Buzz cuts and short haircuts? Who looks good with a pixie cut or a shaved head?

Demi Moore was a buzz cut icon in GI Jane twenty years ago, and today, it’s all about Eleven in Stranger Things. It might be that trends come in cycles, or perhaps that strong personalities don’t need to hide behind a long mane, but short hair is back, both on the catwalks, where models completely shave off their hair, and among celebrities — like Cara Delevingne and Kristen Stewart — who sport buzz haircuts on red carpets. And then there’s the pixie cut which is always trendy.

Of course, short and very short hair won’t look good on just about anyone, so we talked about it with Giampaolo Gori from Roots, who shared all the secrets you need to know to find out whether short hair would suit you, which cut is best for you, and how to manage your hair after you cut it.

WHAT IS MY HAIR LIKE? Rather thin hair is the best kind of hair for pixie styles: it won’t require too much attention, and it will stay more manageable. If your hair is thick, it will look big when it grows, which means that you will need to cut it a lot more often.

WHO LOOKS BEST WITH SHORT HAIR? Short hair cuts look good on people with petite, triangular faces, with high cheekbones and a harmonious proportion between cheekbones and jaws.

SHOULD I COLOR MY HAIR? Short hair looks good with very bold colors that will create a contrast with your skin. If you’re blonde and you want a buzz cut, you should tone your hair, going for the most artificial blonde you can think of; if your hair is dark, you want to make your hair color as intense as can be. As for pixie haircuts, use colors to play with layers, create depth, and to mark the difference between roots and tips.

WHAT KIND OF PIXIE HAIRCUT IS BEST FOR ME? The most popular right now is the totally symmetrical one, with short bangs, that leaves your forehead clear. A few years ago, bangs were the most prominent feature of pixie haircuts, but that’s changed now.

HOW MUCH EFFORT WILL MY HAIR BE AFTER I CUT IT? Buzz cuts are obviously easy to manage: just make sure you shave your hair often enough, and that’s it. Good shampoo is essential for taking care of pixie haircuts, as is good hair wax, which will help you “sculpt” your hairdo. Our tip is to liberally apply wax starting from the roots, so that you can make your hair look more dynamic starting from there, and to apply no wax at all on the tips for your hair. As for cutting, it changes for everyone, but every month and a half, perhaps two, is the most likely frequency you’ll need.