Whether it's a simple trim or significant cut, a highlight, or a completely new color, the hairdresser is our go-to person for a new look.
But finding the perfect hairstyle is not easy; it takes trial and error for most men to find one that complements their individuality.
Nowadays...
Barbers think about fades when you ask them for a short haircut. However, of all the types of fades, which one should you choose? Does fade haircut or bald fade suit you well?
Please read on and find out which among the types of fade haircuts is best for you.
Various Types Of Fades
Fades come in many shapes and forms; the possibilities are endless. Hence, finding the best fade haircut must begin with knowing your face shape.
Once you're familiar with the shape of your face, it will help you highlight your most delicate features and downplay the rest.
Fade haircuts that complement your face shape are better than opting for hairstyles that look good on you. When choosing among the different types of fades, it is essential to consider your hair type.
But facial shape is a more crucial consideration since it is the core of how you will look with your new haircut. Choosing low-maintenance hairstyles that compliment different hair textures instead of going against them will give you a stylish look.
Likewise, it will be more effortless to style and shape each day. But, before you jump in and decide on a new look, let's take a look at the various types of fade haircuts. Find out which among these cuts is the ultimate best for you.
1. High Fade
High fades feature shaved sides to the sides of the head. Such a style leaves the hair slightly longer, about an inch or two, across the top part of the skull.
The traditional high and tight military style is an extreme fade, except that it slightly fades toward the lower part of your hair.
Alternatively, the high and tight style has entirely shaved sides, with only a strip of hair on top, resembling a mohawk fade. Adding more shaved elements can enhance a high-fade haircut; most barbers call them the surgical line with details highlighting the overall fade.
Deciding to get a high fade can mean a drastic transition if you are used to traditional haircuts. Most experts no longer consider the head shape when doing a high fade since they create a new baseline. This new baseline begins from the topmost recession until the lower crown.
If your scalp has the same skin tone as your neck and face, you can go for low and high-fade haircuts. Additionally, if you're not comfortable with the shape of your head, a traditional fade is better than high fades that give more emphasis to your head.
Even naturally wavy hair benefits from a high fade; curly and wavy hair has more volume than other hair types and does well with high hairstyles. A curly hair fade is one of the most versatile fade types and is easy to style. The same goes for a flat top with a fade for straight hair.
You may also experiment with a French crop if you're sporting a high skin fade, which you can't do with medium or low fades. Meanwhile, if you have long or medium-length hair, you can flaunt side fades and high on top stylishly or a high-faded look with a side part.
2. Medium Fade
Some mid-fade styles are mid-fade quiff, short or side-parted medium fade, and faux hawk fade. Spiky, fringe, textured, and French crops are the other examples of mid-fades.
A medium fade haircut is diverse and can blend well with skin fade or drop fade.
Barbers create a mid fade or medium fade by starting in a straight line from the temple, at least an inch or two over the ear. The area beneath, from the edge and back, is well-shaven, too. A mid-bald fade is like a combination of low and high fades.
Most curly hairs do well with a mid-skin fade, with two connecting sharp lines, thanks to a temp fade. You can have a medium fade in various ways; some have theirs paired with a beard, and others have a medium drop fade.
A medium drop features a well-clipped top and tapered sides, following the side curves to the neckline, which makes it look like full pomp.
3. Low Fade
A low fade resembles a taper fade but is less subtle. This cutting style allows different hair lengths to blend seamlessly. Such a hairstyle features longer hair on top and shorter hair on the back and the sides.
Some worry that a low fade can be a little too subtle. But despite the seemingly unnoticeable look, such type of fade haircut can give you a sharp-looking appearance, especially on the sides of your hair.
A low fade style complements almost any haircut, whether a buzz cut or a faux hawk look. It effortlessly enhances your overall appearance with that slick hairstyle.
This cutting technique shows tapered sides down to the head's lower part; low fades are incredibly versatile; you can even blend them with a side-part hairstyle.
Moreover, you'll never run out of different low fade styles; there's the low taper fade or low skin fade. Low pompadour fade works well for individuals with thick hair.
Unlike the taper fade that leaves a few hairs on the sides, low skin leaves you with none. You'll end up with sides where the skin at the side of your head is more pronounced; hence, it's also well-known as the bald fade.
A low drop fade resembles a low skin fade, except that it curves around your ear instead of having it across the side of your head. By contrast, a low-cut taper fade is something you shouldn't miss if you want to flaunt your thick locks.
You can have that blowout style by brushing your damp hair while drying; you might also want to add a diffuser to avoid frizz. By contrast, a low-cut taper fade is something you shouldn't miss if you want to flaunt your thick locks.
The good thing about the low-faded look is that it provides an alternative if the high and central fade haircuts fail to meet your needs.
If you're a beginner to fade styling, you can try a low undercut fade. It's the slicked-back top with a low fade that you can work into a pompadour fade or a mohawk.
4. Taper Fade
Another faded look that you can wear in various ways, whether short, mid or long, is the taper fade. It's a cutting technique featuring longer hair all around, with the hair on top laying flat and gradually thinner down the sides of the head.
You can compare it with the typical business look or an Ivy League hairstyle, less the sharp cut. Rather than shaving the hair thoroughly, it's more of a short buzz cut beneath the ears and on the nape of the neck.
Tapering is a cutting technique that demonstrates even hair graduation.
In a barber's language, graduation means tapering the hair into the nape with a subtle weight to enhance the overall style. Generally, tapered cuts transition from showing some scalp to an entirely covered one.
With such a shape, leveled areas of the head show more contour or definition, and others tend to pay more attention to the shape's height. Most would refer to a taper fade as the universal haircut with that remarkable hair on top.
Low-tapered cuts are shorter from top to bottom, with barbers using clippers and scissors to execute this technique. With such as skillful cut, hair length subtly blends at the back and sides of the head in a slick graduated or faded look.
5. Drop Fade
While it still belongs to the medium or central fade family, drop fades, as their name implies, look like a teardrop shape. Generally, the cut curves downward behind the temples or shows a solid line around the neck.
If standard short-faded cuts have uniform height all over the head, drop fades trace the hairline up to the neck. Fade durations may vary, from the short ones like in shadow fades to the long duration of a bald fade.
The lack of side range makes the drop fade haircut a versatile option for most men. Some would even incorporate a high drop fade cut with straight lines to achieve a stylish mohawk. A drop fade with curls is also doable, a familiar look during the 90s era.
Hence, many individuals resort to using drop fades style to enhance Afro-American haircuts with a more graduated appearance. Those who prefer flat tops find it hard to try new hairstyles after having that look.
It catches attention whether it's a clean temple outline, a leveled top, or a drop fade haircut. You may also opt for a low-bald fade haircut for your entire head. But you must skip the top part as that is where you can style undercuts, a straight razor cut, or dye it.
A bald drop fade is a tapering cut from long hair on top to a bald look near the ears and neck area. With this option, you can go as high or low as you want, enjoying the fade for peculiarity or sporting the basic look.
6. Short Hair Fade
Short hairs can stand up on their own, like a buzz cut and a shaved head. Even those with long hairs spiked with hairstyling products seem to have short haircuts but also look like medium-hair lengths when flat.
A short fade hair has short sides and back that look fading close to the skin. It's slightly edgy but stylish. While some consider short-hair fade as one type of faded hairstyle, for others, it is the same as the low-faded cuts.
Even better about this type of fade is that it requires less maintenance, although you might need to visit your barber frequently. It is most especially true for those with hair texture and volume at the top.
7. Burst Fade
A burst fade is ideal for men who want their haircut to stand out. It provides a more distinct shape to their favorite faded haircut. This technique suits those who'd like to get a mohawk look while maintaining a rounded shape.
As opposed to going down the ear, a burst skin fade haircut is a fade line that comes from the same area. Technically, a burst fade and a tapered buzz cut are the same and have a very flexible style.
Burst fades can offer you a multitude of styling options, from a French crop to a textured crop with burst skin fades. If you're looking for a cool haircut, you may also consider burst fade mohawks, burst-taper fade, and low burst fades.
Dapper Point: How about starting your "fade" journey by learning what a low fade is and what styles accompany this haircut style? Go here -- Low Fade Haircut.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the most common skin fades?
It might be unwise to tell your barber that you want bald. You may instead request the barber for a bald fade -- it seems more practical to describe it that way. Many confuse the terms skin fade, zero fade, and bald fade, using them interchangeably.
Of these three styles, only a zero fade means differently. Unlike bald and skin fade, zero fades do not blend with the skin, and shaving is unnecessary. Some of the common bald fades are the low bald fade, mid bald fade, high bald fade, and the bald taper fade.
How do you choose the best types of fade haircuts?
A fade starts as long hair thinning from the top to the back and side of your hair. Of all the fade haircuts, the taper fade is the most common because of its professional look. Aside from hair types, you must also consider your face shape if you want to get a fade.
Individuals with an oval face shape who prefer straightforward styling can go for a high-fade haircut. Mid-fade cut suits heart-shaped faces, and a low-fade style looks good on people with round or square-shaped faces.
How do I request a fade haircut from my barber?
After learning the different types of fade haircuts, you'll better understand what will suit you best. Discuss whatever you think is the best fade style with your barber. Some people don't get the type they want after a visit to the hairdresser because they are not sure how to describe it.
Therefore, a clear understanding of the various fade haircuts gets you a step closer to achieving it. You can tell your barber you want burst fade, drop fade, undercut fade, temple fade, and so on since you can identify each style's look.
Conclusion
A fade haircut has detailed precision that can make classic styles look conventional. Its razor-sharp finish can enhance short or mid-length hair, giving the back and the sides a seamlessly faded look.
Remember that a stylish haircut begins with an excellent cut. Each hair type has a hairstyle that will match it so well. If you think about getting a fade haircut, consider the length of the top part of your hair, with the sides and back.
It's best to discuss it with your hairstylist before deciding what to choose among the types of fades. Once settled, work with your hairdresser to achieve a well-suited fade haircut. What matters most is you wear whatever hairstyle with pride and confidence.
