Beard
Bald Top with Faded Nape and Chin-Heavy Beard
- Difficulty
- INTERMEDIATE
- Hair Type
- coarse beard, shaved scalp
What it is
Top and sides are taken smooth, but the growth at the nape and behind the ear is faded down instead of shaved off, giving a dark base at the back of the head that grounds the shape. The beard is kept short across the cheek and jaw, then allowed real length at the chin where a grey patch sits. Cheek lines are cleaned but not squared. The contrast between the bright bare crown and the darker faded nape is the defining feature.
Who it suits
Works for anyone shaving the head who does not want the flat, uniform look of a full razor shave. Any beard texture will do provided the chin grows in solid. Best on square and diamond faces, where the chin length softens a hard jaw. If your nape growth is sparse there is nothing to fade and you may as well shave straight through.
How to ask for it
Ask for the top and sides razored bald, but leave the back and nape and fade it from a half guard down to skin around the ear. For the beard, keep the cheeks tight at a 1, let the chin run long, and clean the cheek line without squaring the corners.
Upkeep
Shave the top every two or three days, back into the barber every three weeks for the nape fade. Chin length needs a scissor tidy monthly.
