Fade
Low Taper
A taper is not a fade. It only shortens the hairline itself — around the ears and down the neck — and leaves the sides alone. Quiet, professional, and the easiest cut in this list to live with.
Cut lives at guard 1-2
- Guard range
- 1-2
- Chair time
- 20-30m
- Back in
- 3-4 wks
- Instrument
- Clipper + scissors
What to say
Ask for it like this.
Barbers work from instructions, not vibes. These are the three things that decide whether you get this cut or something adjacent to it.
- Ask for a low taper and be clear you want the sides left, not faded.
- Say whether you want the neckline blocked square or tapered natural.
- A taper suits fine hair better than a fade — say so if yours is fine.
If this is close but not right