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What to Tell Your Barber for a Low Taper Fade

Low Taper Fade on a man with wavy dark brown hair, side view
Low Taper Fade on a man with wavy dark brown hair, back view
Low Taper Fade on a man with wavy dark brown hair, three-quarter view
Low Taper Fade on a man with wavy dark brown hair, front view
Low Taper Fade on a man with wavy dark brown hair, close-up of the taper at the nape and behind the ear
Low Taper Fade · Side · 1 of 5

Low Taper Fade · Side

1 of 5

Say this at the chair

A low taper fade: take only the sideburns and the neckline short, close to the skin at the edge, and keep the length on the sides.

Top
About 5 cm (2 inches), textured and pushed up and back.
Sides
Low taper at the sideburns, close to the skin at the edge, blending up into a number 2 or 3 (#2 guard, about 6 mm, 1/4 in; #3 guard, about 10 mm, 3/8 in) within a few centimetres.
Back
Tapered neckline, close to the skin at the bottom, blended into the length above it.
Styling
A little matte clay or cream worked through with the fingers, or curl cream on curls. One to three minutes.
Grow-out
The taper softens after three to four weeks. The top can keep growing.

Clipper guards in this cut

GuardLength it leaves
#2 (number 2)1/4 in, about 6 mm
#3 (number 3)3/8 in, about 10 mm

Updated · Guard sizes from Wahl's published chart, listed in our haircut numbers guide

Briefs for similar cuts