Women
Tapered Curly Top With Skin-Faded Sides
- Difficulty
- INTERMEDIATE
- Hair Type
- Tight coils, short natural
What it is
A short natural cut with the curl pattern left full and picked out through the top and crown, then dropped hard into faded sides that go down to skin over the ear. The transition sits low and follows the head shape, so the curls sit as a rounded crown above a clean, close side. Baby hair at the temple is left laid rather than shaved off, softening the front edge of the fade.
Who it suits
Suits tight coils with real spring, and it gives you a short cut that still shows curl definition rather than reading as a buzz. The close sides take weight off if your hair swells wide at the temples. A good option if you want a low-effort wash-and-go you can actually leave the house in.
How to ask for it
Ask for the top and crown left natural, scissor-shaped only, one to two inches. Take the sides to skin at the bottom and blend up to a 1.5, dropping the line just above the ear. Ask the barber to leave the edges at the temple soft and lay the baby hair instead of lining it out.
Upkeep
Refresh curls with water and leave-in every morning, sleep on satin. Every three weeks the sides need to be taken back down; the top can go longer between shapes.
