gets curled, the sides get faded short as normal, so there's no visible perm line growing out. Any barber who has trained in an Asian-influenced shop knows the technique. It has been standard in Korean and Japanese barbershops for over a decade, and it's what makes a lot of those cuts look the way they do.
What is a Broccoli Perm?
A broccoli perm is a chemical curl treatment applied only to the top of your head. Your barber sections off the top, applies a perming solution to reshape the hair's bonds, then locks the new curl in with a neutralizer. What you get is a texture that looks and behaves like a natural 2C-3A curl.
The perm lasts three to six months. As your hair grows in, the roots come out straight while the permed section keeps its curl. Most guys re-perm every four months and let the barber trim off the older curls at each cut.
Price runs eighty to two hundred dollars in the US. Cheaper shops rush the process — don't book anywhere quoting under seventy.
The Perming Process:
- Consultation. Your barber checks your hair health and picks the rod size. Smaller rods for tighter curls, larger rods for looser waves.
- Wash. A clarifying shampoo strips product buildup so the perm chemicals absorb evenly.
- Section. Only the top gets treated. The sides stay straight — they're getting faded anyway.
- Rod placement. The top hair is wrapped around perm rods in a pattern that mimics natural curl growth.
- Perm solution. Applied to each rod, then left to process for fifteen to thirty minutes.
- Neutralizer. Locks the new curl shape into the hair's bonds.
- Rinse and cut. Rods come out, hair gets rinsed, and the fade is cut around the fresh curls.
Total chair time runs two to three hours. Don't book anything else that day.
Considerations Before Getting a Broccoli Perm
Think through each of these before you sit down:
- Hair health. Bleached or heavily damaged hair won't hold a perm cleanly. It will fry. If your hair has been colored in the last three months, wait.
- Maintenance load. You're signing up for a routine — sulfate-free shampoo, curl cream, weekly deep conditioning, and a satin pillowcase. Skip any of these and the curls go frizzy fast.
- Grow-out awkwardness. Around month three, roots grow in straight while the ends stay curled. You'll need either a touch-up or a full cut to blend the transition.
- School and sports rules. Helmet sports crush the top. Chlorine strips the curl pattern within weeks. Some schools cap boys' hair length — check the handbook first.
- Reversibility. A perm can't be undone. You can cut it out, but the permed portion stays curly until it grows off your head. If you're not sure you'll commit, try the alternatives section below first.
Caring for a Broccoli Head Haircut
Natural or permed, the care routine is the same:
- Wash two or three times a week, max. Sulfate-free shampoo and a moisture-heavy conditioner.
- Leave-in conditioner daily. Rehydrates the curl pattern between washes.
- One styling product per day. Curl cream, gel, or mousse — pick one. Layering three just weighs it down.
- Skip heat styling. No flat irons, no curling irons. Use the diffuser on low if you must.
- Satin or silk pillowcase every night. Cotton wicks moisture and causes overnight frizz.
- Trim every four to six weeks. The fade grows out faster than the top. Book sides-only cleanups between full cuts.
Is the Broccoli Head Right for Your Teen?
If you're a parent reading this because your kid keeps sending you TikToks, here's the honest breakdown:
- Age. Right in the middle of the target range. Twelve to nineteen is the sweet spot. Younger kids get the buzzed version so parents can keep the maintenance manageable.
- Time cost. Fifteen minutes of styling every morning. If your teen isn't going to actually do it, the cut will look worse than any of the standard boys' haircuts for teenage guys with less fuss.
- Cost. Cut runs thirty to sixty dollars every three to four weeks. Add eighty to two hundred every four months if a perm is involved.
- Self-expression. Hair is one of the safest ways for a teenager to try on an identity. It grows back. Let them.
- Sports and helmets. If your kid plays a helmet sport, the top will get crushed daily. Not a dealbreaker, but the cut won't look its best during season.
Alternatives to the Broccoli Perm
Not ready to commit to chemicals? These get you partway there:
- Sea salt spray on damp hair. Adds texture and grip on straight or wavy hair. Air-dry or diffuse.
- Curling sponge. Worked on damp hair for five minutes, it gives you fake curls that hold about a day. Cheap and reusable.
- Curling iron with a small barrel. Curl the top section daily. High maintenance but no chemicals. Use a heat protectant every time.
- Twist-outs overnight. Damp hair, small twists, sleep on it, undo in the morning. Standard technique for coily-hair guys.
- Grow it out first. Wavy hair often reveals itself past three inches. You might not need a perm.
For the general silhouette without the broccoli commitment, browse curly hairstyles for men for adjacent options.
FAQs
What is broccoli haircut?
A two-part cut: long, curly hair on top shaped like a broccoli floret, paired with faded or tapered sides. It went viral on TikTok in 2022 and remains a top-requested cut for teenage boys in 2026. Needs natural curls, or a perm on straight hair.
What are key features of broccoli haircut?
Top: Three to five inches, cut round, dense enough to hold curls. Sides and back: Faded short — low, mid, burst, or skin fade all work. Texture: Curl patterns 2B-3C work out of the box. Straight hair needs a perm on top.
How to get broccoli haircut?
Say the words: "broccoli haircut." Then specify the fade height and top length in inches. Naturally curly hair should be cut dry. Straight hair needs a barber perm on the top section a week before the cut.
What makes the broccoli haircut different from other Gen Z hairstyles?
The rounded curly silhouette on top. Related cuts like the Edgar or comma feature straight fringes or side-swept lengths. Broccoli is the only one where the top is meant to look botanical.
Can people with straight hair get a broccoli haircut without a perm?
Yes, but the result is closer to a textured crop than a true broccoli. Heavy-layered top, matte texture powder, and blow-drying upward with a round brush get you close. For the actual floret silhouette, a perm is the only path.
How long does a broccoli perm last?
Three to six months, depending on growth speed, wash frequency, and product use. Most guys touch up every four months. The fade on the sides still needs a cleanup every three to four weeks.
Is the broccoli cut appropriate for school or sports?
Most school dress codes allow it — some private schools cap length, so check the handbook. Helmet sports crush the top at practice. Swimmers should rinse with fresh water right after chlorine exposure to protect the curl pattern.
Is the broccoli haircut high-maintenance?
Medium to high. Natural curls need daily leave-in and a satin pillowcase. Permed hair adds a touch-up every four months. Straight-hair versions need daily blow-drying. Only the buzzed variation is genuinely low-maintenance.
Does the broccoli haircut suit all face shapes?
Best for oval, oblong, and heart-shaped faces. Long, narrow faces should skip it or ask for a shorter top. Round faces should pair a shorter top with a higher fade so total height stays balanced.
What products help maintain the broccoli haircut?
Natural curls: sulfate-free shampoo, leave-in conditioner, and either curl cream (glossy) or mousse (matte). Permed hair: add a weekly deep conditioner. Straight hair: matte texture powder and light-hold hairspray. One styling product per day — layering weighs the top down.
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