Fade vs Taper
Both make the hair on the sides and back get shorter as it goes down. The difference is how far and how fast. A fade usually goes all the way down to skin, or nearly, and the transition can be quick and high. A taper is gentler: it shortens gradually and usually leaves some hair, finishing at the natural neckline and sideburns.
A taper looks more conservative and grows out more gently. A fade looks sharper and more modern but needs touching up every two to three weeks to stay crisp.
Low, Mid and High
These describe where the fade or taper begins. A low fade starts just above the ears and neckline, keeping most of the length on the sides. A mid fade starts around the middle of the side of the head, roughly at the temples. A high fade starts near the top of the sides, so most of the side is very short. A skin or bald fade goes down to bare skin at the bottom.
What Is a Low Taper Fade?
A low taper fade combines the two ideas: the fading is limited to the sideburns and the neckline at the back, and those areas are taken short, sometimes to skin, while the rest of the sides keep their length. It gives a clean, sharp edge without the shaved look of a full fade, which is why it pairs well with longer, textured tops, curls and twists.
Other Fades You'll Hear About
Drop fade: the fade line drops lower behind the ear, following the head's curve. Burst fade: curves in a semicircle around the ear, leaving length at the back. Temple fade: faded only at the temples and sideburns.
Read more: How to Ask for a Haircut: What to Tell Your Barber
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Which One Suits Your Face Shape
High fades narrow the head and add height, which suits round and square faces. Low fades and tapers keep weight at the sides, which suits long (oblong) and diamond faces that shouldn't look narrower. Oval faces suit all of them. The free face scan in Ollie Stylist measures your face shape and ranks haircuts for it.
What to Say to Your Barber
Because barbers use these words differently, describe it as well as name it: 'a low taper, short at the sideburns and neckline, keeping length on the sides, and about two inches on top'. Give a guard number for the shortest part if you know it, and bring a photo of the back and side. More in how to ask for a haircut.