Edgy Undercuts for Women: Find the Right One for Your Personality

If you believe that life’s too short to have boring hair, you’re an excellent candidate for getting an undercut. Whether you have long locks, a chin-length bob, or a pixie, undercuts are a great way to give your look a cool edge. Traditionally, undercut is a term that describes a men’s hairstyle that leaves some length on the top and the back and sides close-cut or shaved. These days, anyone can get an undercut. It can be applied to any hair length and is a versatile cut that will suit most styles. 

Ready to transform your look? Check out these undercuts for women of various personalities for some inspiration.

Keep your hair length while giving it a fresh update with the nape or neck undercut, characterized by a shaved or close-cut nape area. This area can be hidden by the rest of the hair and this might make you feel like you’re walking around with a secret, which just adds to its cool factor. Rosamund Pike wears a bob undercut for women styled in a soft bun that shows off a grown-out undercut, proving that the hairstyle can also have a glamorous edge. This will look great with most of your wardrobe, from power suits to flowy kaftans. 

For an undercut with the highest impact, go for the side-swept kind, a la Miley Cyrus circa “Wrecking Ball.” The side-swept undercut is usually paired with a long pixie cut swept to one side to reveal the shaved sides and back. This cut draws attention to the cheekbones and highlights the face. For outfit inspirations, look no further than Miley’s tomboy chic style. You can also draw attention to your face with longer lashes and a bold lip color.

The temple undercut is exactly that — an undercut that is concentrated on the temples, oftentimes just on a small portion of one side. The hair is usually kept longer, for a sexy contrast. This undercut style is one of the most versatile and is also the least drastic. If you’d like to try an undercut for the first time, the temple shave is the perfect introduction to the style. No need to change your style to rock this look. Take a cue from Rihanna’s favorite looks: maxi dresses, halter cut tops, and sexy-street sense of style.

The pompadour undercut takes after the traditional men’s pompadour. Its signature characteristics are the voluminous and slicked-back top, and the shaved sides and back. Unlike the side-swept undercut, this style is much shorter in the back and usually styled away from the face. Scarlett Johansson sported a shaved pompadour cut with a tousled style and wore it with her signature classic look. This look works well for anyone who wants to keep a sophisticated look with a sleek but edgy cut. 

This close shave exposes a lot of your scalp, which means you’ll need to keep it in top shape. Your scalp needs a cleansing shampoo that is also non-drying to avoid unsightly flakes. Try TRESemmé Detox & Nourish Shampoo and TRESemmé Detox & Nourish Conditioner to deeply clean, detoxify, and nourish hair from daily impurities and build-up. The formulation doesn’t have parabens and dyes that can irritate the scalp and cause dryness and flakes. Use these in tandem for a clear and healthy pompadour-worthy scalp.

These four basic undercuts can be worn as is or can serve as a foundation for something a little more daring. If it’s your first time to get this edgy look, try a slight undercut for women, which means whichever style you choose, only a small portion of your hair is shaved. You can show any of the options above to your stylist to achieve your desired look. Have fun!