The broccoli haircut has now outlasted every prediction that it was a passing joke. Three years on it is still one of the most requested men's cuts in our chairs — but the 2026 version looks noticeably different from the one that went viral. Here is where the trend has actually landed.

What is a broccoli haircut?

The broccoli cut is a curly or wavy top left long and voluminous, sitting above tight faded or tapered sides. The contrast between the dense curl on top and the clean short sides is what gives it the shape people describe as broccoli. It works on natural curls, waves, and perms.

It became a phenomenon because it does something rare: it makes naturally curly hair the point of the haircut rather than a problem to be managed. For a generation of men who spent years being told to cut their curls off, that was overdue.

What has changed for 2026

Three things, and all of them are improvements.

The fade has dropped. The original broccoli cut paired the curls with a high skin fade, creating maximum contrast — and looking dated fast. In 2026 the demand is for low fades and low tapers. The line sits nearer the ear, the sides keep more weight, and the whole shape reads softer and more wearable.

The top has been shaped, not just grown. Early versions were essentially "let the top grow and fade the sides". Now we are layering into the curl, removing weight from underneath, and shaping the perimeter so the top has a defined silhouette rather than a shapeless mass.

The product has changed. Crunchy, gel-locked curls are out. The look now is defined but touchable — achieved with curl cream and a diffuser rather than a fistful of hard-hold gel.

Does it suit you?

You need genuine curl or strong wave on top. Straight hair cannot produce the volume this cut depends on — a textured crop or a modern mullet will serve you far better. Density matters too: fine curly hair can carry it, but the fade needs to be low and soft or the top looks thin against the contrast.

Face shape is more forgiving than people assume. The volume on top adds height, so it flatters rounder faces particularly well. On longer faces we keep the top slightly wider and shorter to balance the proportions.

How to ask your barber for it

Do not just say "broccoli cut" — the interpretation varies wildly. Say instead: how short you want the sides (in guard numbers or plain language), whether you want a fade or a taper and how high the line should sit, and how much length you want to keep on top. Bring a reference photo of hair with a curl pattern like yours, not a photo of someone with completely different texture.

Also say how much time you are willing to spend on it in the morning. That single piece of information changes how we cut it.

Styling it without the crunch

1. Apply curl cream or a leave-in conditioner to soaking wet hair, not damp. Water is what activates the curl.
2. Scrunch upwards towards the scalp to encourage the curl to form.
3. Diffuse on low heat and low speed, cupping sections rather than blasting them.
4. Finish with a small amount of light cream on the ends only, if anything at all.
5. Refresh on day two with a water spray, not more product.

Wash twice a week at most. Over-washing curly hair strips the natural oils that give this cut its shape, and dry curls go frizzy rather than defined.

Maintenance

The sides move faster than the top. Book a fade or taper tidy every three weeks, and a full reshape including the top every six to eight. A low taper will stretch further than a skin fade if you would rather come in less often.

Book a broccoli haircut in London

Hector's Global Hair with Zeal cuts broccoli haircuts, modern mullets, fades and textured styles on curly, wavy and afro-textured hair at 73 Lower Richmond Road, Mortlake, London SW14 7HJ. Clients come to us from Richmond, East Sheen, Barnes, Putney, Kew, Chiswick, Fulham, Hammersmith and across London.

Read our full broccoli haircut guide for cut detail, and book online with a reference photo and a note about how much styling time you actually want to commit to each morning.