How to Give a "Fade" Haircut to Males?

Compared to the centuries gone by, men have shorter haircuts these days. Like the army men, short hair is easy to manage and suits busy lifestyles. Short hair presents a smart, clean look too-no wonder a great majority of men opt for trimmed hairstyles. Hair for men conventionally has a series of lengths. The hair is very short at the borders, the back of the neck, and the sides. Usually, the top of the crown has longer hair. The fading effect gradually transitions across the different lengths, starting with the short hair at the sides and back. Slowly rising to the crown of the head, the size tapers to longer distances. Even among faded hairstyles, some variations are possible. Where will the fade commence, at the ears or much higher?

Comparison with Females

In comparison, most women opt for longer hair. Most of the female hair has a similarly longer length perhaps with a frill of shorter hair at the forehead. That will be easier to cut than the fading men’s haircut of various sizes. There are not too many lengths for men, perhaps three or four lengths in all. A modern much-in-demand style for men, a fade haircut is superb and blends the hair. Is the salon compulsory for the faded effect? Not really. Don’t expect perfect results but the fade cut will improve with practice. Expect ups and downs on the head that can be leveled with scissors initially. After learning the basics, decide whether it will be a high, mid, or low fade haircut. A high fade leaves the skin at the ears exposed and the sides of the head look bald. The low fade commences at the ears and exposes little skin.

Technically Speaking

Which approach suits whom, the high or low fade? Thick and curly hair would do best with low fades with shorter hair at the ears and back of the neck. The clipper guards would be set at 1 perhaps. Decide the hair length at the top of the head and accordingly the fade line will be lower.

A high fade line at the sides and the back is trendy where the tall fade suits round and square faces. The face looks longer. The sleek look has high fade lines at the temples, providing greater contrast and a cleaner look.

Step 1 - Getting the arsenal together

Rather than a passing interest in haircutting, a more serious adventure would require professional tools. The pandemic with enforced lockdowns gave a chance at haircutting with salons closed for over two years. Online shopping simplifies the process with a vast variety and affordable costs. Clippers with several guards of different sizes would be compulsory. Lower guard sizes like 1 and 2 cut shorter hair lengths than higher ones like 4 and 5. Clippers could be the charging type or the one with a cable that requires power to run it. Choose according to preferences. Scissors and combs of different sizes too. A handheld mirror is needed. Professional quality clippers and scissors bring a greater chance of success.

Step 2 – Decide about the fade line

Clean, washed and almost dry hair would work better. Make sure the hair is not wet. Decide about the fade line. Having watched many smart young men in media and real life, it is clear that the higher fade line looks smarter but exposes a lot of skin! Which will it be? A middle-level fade line is a compromise. Further, what will be the hair length at the fade line and the top? Accordingly, choose the guard size and commence trimming. Always start at the lower end of the hairline at the ears and back of the neck. Work upwards. Move the clipper steadily and slowly in even strokes upwards. Repeat the movement several times at the exact location for greater effectiveness.

Repeat until the fade line is reached.

Step 3 – Transition to Longer Length

Get ready for the transition to a different clipper guard and longer length. Decide on an imaginary border running across the two sides of the head and the back, maybe 4 inches high from the border. The borderline may not look very neat now and can be leveled later. If it was guard 1 earlier, it could be guard 2 now. Blending has begun that is the essence of the fade style.

Step 4 – Haircut Levels

How many levels will the haircut contain? A simple approach may have two levels but it could be higher like three or four. Start with something simple. After using guards 1 and 2 at the sides, a longer length should be planned at the top. How to manage that? If the top will have hair only an inch long, that can be achieved with clippers too. Many are fans of longer hair at the top. A comb and scissors will then be required. Comb the hair straight upwards and leave the ends exposed through the teeth of the comb.

Hold the bunch of exposed hair between the index finger and middle finger. Trim the hair ends according to the length required. Repeat the trimming process with the bunches of hair across the top of the head several times. It may not look so smart now but wait for the final leveling. Don’t cut too much hair though. Take it easy! Cutting too short may result in disappointment. The longer length will allow for adjustments later.

Step 5 - Finishing Touch

The exact process works well for cutting somebody’s hair or a self-haircut. A word of caution though since scissors are sharp and ears and nose may be at risk. Use lots of patience and take all the time. Now it is time to relax and review the actions so far with the hand-held mirror. Start with the finishing touches to the sides near the ear and the nape of the neck. More thorough cleaning up would be possible to refine the work already done.

Step 6 – Review & learn

Reviewing will reveal the shortcomings and any areas left out earlier. Go through them again. Start the leveling process, especially at the fade line to blend in the different lengths. Minor errors will be made, which is a part of the learning process.

Work positively and the haircutting will improve with practice. Confidence develops gradually. Don’t forget that barbers do smarter jobs as a result of training and long experience.