A beard fade is a beard that shortens gradually from the jaw and sideburns toward the cheek, neck and ear until it disappears into skin or a very short shadow. Instead of a hard stop where the beard ends, the hair blends, and that blend is what makes it look sharp in an office and in a photograph.
The direct answer for your next visit: ask for a beard fade, tell your barber the length you want on the chin, say whether you want the fade to end in skin, and decide if it should connect to the haircut on the sides. Below, we also cover the undercut fade and high and bald variations, because most men who ask for one ask about the others a week later.
What is a beard fade and who does it suit?
A beard fade uses clippers and guards to taper the beard from longest at the chin to shortest at the cheeks and neck. The tapered area is blended so there is no visible line, only a gradient. A taper that starts low looks natural. One that starts high and ends in bare skin looks bold.
It suits men with fuller beards that tend to look heavy on the cheeks, and men who want their beard to look neat without taking it off. It is especially useful when the beard grows patchy on the cheeks, because fading the cheeks down to a short length hides the thin spots and keeps the thicker chin hair as the focus.
Beard fade types
| Type | Where it starts | Typical guards | Look |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low beard fade | Near the jaw line | Number 2 at the top, 1 below | Subtle, conservative |
| Mid beard fade | Mid cheek | Number 3 into 1 or skin | Balanced, most requested |
| High beard fade | Close to the temple | Number 3 or 4 into skin | Strong contrast |
| Skin beard fade | Any height | Ends in a bare skin finish | Sharp and clean |
How do you ask for a beard fade?
Give your barber four pieces of information: the chin length, the fade height, the bottom (skin or shadow) and the neckline. That is enough to get what you picture.
- Say the chin length in guard terms, for example a number 4 or a number 5 for a short full beard.
- Say how high the fade starts: low, mid or high.
- Choose the bottom: skin for the cleanest look, or a number 1 for a soft shadow.
- Ask for a clean neckline about two fingers above the Adam’s apple.
- Say whether you want it connected to the hair on the sides of your head.
Our beard trim and grooming visit is $18, and the Classic Combo of a fade plus beard is $48. A line up with a beard is the Sharp Edge package at $30, which is the cheapest way to get everything crisp. See all the options on our barber packages.
To see what a more rounded shape looks like, the Van Dyke beard and our look at the faded beard show what is possible when you add chin shape to the fade.
What is an undercut fade for men?
An undercut fade pairs a longer top with very short sides. The sides and back are clippered close, and the fade creates the blend where the short meets the long. There is typically a distinct difference in length, so the top stands up or sweeps back over the shorter sides.
The appeal is contrast. The top can be styled several ways, and the short sides keep things cool and tidy. It suits straight and wavy hair best and works on men with a decent amount of top density. If your hair is thin on top, ask for less length difference so the cut does not look sparse.
If you work in an office, keep the top at a length that can be combed to one side, and the fade at a low or mid height so it looks professional. For a step by step look at the process, read our guide to taper haircuts and the styles that go with them.
How do you ask for an undercut fade haircut?
Tell your barber how long to leave the top, how short the sides should go, and where the fade should start. Without those three, undercut can mean many things.
A clear request sounds like this: leave about three to four inches on top, fade the sides from a number 1 to a number 3, start the fade at the temple and keep the neckline natural. The barber then uses scissors on top and clippers on the sides and blends between them.
The terms that matter
- Guard numbers: 0.5 to 1 for the bottom of a fade, 2 to 4 higher up.
- Fade height: low, mid, high or bald.
- Top length: say in inches or fingers rather than guesses.
- Neckline: tapered for a natural look, squared for a sharp one.
Our fade haircuts are $35 whichever version you choose, and every haircut ends with a hot towel neck finish.
What is a faded undercut and how is it different?
A faded undercut blends the short sides smoothly into the longer top, while a classic undercut has an abrupt change in length. The fade removes the visible line, so the cut looks softer and is easier to grow out.
That blend is why the faded version is the one we see most. It lets the top fall naturally, and when growth arrives the cut changes slowly instead of looking shaggy overnight. If you want the disconnected look, with a clear break, say so, because many men assume a fade is included by default. If you want something more conservative than either, with a short, neat top that is easy to part, see how to ask for an Ivy League haircut.
For men over 50, a faded undercut with a shorter top is a handy way to look current without a big change, and our guide to fade haircuts for men over 50 goes deeper on gray hair and thinning.
What does an undercut high fade look like?
An undercut high fade starts the blend high on the sides, near the temple and above the ears. The sides are very short and the top is longer, so the contrast is stronger than with a low fade.
It suits men who want a bold, modern look and have a good head shape, and it pairs with a slick back, a quiff or a textured top. The cost is upkeep. The high start leaves little room for growth, so the cut looks tired sooner. Plan on every two to three weeks if you want it sharp.
The high fade is also the starting point for the high top fade, where the top is built up taller and squared off. If you are choosing between heights, remember that a high fade shows more skin and more scalp, so it calls for good sun care in summer.
What is a bald fade undercut?
A bald fade undercut fades the sides all the way down to bare skin, with a longer top left on. The bald fade is also called a skin fade because the bottom of the fade ends in zero length, achieved with a foil shaver or a zero gap clipper.
It is the sharpest version of the cut and the most demanding. Skin shows every hair that grows in, so the fade softens in about a week and a half. It suits men who like a clean, graphic shape and who can get back to the chair often. We offer skin fades as part of our $35 fade haircut.
If you want the same bald finish in the beard, ask for the beard to fade into skin too, and mention it when you book so the barber plans the time. A combined look is easiest to keep when the haircut and beard are done in the same visit.
How often should you refresh a beard fade, and what to do between visits?
Plan on a visit every two to three weeks for a beard fade, and sooner for a skin finish. The cheeks and neck grow in first, and the blend loses definition before the length on the chin does.
Between visits, wash the beard, keep the cheeks moisturized and avoid hacking at the neckline yourself. A rushed shave in the wrong place leaves redness and can cut into the fade. If you get irritation, our guide on beard burn explains how to calm it. The question of mid fades comes up often: a mid fade usually starts around the temple and lasts about two to three weeks before the sides look shaggy.
Doing a high fade yourself
It is possible, but hard. You need clippers, a full set of guards and a lot of patience for the blending. Most men who try it at home end up booking a barber to fix the line. Cutting the top yourself and leaving the fade to someone with a steady hand is the more realistic split.
Get your beard fade at Deja Vu in Murray Hill
Deja Vu Barbershop is at 101 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016, between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue, serving Murray Hill, Kips Bay, Midtown East, Gramercy, NoMad and Turtle Bay. We are open Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 5pm, closed Saturday. Walk ins are always welcome and you can book online.
Our barbers are New York State licensed with 15+ years of experience on the team, and our tools and stations are sanitized. Call (212) 576-1062 or use our contact details to ask about a beard fade, then start from our fade haircuts to pick your height.
Questions readers ask
How long does a mid fade last?
About two to three weeks before the sides and neckline start to look grown in. A line up in between can stretch it a little.
Where does a mid fade start?
Around the middle of the sides, roughly level with the temple. It sits between the low fade and the high fade.
How do I achieve a mid fade haircut?
Ask for a mid fade, name the bottom as skin or a number 1 and give the top length. Your barber blends the sides up to that height.
How do I give myself a high fade?
You need clippers, all the guards and a mirror system for the back. Most men do the top themselves and leave the blend to a barber, because the fade line is hard to see on your own head.
What is a high and tight fade?
A very short cut with a high fade on the sides and a short top, often a number 2 or 3. It is a clean, conservative look.
Does a beard fade work with a patchy beard?
Yes. Fading the cheeks to a short length hides thin spots and leaves the fuller chin hair as the feature.