27 Best Low Taper Fade Haircuts and Hairstyles for Men

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Low taper fade haircuts for men
Cindy Marcus
Cindy Marcus Hairstylist, Editor-in-Chief

A low taper fade haircut is a type of fade where your hair gets gradually shorter, starting from a lower level, just above the ears. If you’re not a fan of fading too close to the skin on the sides and exposing your scalp, this one’s ideal.

Low fade means less contrast – meaning you’ll need more length on top to balance the look. Cuts like the pompadour, comb-over, side part, and undercut fit this description excellently, working nicely with all hair types and styles. Tapered sides and back is a low-maintenance cut perfect for business professionals and outgoing gents.

So, what is a low taper fade? Here are pictures of the coolest short low taper fade haircuts for guys!

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#1: Taper Fade with Voluminous Mini Curls

Curly hair can be more difficult to find a style that suits. This taper fade with voluminous mini curls could be an option for you. Low taper curly hair comes in a different range of hair textures, meaning that some fades can be harder. The difference from straight hair is that it curls as soon as it emerges from the follicle. So, keeping your taper fade low with a heavy blend works. This then appears to have a tidier finish.

Related: Best low taper fades for straight hair.

#2: Trendy Low Taper

A trendy low taper is a masculine yet soft and swept-back hairstyle. It blends a fade around the temples with an easy brushback hairstyle. To get this look, tell your barber you want a temple fade. Make sure there’s enough hair left on top to sweep back usually, 3-5 inches is ideal, but it will depend on your hair texture. For styling, use a styling cream like Malin and Goetz Sage Styling Cream on air-dried hair. This will create a natural style. If you want more volume, you can use a blow dryer for a pompadour effect.

Low Taper Fade with a Square Top for Men
Instagram @vlsdeniisa_

#3: Low Taper with a Square Top

If you want to change up your same old boring buzz cut, this low taper with a square top might be your best bet. Ask your barber for a low temp fade on the sides. This means that around the ears and nape will taper down in length from the top. Add texture to the top with a point-cutting or razor technique. It will make coarse hair easier to style and will prevent unnecessary weight. Style with Suavecito Original pomade for a natural shine!

#4: Low Taper and Layered Bowl Cut

Straight, thick hair can grow out differently. An option is to keep it longer to avoid the difficult stage. A lower taper fade is better as it keeps the ears and nape tight. When coupled with a layered bowl cut, your hairstyle is defined. The fringe is kept long and the cut blunt; by this, we mean a straight edge. You can dry some sea salt spray into it and use a styling powder to create movement and texture. This will prevent your hair from sitting flat on your head.

#5: Low Faded Cut with Messy Texture on Top

With slightly thinner curls, you have more control over your style. A low fade taper cut with a messy texture on top leaves more weight around the sides to style. The sides have been tapered tightly to keep it shorter around the ears. A tapered hairstyle has a messy appearance but is easy to style. I would scrunch some pomade into it while it’s damp. Then, let it dry naturally. Your barber should be able to advise you on products that would enhance the texture of such cool low taper fade curly hair.

#6: Straight Sleek Quiff with a Low Fade

This is a classic style that suits most straighter hair types. The sleek quiff with a low fade taper is a classic look that never goes out of fashion. It will have mainly been done with scissors, six including the back and sides with a taper at the ear and nape of the neck. The hair is dried back using a volume spray and smoothed with a strong glossy pomade. If you have a round face shape, you can wear this style to elongate the appearance of your face.

Low Fade Haircut with Side Bangs
Instagram @lm_cosmua

#7: Low Fade Haircut with Side Bangs

A common question from clients is what style suits a receding hairline. This low-fade haircut with side bangs is a good option. The side bangs cover your hairline and do not reveal the scalp at the front. And, more weight has been left at the neckline to give a slight mullet effect. I recommend drying some sea salt spray and using powder to emulate the natural finish a good styling.

#8: Brushed Back Wavy Hair

More and more guys are now opting for low tapers, complimenting the brushed-back wavy hair. The length has been left on the top and back to leave weight to style. Dry a sea salt spray into the top while brushing back to achieve this. This will generally be enough to hold your hair and look neat and dapper. If you want more hold, hairspray is a good option.

Ivy League Haircut and a Beard Fade and Low Taper Fade
Instagram @hairbytory_

#9: Ivy League Haircut and a Beard Fade

A good smart option for a style is this Ivy League haircut and beard fade. Unlike the high taper, this style keeps the fade around the ears for those that don’t want to go too short. Attention to the front has been achieved by styling the fringe into a quiff to add to the tight finish. This style is a good one if you have a cowlick. Your hair can be styled in that direction to avoid unruly parts.

Faded Haircut with Short Fringe and Low Taper
Instagram @hairbytory_

#10: Faded Haircut with Short Fringe and Low Taper

Cropped haircuts are favorable at the moment. This faded haircut with a short fringe, and low taper is a good choice. The fade has been kept around the ear, and the back and sides are left longer. A textured fringe is an option to avoid a blunt fringe, as it creates feathering. I recommend using a styling powder as it holds well and leaves you with a more natural finish.

#11: Classic Low Taper with Loose Curls on Top

Men’s curly low taper haircuts are becoming more and more popular. This works well with thick dark hair, and the transition looks sharp. The style has been skin tapered at the ears and base of the neck, blending seamlessly into the tight curls on top. This will allow your cut to grow out well. A good sea salt spray and styling powder will achieve a matte finish.

#12: Fresh Curly Kinks with a Low Taper

Curly hair with a low taper haircut is popular in the afro Caribbean community. Because the curls are so tight, they don’t need cutting regularly. But, a low taper fade black male loves will need seeing more often. I recommend some curling or specialized Afro-Caribbean curling products to keep your hair fresh and tidy.

#13: Simple Bald Fade and Crew Cut

A simple, clean trim like a skin fade could make or break a haircut. This taperfade is a good choice. The skin shave will show a bit of contrast to your crew cut.

#14: Low-Maintenance Shaggy Low Taper Fade

A shaggy taper low fade haircut is cut with scissors using lots of layers and texture. Some barbers will use the point-cutting technique, and others may use fishbone scissors. The sideburn can be tapered from the beard into the haircut, allowing for a neat transition into the style. The style will suit most face shapes as it’s a uniform cut. This is relatively easy to maintain as you won’t need as many visits to the barbershop. To style, dry some sea salt spray into it and finish off with styling powder.

The Crew Cut with a Seamless low taper Fade
Instagram @duplexbarberia

#15: The Crew Cut with a Seamless Fade

The crew cut is a popular haircut for men that looks even better with a seamless fade. If you want a faded style, opt for the crew cut, which is universally flattering and grows nicely between trims.

#16: The Pompadour with a Maintained Beard

The taper fade comes to life with a little bit of front hair teasing. The pompadour increases your hair’s volume, which partners well with the greatly maintained beard.

Trendy Textured Blonde Wavy Fringe and Low Taper Fade for Men
Instagram @ryoheisugi

#17: Trendy Textured Blonde Wavy Fringe

The texture combined with the fade and the delicate wavy ringlets is flawless.

#18: Legendary Tapered Afro for 4C Curls

Make your 4Cs stand out with a clean fade around the head. Scrunch it up to give it body, and hold it up using your favorite pomade. Opt for a low taper fade black men love.

Noticable Low Taper Side Part Fade with Disconnection
Instagram @dappersteel

#19: Noticable Side Part Fade with Disconnection

Bring out your best self with a side part that shows off your tapered fade. Puff out those parted locks for the ultimate volumized hair.

Fade undercut with beard and Rounded Layers
Instagram @omithebarber_

#20: Undercut with a Beard and Rounded Layers

A mid fade with rounded layers is what you need to partner this undercut with. Pair this temple fade with staggering facial hair to make you stand out.

#21: Youthful Disconnected Comb Over with a Hard Part

The hard part does its job of disconnecting the tapered fade and the comb-over. With this low temp fade giving off a differentiated look, a more youthful vibe appealed.

Perfectly cleaned up low taper fade with 360 waves
Instagram @__taythebarber

#22: Perfectly Cleaned Up 360 Waves

The best clean-up look for a man of color is achieving the perfect waves with a neat shave and edge. This is a low-maintenance look that requires just a little bit of product.

Perked-Up Low Skin Taper Fade and Brooklyn Fade
Instagram @31v1502

#23: Perked-Up Skin Fade + Brooklyn Fade

This Brooklyn Fade starts at a much closer point to the ear area. Nonetheless, a smooth transition from the temple to the top gives you a nice venue for the perked-up locks to stand out.

#24: Vintage Slick Back Long Hair

Long, blonde locks, just like a prince! Make it one of a kind with a cleaned-up undercut and beautiful dark roots. This low taper long hair is a modern-day disconnect using barbering techniques with fading. My favorite thing about this is the severe disconnect from short to long. If you want to create a low taper mullet, bring down the fade even more.

Maintenance is every two weeks to keep up with the short fade and taper on the sides. I recommend not washing your hair every day but every other day to maintain the color and health of your hair. Use a leave-in conditioner to revamp the style and a protein spray to keep the color from fading.

#25: Noteworthy Mohawk Undercut Fade

Shaving approximately 2 inches above the ear and continuing around produces the right look for an undercut and a mohawk. This way, you’ll have a bigger space to play around with styling your hair. This look has a modern twist on a traditional mohawk haircut. My favorite thing about this hair cut is the transition from long to short tapper on the sides. Styling is easy – all you have to use is Redken brews clay pomade, put it in your hair while it’s damp, and let it naturally air dry. This under cut for men style is great for any guy who marches to the beat of their drum, a free spirit.

Natural Curly Hair with a Clean Drop Low Taper Fade
Instagram @basedbarber

#26: Natural Curly Hair with a Clean Drop Fade

When you want a quick clean-up of your curls, why not choose a clean and natural-looking cut like a low taper fade? This brings out your curls more; you have less hair to worry about! This is a sporty look with a clean drop fade. The top is shaped with forwarding movement.

If curls are your natural texture, little to no product is needed for this low tapered fade. This style, though, requires dense hair. It’s well suited for sports or daily life in general. It can be worn naturally or with curl lotion or a light matte pomade to accentuate the curls up top to give texture, luminance, and shape.

#27: The Versatile Pomp-Style Drop Fade

The taper low fade haircut is very versatile and is suited to most dudes, as you can adapt the height and shape of the fade to suit any man. Combining a low skin taper fade with a pompadour offers short sides with a long top hairstyle, helping you if you have a round face shape due to the length of your hair on top. It gives you a modern but classic look at the same time.

Choosing the proper products for the specific hair type is important. Since it’s a versatile, low tapered haircut, you can style it differently depending on your hair type and the products you use. Combining the low taper haircut with a pompadour style will give you a professional and classic look according to your personality.