Taper
Low Drop Fade With Sponge-Coiled Top
- Difficulty
- INTERMEDIATE
- Hair Type
- Dense coily hair, sponge defined
What it is
Short, evenly defined coils across the top, the kind you get from working a curl sponge over a dense grow-out, giving a uniform beaded texture rather than loose curl clumps. The top is left rounded and low profile. Below it a fade drops as it moves back, running from a shadow at the temple down under the ear, with the transition into the coils kept smooth. A trimmer line squares the front and the beard is faded to match.
Who it suits
Best for dense coily hair that has grown out an inch or two, which is the length a sponge needs to bite. It gives definition to hair that would otherwise sit as an undefined mass. The low dropped line keeps the head shape rounded, which flatters a squarer skull.
How to ask for it
Ask for a low drop fade: skin at the bottom blending to a 1.5, dropping behind the ear. Leave the top at its natural grow-out and have the barber avoid clippering it so the coils stay intact. Sharp squared line-up at the front, and ask for the beard faded into the sideburn.
Upkeep
Sponge the top after every wash while the hair is damp, then oil it. Fade and line-up every two weeks; skip the top with clippers or you lose the coil definition.
