The perfect fade. That’s the real ticket to barbering success. But why?
A fade–and a really well-done fade, at that– is more than just a sweet look your clients will be proud to rock; it’s the ultimate test of a badass barber.
Sure, you can be top-notch at styling a beard. You could offer all the skills when it comes to men’s trends. You could even be a stunner when it comes to working with natural hair.
But the real testament to a barber’s skills is their ability to create a killer fade. Why? Because a fade is one of those effortlessly cool looks that everyone wants–but they take a whole heck of a lot more effort than they appear to.
You know what we mean, right? It’s one of those looks that looks cool AF but takes a whole lot of work to get there.
Which leads us to the question–what are your fade skills looking like, huh?
Don’t worry; we’re not here to judge. We’re just here to help (that’s kind of our thing).
So, if you’re struggling with crafting a fade that can’t be compared, you’re going to want to start right here. We’re dropping tips that every barber needs to know to take their fades to new heights.
Trust us, you’ll thank us after you read and absorb some of this must-know info–and so will your clients.
The Top Tips for Creating Better Fades for Your Clients
Know Where You’re Going with It
This might seem like silly advice if this is something you already do, but if you’re not focusing on the fade from the start of the cut, you’re missing out on some serious potential.
Try your best to picture the finished product before you even start. Then focus on where the fade will start and blend up.
This simple trick will take your fades even further–trust us.
Parallel Lines Are Your Friends
Think of your parallel lines as your guiding light.
These guide zones should run parallel to each other so you can focus on a blurred finish, which, in our opinion, is the ultimate sign of a solid fade. The goal of the fade is to make it seamless and effortless, but like, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to put in a lot of technique and detailed effort, of course.
Started from the Top, and Now We’re Here
Nothin’ wrong with starting from the bottom to get to the top of your career, but when it comes to fades, we want to start from the top.
This means you’re going to want to start with the skin fade first. Blend out the rest of that guide zone you carefully developed, and then take a closed clipper further down the head for that ultimate, effortless finish that’s totally seamless.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get Detailed
Yeah, a fade is all about looking cool AF, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be detailed when you’re making it happen.
You know what we mean, right? It’s gotta look like you didn’t try at all–but in reality, you tried really hard. That’s kind of the basis of the perfect fade, you know?
Detailed lines are going to be the bread-and-butter of a killer fade, so try to get skilled at offering custom designs, detailed looks, and amazing line work. Our advice? Make sure you’ve got awesome tools to make this happen–if you don’t, all that skill will go to waste.
Clean-Up Crew
A tight, cleaned-up neckline is a must for an excellent fade. Try to make sure that the neckline is as seamless and clean as possible.
Do you have a client with a visible nature hairline even after you’ve used both clippers and trimmers?
Opt for a shaver to help take that blend to totally new heights. Can you say seamless finish? We can!
Love this fade advice? We’re glad to hear it. Do you want some even better news? We’re dropping helpful information like this at all times-that means you won’t want to miss it. And you don’t have to.
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