Two cuts that get mixed up constantly. Here's what actually separates them, and which one to ask for.
A taper fade grades hair down to a short length at the sides and back and stops there. It never reaches skin. A skin fade keeps grading until it's bare, then blends up into the length on top. That's the whole distinction: a taper is short-to-shorter, a skin fade is short-to-nothing. Everything else, the top styling, the part, the texture, sits independently of either fade and can be combined with both.
You want something that still looks tidy three or four weeks in, work somewhere conservative, or you'd rather come in every month than every fortnight. Same price as a skin fade, just less upkeep.
You want maximum contrast against the top, you're happy topping up every two to three weeks, or you're pairing it with a shorter, textured crop.
Tell your barber your job, how often you can realistically get back in the chair, and what you had last time. They'll steer you to the right one.
No, both are £20. The price is the same, so the choice comes down to look and how often you want to come back in.
A taper usually holds its shape a little longer than a high skin fade, since there's no bare-skin line to grow back in. Against a low or mid skin fade, the two are close, around four weeks either way.
Yes. Book the fade (£20) and a beard trim (£13) together as one slot on Booksy.
Both work with curly hair. A taper tends to sit a little softer against curls, while a skin fade gives a sharper frame.
Both £20, at every Crew shop.
Book direct: Isleworth Brentford Whitton Teddington
