12 Tom Ellis Haircuts From Lucifer To Real Life

I see it at least twice a month—a client pulls out their phone, shows me Tom Ellis as Lucifer, and says “I want that.” It’s always the quiff. And honestly, it’s one of the best gentleman haircuts to ask for because it works on almost every face shape.

What most people don’t realize is that Ellis changed his hair every season of Lucifer—from classic side parts to slicked-back looks to textured waves. Here are 12 of his best haircuts and exactly how to get each one.

Not sure which style suits you best? Our Haircut Finder Quiz matches you with the right cut based on your face shape and hair type — takes 60 seconds.

Who Is Tom Ellis?

Welsh actor Tom Ellis became a global phenomenon playing Lucifer Morningstar in the Netflix series that ran from 2016-2021. Previously

known for roles in Miranda and Rush, Ellis transformed into a style icon whose perfectly coiffed hair became essential to his devilish character. His natural dark brown hair and strong facial features allow him to pull off both classic and contemporary styles with equal sophistication.

Tom Ellis Style Evolution

Ellis’s hair journey reflects his career trajectory—from relaxed British comedy styles to Hollywood polish. Early appearances showed longer, casual cuts that emphasized his natural texture.

As Lucifer, his hair became increasingly refined with each season, mirroring the character’s emotional development. The consistency lies in maintaining 3-4 inches on top while varying the styling technique from casual texture to formal slickness.

The Signature Lucifer Look

The quintessential Lucifer hairstyle features a modern quiff with subtle side part, typically styled with medium-hold pomade for controlled shine. This requires 3-4 inches on top, tapered sides with a low fade, and careful blow-drying to create volume.

The key is achieving height without stiffness—the hair should move naturally while maintaining its shape. Ellis often pushes the front slightly to one side, creating asymmetrical interest that frames his face perfectly.

Season 1 Classic Side Part

Early Lucifer episodes featured a traditional side part with moderate volume, establishing the character’s refined baseline. The hair measured approximately 3 inches on top, styled with lightweight pomade for natural movement.

Sides were kept at grade 3-4, creating gentle graduation rather than stark contrast. This approachable style worked perfectly for the character’s introduction, suggesting sophistication without intimidation.

Season 2-3 Refined Quiff

Seasons 2-3 saw Ellis embrace a higher, more defined quiff that became the show’s signature look. The evolution added an extra inch of height through strategic blow-drying and stronger-hold products.

The sides transitioned to a proper fade starting at grade 2, emphasizing the volume on top. This style required morning styling routine of 5-7 minutes, using pre-styler and finishing with medium-shine pomade.

Season 4 Darker Slicked Back

Netflix’s Season 4 introduced a moodier slicked-back variation reflecting Lucifer’s emotional turmoil. The same length was styled backward rather than up, using high-shine pomade for a wet look.

This created a more dangerous, unpredictable aesthetic while maintaining the character’s inherent elegance. The slicked style works best with Ellis’s natural straight-to-wavy texture, requiring less daily manipulation than the quiff.

Season 5 Textured Waves

Season 5 showcased Ellis’s natural wave pattern more prominently, incorporating texture spray for a relaxed finish. The controlled messiness suggested vulnerability while maintaining leading-man appeal.

Styling involved scrunching damp hair with sea salt spray, then using fingers rather than combs to arrange. This look proved especially popular with fans, showing Lucifer’s more human side.

Season 6 Mature Polish

The final season presented Ellis’s most sophisticated iteration—a perfectly balanced quiff with subtle fade. The matured style combined elements from previous seasons: Season 2’s height, Season 4’s control, and Season 5’s natural texture.

Sides featured a skin fade starting below the temple, creating maximum contrast. This represents the complete evolution of both character and style.

Miranda Era Casual Style

During his Miranda sitcom days, Ellis sported longer, tousled layers reaching collar length. This relaxed British style required minimal styling—just towel-drying and occasional texturizing cream.

The casual approach contrasted sharply with his later Lucifer precision, showing his range from approachable comedy actor to sophisticated leading man. The transformation demonstrates how strategic cutting can completely change perception.

Rush Press Tour Look

Promoting Rush in 2014, Ellis debuted a shorter, professional cut that previewed his Lucifer direction. The style featured 2-3 inches on top with a subtle quiff, styled with matte clay for natural finish. This transitional look bridged his comedy past with dramatic future, proving he could carry more refined styles while maintaining relatability.

Red Carpet Formal Style

Ellis’s red carpet appearances showcase maximum height and shine, elevating his signature quiff for formal events. These occasions see 4-5 inches of height achieved through round-brushing and strong-hold products.

The sides are freshly faded to grade 1, creating sharp definition. High-shine pomade or gel provides the glossy finish that photographs beautifully under event lighting.

Not sure what your face shape is? Our Face Shape Detector figures it out in 4 quick questions.

Off-Screen Natural Texture

Candid photos reveal Ellis’s naturally wavy texture worn with minimal styling. His off-duty look involves air-drying with light styling cream, creating soft movement without structure.

This proves the importance of a good cut—even unstyled, the shape maintains its appeal. The natural approach requires quality shampoo and conditioner to keep hair healthy between intensive styling sessions.

Tom Ellis Beard Variations

Ellis alternates between designer stubble and short beard, always impeccably groomed to complement his hairstyle. The Lucifer stubble maintains 2-3mm length, requiring trimming every 2-3 days.

For fuller beard looks, he keeps 5-8mm length with sharp cheek and necklines. The facial hair always follows his natural growth pattern, avoiding over-sculpting while maintaining definition through regular oil application and brushing.

How To Get The Lucifer Hairstyle

Start with 3-4 inches on top and ask for a low fade beginning at the temple. The top should be point-cut for texture while maintaining length for styling versatility. For styling, apply volumizing mousse to damp hair, then blow-dry using a round brush to create lift at the roots.

Work medium-hold pomade through with fingers, pushing hair up and slightly to one side. Finish with light hairspray for all-day hold. This look requires monthly trims and works best with straight to wavy hair. The key detail is the subtle asymmetry which prevents the style from looking too perfect or rigid.

Products For Tom Ellis Styles

Achieving Ellis’s looks requires quality styling products matched to each variation. For the signature quiff: volumizing mousse, heat protectant, medium-hold pomade, and finishing spray. Textured looks need sea salt spray and matte clay.

Formal styles demand high-shine pomade or gel. Daily maintenance includes sulfate-free shampoo, moisturizing conditioner, and weekly deep conditioning treatments to counteract frequent heat styling. Invest in a quality blow-dryer with cool-shot button for setting styles.

Maintaining the Lucifer Look Between Appointments

The biggest misconception I hear is that the Lucifer cut is “set it and forget it.” It’s not. Here’s the maintenance schedule I give every client who gets this style.

Weeks 1–2: Prime territory. Your fade is fresh and the top has perfect weight. Style with your usual medium-hold pomade and blow-dry routine. This is when the cut looks its absolute best.

Weeks 3–4: The fade starts growing in and the sides look bulkier. You can buy yourself a few extra days by using a trimmer to clean up the neckline and around the ears at home—but don’t touch the fade line. That’s your barber’s job.

Monthly trim: Book every 3–4 weeks without fail. I tell clients to schedule their next appointment before they leave the chair. Once the fade grows past 5–6 weeks, you’ve lost the shape entirely and your barber has to start from scratch.

Between visits, invest in a quality blow-dryer with a concentrator nozzle. Five minutes of directed airflow with a round brush is what separates a good quiff from a flat mess. And switch to sulfate-free shampoo—frequent heat styling strips moisture faster than you’d think.

Common Mistakes When Asking for This Cut

After cutting thousands of these, I’ve seen the same mistakes walk through my door over and over.

Asking for too much height: Guys see Ellis on a red carpet with 4–5 inches of quiff and want that as their everyday look. Those shots involve a professional stylist, multiple hairspray layers, and a round-brush blowout that took 15 minutes. For daily wear, 3–3.5 inches gives you plenty of volume without requiring a production every morning.

Getting the wrong fade level: The Lucifer cut uses a low taper fade that blends gradually—not a hard skin fade to the top. I see clients ask for a mid or high fade because they think shorter sides mean a cleaner look. That changes the entire proportion and makes it look more military than sophisticated.

Using gel instead of pomade: Gel gives a wet, crunchy finish that’s the opposite of what Ellis achieves on screen. Medium-hold pomade allows natural movement and reworkability throughout the day. If you want some shine, go for a water-based pomade rather than gel.

Not having enough length to start: You need at least 2.5–3 inches on top before a barber can begin shaping this style. If you’re starting from a buzz cut, that’s roughly 4–5 months of growth. Come in for shaping trims during the grow-out phase so you don’t end up with an awkward mullet situation.

Which Tom Ellis Style Suits Your Face Shape

Here’s the breakdown I give every client who walks in wanting the Lucifer look—because the specific variation matters more than just saying “give me that haircut.”

Oval faces: You can pull off any Ellis variation. The Season 2–3 high quiff is the sweet spot—it adds just enough height without overwhelming your natural balance.

Round faces: Go for the signature quiff or Season 6 polished look—anything with volume on top creates vertical length. Skip the Season 5 textured waves, which can add width.

Square faces: The Season 4 slicked-back style and the off-screen natural texture both soften angular jawlines. Side parts also work well by adding asymmetry.

Oblong faces: His Season 5 textured waves are perfect—the width and movement prevent your face from looking longer. Avoid the high quiff, which adds more vertical length.

Heart faces: The classic Season 1 side part with moderate volume works well—it balances a wider forehead with a narrower chin without going overboard on height.

Not sure what your face shape is? Our face shape guide will help you figure it out in under a minute.

FAQs: Tom Ellis Hairstyles

What is Tom Ellis’s Lucifer haircut called?

Tom Ellis’s Lucifer haircut is technically a modern quiff with tapered sides, sometimes called a “textured quiff” or “side-swept quiff.” The style combines classic 1950s quiff elements with contemporary fading techniques. Unlike traditional quiffs that sweep straight back, Ellis’s version angles slightly to one side, creating more dynamic movement. The cut has become so associated with the character that many barbers now recognize “the Lucifer” as a specific style request, understanding it means medium-length top with low fade and natural texture.

How do I ask for the Lucifer hairstyle?

Bring reference photos and specify: “3-4 inches on top with textured point-cutting, low skin fade starting at the temple, natural side part.” Key points to mention: you want volume capability without excessive length, the ability to style multiple ways, and a gradual fade rather than harsh disconnection. Most barbers familiar with modern styles will understand the quiff reference, but emphasize you want movement and texture, not a stiff pompadour. Your hair type should be straight to wavy and you’ll need at least 2 inches currently to achieve the initial cut.

What face shape suits Tom Ellis’s style?

Tom Ellis’s quiff style works exceptionally well for oval, square, and rectangular face shapes as it adds height without excessive width. The vertical volume elongates round faces while the tapered sides prevent square faces from appearing too wide.

The style’s versatility means slight adjustments can flatter any face shape—round faces benefit from maximum height and tighter sides, while longer faces can wear it with less height and more side volume. Ellis himself has an oval face shape, which is why he can pull off both high quiffs and slicked-back variations with equal success.