The Octopus Haircut is a fresh take on the shag and reminds us of the beloved “Rachel” haircut made famous by Jennifer Anniston on friends. If you’re curious how to create the cut and if this is a good option for your clients, keep reading for expert advice from Mandy McCullough, Sam Villa Ambassador and owner of Fix Salon @FancyFinish, who was recently highlighted in Allure magazine for her trending octopus haircut technique. “People are ready for the next trend…this is a shag on steroids and works well on both straight and textured hair,” says McCullough.
The octopus haircut is a heavily layered cut. The interior is an extreme shag, and the ends are left long. The silhouette rounds with the head shape, similar to an octopus body, and the base length mimics the vibe of octopus legs.
Check out all the details of the octopus cut below!
Great for anyone who:
- Loves a shag but wants a more trend-forward version.
- Has a lot of hair and wants to reduce weight while maintaining an edge.
- Has a great natural texture and wants an air-dried organic finish.
- Wants versatility in a haircut that offers multiple looks.
Not ideal for anyone with:
- Fine/low density hair.
- High volume curl texture.
- Wants low maintenance perfectly polished hair.
Octopus Haircut Step-by-Step
- Put all hair below the parietal ridge in a ponytail. Leave hair above the parietal ridge in natural falling position lying over the secured hair. Take vertical sections, elevate hair straight out and use a Sam Villa Signature Series Razor to cut a straight line from top to bottom. The base length should fall just below the top of the nape. Repeat in radial sections around the head, but do not cut the fringe area.
- Blow-dry hair with a Sam Villa Light Professional Ionic Blow Dryer. Working in compressed sections, elevate hair straight up. Use the top hair as a guide to point cut and create layers that connect the top to the perimeter length.
- Isolate a triangle fringe area and cut a curtain fringe to desired length.
- Using 2 guides, one from the top of the crown and one from the center top of the fringe, elevate hair straight up in sections and point cut lengths to connect between the two guides.
- Personalize by removing bulk and weight by point cutting or using Sam Villa Signature Series InvisiBlend Shears.
The Finished Look:
Shop The Look:
Sam Villa Signature Series Razor
Sam Villa Light Professional Ionic Blow Dryer
Sam Villa Signature Series InvisiBlend Shears
