How To Do A Fade Haircut

Fade haircuts offer endless styling versatility, expertly combining longer lengths on top with closely tapered sides and back. The contrast creates the illusion of precision between lengths. 

Here’s everything you need to know about mastering various fade haircut techniques and style inspiration.

• High Fade

A high fade concentrates the shortest zero-clipped hair nearest the crown before quickly tapering into longer layers using clipper guards to create a drastic yet seamless contrast, exposing more scalp skin.

• Mid Fade 

Sometimes called a medium fade, as the name suggests, this graduate clipped layers up through the middle section of sides and back, evenly blending lengths halfway towards longer layers on top for a more subtle gradient.  

• Low Fade

Low fades taper shaved layers cleanly along the hairlines behind ears and necklines before subtly fading into longer layers. This leaves more hair at the temples while keeping the nape closely cropped. 

• Bald Fade

As the name suggests, bald fades incorporate clipping the hair without any guard attachments directly to the skin from the front hairlines before fading back using adjustable clipper guards to marry into longer top layers, creating the strongest contrast.  

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• Skin Fade + Hard Part

Combining sharp skin fades with precise hard part etchings amps up the edge factor exponentially while maintaining a well-groomed aesthetic. Keep hard lines geometric yet artistic to complement facial contours and head shape.   

• Curly Hair Fade

Fades look amazing against naturally curly hair as tapered sides encourage fullness and height on top as coils shrink upwards. Ask the barber to complement the natural curl pattern with clipper work by following the direction of the spiral down and keeping the nape area cropped neat.  

• Reducing Triangle Effect

Offset triangle effect on thicker, wavy hair by keeping heavy top layers long, encouraging natural movement which removes bulk while creating streamlined balance against faded back and sides cleanly shorn close to the crown.

• Slick Back Undercut Fade

Slick back longer textured bangs from a side parting to create length and height, contrasting a high undercut fade with precision etched sideburns sculpted to the jawbone and bearded chin area. 

• Curly Crop With Mid Fade

Emphasize springs and curls against shorter back and sides, incorporating a mid fade to remove bulk from thicker hair. According to LoveHairstyles, concentrate curls popped on top with mousse scrunched through for hydration and memory against a clean curved nape line.  

• Burst Fade Mohican

Make a statement with a Mohican-inspired strip of longer dye-saturated hair flanked by clipper-shorn sides emboldening a burst fade effect, which tapers subtly into the temple area. Keep strip width slick, even, and symmetrical while customizing fade shades to hair tone and texture.  

• Textured French Crop Fade

A French crop fade haircut offers endless styling potential with longer textured layers on top styled forwards and up for height before artfully fading back down over the crown into shorter sides seamlessly sculpted around ears and nape.

• Gentleman’s Taper

Project refined sophistication by combining a flawlessly executed bald fade, which artfully sculpts the neckline and bearded chin before tapering up behind the ears to reveal a traditional side parted gentlemen’s haircut slickly smoothed into place.  

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• Hard Part + Fade

Creatively shave geometric yet artistically curved patterns into thicker crown hair before skin fades from the front hairline back around one side and down through the nape.  

• Pro Tips For Fading Hair

• Choose Clipper Guards Wisely

Quality adjustable clipper guards are key for seamlessly blending the fade transition. Most barbers use clippers without any guard attached directly to the skin to create a sharp bald baseline before using grades 1-3 guards to taper up into longer layers.  

• Utilize Clipper Over Comb

The clipper over comb technique helps perfectly blend and taper faded layers from zero clipped up to longer hair on top. Hold sections taut using the comb while cautiously running the clippers down the hair held in the teeth to soften edges. 

• Angle Clippers Precisely 

Concentrate on keeping clippers at precisely angled 45-degree positions while fading from the zero line towards longer layers to encourage even blending and prevent harsh lines. This encourages smoother gradients.