Taper
Loose Curl Drop Taper
- Difficulty
- INTERMEDIATE
- Hair Type
- loose open curl, medium density
What it is
Loose, open curls sit full on top and fall forward over the forehead in a soft fringe. Rather than a full fade, the sides are taken down as a taper that drops behind the ear, curving down and back so the shortest point sits low at the nape. The taper never goes bald; it stays a shadow, which keeps the whole shape soft. The curl on top is left long and cut with scissors only.
Who it suits
Suits loose, open curl or strong wave with enough length to fall. A good option if you want short sides without the hard contrast of a skin fade. The drop line follows the head shape, so it flatters a longer face and keeps weight low at the back.
How to ask for it
Ask for a drop taper, not a fade: 1 guard at the bottom, dropping behind the ear and curving down toward the nape. Blend it up with a 2 into the curl. Top scissor-cut only, left three to four inches with the fringe kept forward. No thinning shears through the curl.
Upkeep
Four weeks; the taper grows out gracefully. Apply curl cream to soaking-wet hair, scrunch upward, and either diffuse on low or leave it to dry.
