Low Taper Fade: What to Ask a Barber for & How to Style (2024)

Co-authored byTiffany Carnevale-Russoand Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: June 27, 2024Fact Checked

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1. A low taper fade transitions from long to short at the nape of the neck. This style typically features longer hair on top and a very short, to-the-skin cut at the neckline, with the length gradually shortening between them. It’s called a “low” taper fade since the actual fade portion—where the hair shortens dramatically to the skin—sits low on the head, around the nape of the neck.^[1] It also preserves some of the sideburns. It’s a popular style that results in a neat look with plenty of precision and edge.

   • Low taper fades might grow out relatively quickly and won’t have the same sharp definition a couple weeks after the cut, but they tend to retain their overall shape for a few months, making them a good long-term cut.
   • A high taper fade, on the other hand, shortens to the skin much higher on the head, and may take some extra effort to maintain.

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   Request a low fade with a gradual taper and volume on top. When you sit in the barber’s seat, ask for a low fade at the nape of your neck, and specify that you want plenty of volume on top. Usually, the shortest hair in a low taper fade is only about 0.25in (0.64cm) long—ask for the #2 clippers to get this length.^[2]

   • How you treat the hair on top will depend on your personal style and your barber’s recommendation. Often, low taper fades are accompanied by a “fringe” or “textured” cut on top, which provides volume and easy styling.
   • Wash, comb, and thoroughly dry your hair before your appointment to give your barber a clean and tangle-free canvas to work with.
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   Bring a reference photo to show the barber what you want. Putting the exact cut you want into words can be tricky, so when in doubt, let pictures do the talking. When you show your barber photos of the cut you want, they’ll know exactly the look you’re going for without having to translate hairstyle lingo. Browse TikTok or Instagram for the perfect low taper fade, save some photos, and have them ready when you walk in.

   • Also, feel free to pick and choose elements from reference photos. Maybe you want the texture from one photo on top, with the sideburns from another photo, plus another Instagram user’s fade at the back.
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   Ask for your barber’s advice and listen to their expertise. Remember that your barber is a professional—they’ve got plenty of training and experience, and generally know which cuts look best on which face shapes and with which types of hair. Even if you go in with the perfect reference photo, your barber might suggest ways to tweak the style to suit you, personally. Don’t be afraid to discuss your preferred style and listen to their advice.^[3]

   • Of course, at the end of the day, it’s your hair and your money, so you make the final call. If you’re dead set on a particular cut, go for it! Worst case is you grow it out and cut it again.

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   Low taper with messy fringe This is perhaps the most balanced and easiest to maintain low taper fade style. Your barber uses special scissors to give you a medium-length, semi-ragged cut on top that provides a fair amount of texture and volume. The best part is that a fringe works with most lengths of hair. It’s chic, youthful, and a great blend of careful grooming and just-got-out-of-bed styling.^[4]

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   Low taper blowout The blowout element of this low taper fade maximizes volume on top, while the taper down beneath gradually shortens starting at the ears, providing a balanced sense of structure and exaggerating the fullness of the hair at the front and back of the head. It’s great for masking thinning hair or receding hairlines, and works with most hair textures.^[5]

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   Long taper fade This haircut is for those among us who love the edgy and luxurious look of long hair, but who also want the precision of a taper fade. It keeps plenty of length on top and at the sides, but the hair at the crown of your head is left to dangle and flow, which looks great when paired with a low fade.^[6]

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   Curly-top taper fade Before you go buzzing those gorgeous curls, consider getting a low taper fade instead. With this style, the envy-inducing curl-heads get to tame their manes while keeping those coveted ringlets.^[7] It takes a good chunk of the work out of styling curly hair while keeping the good stuff on top.

   • This is also a great style for men with tight coils or afro volume or texture.
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   Slicked back low taper fade Looking for even more edge than a standard low taper fade? Have you always had fantasies of being a leather-jacketed, toothpick-chewing greaser a la The Outsiders? This cut features medium-length hair on top styled and combed back with gel for a sleek, put-together look that hints at danger and mystique.^[8]

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   Short low taper fade Low tapers often appear on men with medium-length hair, but they also work with shorter cuts. Often, a short low taper is mussed or spiked with a bit of styling gel to give it volume and texture, but you might also leave it flat or even with short bangs for a more casual but avant-garde look.^[9]

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   Get recommendations from people with the hairstyle you want. Ask your friends where they go to get their cuts—word of mouth is often the most reliable way to find a skilled stylist. Or, if you notice someone on the street or in public that has a fresh fade, don’t hesitate to ask them where they got it done. That way, you see the barber’s work first-hand, and know what it looks like in person.^[10]

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   Check the barber’s social media and online reviews. Many barbers and stylists nowadays have social media presences where they showcase their work. Browse Instagram for their profile (or just search “barbershop” with your city name) and scroll through their posts. Also, check Google or Yelp reviews for testimonials from other customers. That way you can get a better grasp of their vibe and customer satisfaction from real people.^[11]

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   Call and ask the barber about their pricing and services. Once you’ve found a barber who looks good, call their shop and ask about their pricing for the specific cut you want, since this can vary widely. Remember, you get what you pay for.^[12] Also ask if they have experience with or are comfortable executing a taper fade—some barbers specialize in these styles, while others do more general, popular styles, the latter of which may not be as good of a fit for you.

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   Shampoo, condition, and comb your low taper fade regularly. General hair care is crucial to keeping your cut looking like you just walked out of the barber. Shampoo your hair every 2-3 days (not every day), and always follow the shampoo with conditioner to restore moisture and give it some shine.^[13] Then, comb it when you step out of the shower to detangle any knots and get it ready for styling.

   • Avoid shampoos with sulfates and parabens on their ingredients lists, which tend to dry out and damage your hair.
   

   Jen Atkin, Celebrity Hairstylist

   Don't wash your hair too frequently. "I like to go at least three days between hair washes. Some people need to wash every other day, but I don’t recommend washing every day. It’s good to let your hair get its natural oils and brush that through with a boar bristle brush to distribute the oil."

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   Use pomade, wax, or gel to give the hair on top texture. Once you’ve got that killer cut, it’s important to style it each day to achieve that perfect look. Place a pinch of pomade, gel, or hair wax in your palm and run it through your hair with your fingers to style it.^[14] Then, consider giving it a quick spritz with hairspray to hold it in place throughout the day.

   • Ask your barber how they recommend styling your new look, including what products and tools to use and how to use them.
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   Visit your barber every few weeks to touch up your cut. If you’re handy with a set of clippers and a razor, you could totally clean up your fade at home as it grows out. But most barbers will do this for you at a fraction of the cost of a full cut, especially if you return to the barber who originally cut your low taper fade.^[15] A low taper fade looks great even when grown out, but get it cleaned up every 3-4 weeks if you want to keep it looking sharp.

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   A taper gradually shortens as it moves down the neck. A taper is a general term for a uniform, gradual shortening in length, from longer hair on top to shorter hair lower on the neck. It’s achieved by swapping out smaller and smaller clipper sizes as your barber moves down your head and results in a clean, polished, and structured look.^[16]

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   A fade is when your hair shortens down to the skin. When considering a taper vs. a fade, think of a fade as a more extreme taper, where the hair shortens and blends down to the skin, often in a much shorter space (including on the sides of your head).^[17] So a fade is a sort of taper, but a taper isn’t necessarily a fade. Fades come in 3 main varieties:

   • High fades shorten to the skin high on the head, above your ears and natural hair line.
   • Medium fades shorten a bit further down, near the center of the back of your head.
   • Low fades shorten more toward the nape of the neck.
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   A taper fade is an unofficial combination of a taper and a fade. We’ll let you in on a little insider secret—there isn’t really any such thing as a “taper fade.” The term most likely came about because customers tend to confuse tapers and fades, and so used them interchangeably, and the name just stuck.^[18] Now, though, a taper fade is often a style that tapers from long to short as it moves down the head, then abruptly fades to skin, combining the 2 styles.

   • If you ask for just a “taper fade” without giving any more details, a barber will most likely give you a simple, low taper.

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