Octopus cut: what it is and what to ask for
The octopus cut puts short, rounded layers on the top of the head and leaves long, thin, separated strands below them, so the lengths hang like tentacles. It is a high-contrast layered cut, and it depends on how the two zones are cut, so the words matter.
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What an octopus cut is
- Top: short, rounded layers at the crown, about 10 cm, for lift.
- Lengths: long, thin, wispy pieces made with a razor, reaching the shoulders. They stay piecey, never a blunt line.
- Face-framing: curtain pieces, parted in the middle.
- Sides and back: long, about 18 cm at the sides and 25 cm at the back on the card, ending at the shoulders.
- Fringe: none as a separate piece; the curtain pieces do that job.
Hair textures and face shapes
In the catalog the octopus cut is pictured on wavy hair and is usually cut on straight, wavy and curly hair. Hair that is very fine can lose the separated look, so tell the stylist how yours behaves. The catalog lists oval, round, square, heart, diamond and oblong face shapes for it.
What to tell your barber
Words that carry the cut: "short rounded layers at the crown, about 10 cm; razor the lengths into long wispy pieces to the shoulders; curtain face-framing with a middle part." The risk is the layers sitting too low, so say where the short part ends.
Octopus cut
Top: 10 cm, razor-cut ends, loose, finger-styled.
Sides: scissors, about 18 cm.
Back: scissors, about 25 cm.
Neckline: natural.
Length: to the shoulders.
Shape: layered.
Fringe: curtain, parted in the middle.
Part: middle.
Finish: texture spray.
These lines are copied from the FitMyFace barber card. The values are suggested starting points, not reviewed by a barber, and your barber adapts them to your hair. The card records the look you want and starting measurements; your barber checks and adjusts the final cut. The picture is illustrative. To change a value, open the card and edit it.
Upkeep
The card's upkeep line is a typical guide: trim the ends every 8–12 weeks, and about 5 minutes a day with a texture spray. Because the crown is short, it grows out into a plain long cut over time; the top layers are the part to refresh.
FitMyFace hair previews are approximations, not predictions of how your hair will lie after a cut. Ordinary hairstyle try-ons perform face analysis on-device. The optional AI previews (hair and glasses) send a photo to Cloudflare; your consent is the one "I agree" on the scan screen, and a switch on the results turns them off. FitMyFace is for adults 18 and over and is not available in Illinois.
Questions
Is an octopus cut a mullet?
They share short-on-top, long-below ideas, but the octopus cut is rounder on top and keeps wispy, separated lengths with a middle part. A mullet has a stronger short front and long back.
Do I need to razor-cut it?
The card says to razor the lengths. A stylist can reach a similar result with point-cutting; ask what they use.
Can I try it first?
Yes, as an AI picture on your own photo. It is illustrative, so use the card for the instruction.
See the octopus cut page for the barber card and face shapes.