Low Taper Fade for Curly Hair: Blowout, Sponge or Natural
The low taper fade is the curly hair cut that does the least and shows the most. The curls stay, the edges go, and the way you wear the top, blown out, sponged or left natural, changes the whole look without changing the cut.
In short: a low taper fade on curly hair blends the sideburns and the neckline from skin or a 0 guard up about an inch into the curls, finishing at a 2 on coils or a 3 on looser curls, and leaves everything else at its natural length. It is cut as a fade at $30 or a taper at $25 at Lilacroix Barbers in Laurelton. Here is how to wear it, how to keep the curls hydrated, and how to make it last.
What a low taper fade is on curly hair
A low taper fade cleans the perimeter and nothing else. The blend starts at skin at the sideburn and the nape, climbs about an inch, and stops, so the curls on the sides and the top keep their length. A low fade, by comparison, takes the whole side down short at ear level, and a high taper climbs to the temple.
Curly hair wants this cut for two reasons. Curls need length to show their pattern, and the low taper keeps the most length of any fade. And curly hair at the sideburns and neck grows in every direction and looks untidy within days, so the one place the taper cuts is the one place that needs it. The result is defined curls with a sharp edge, which is the look most men bring in a photo of, and it is listed as the fade on our services page. Our guide to the taper fade for curly hair covers the guard numbers for each curl pattern; this post is about wearing and keeping the cut.
Blowout, sponge or natural: three ways to wear the top
The same low taper gives you three styles depending on what you do with the top in the morning. None of them takes more than five minutes.
Blown out
A blow dryer on low or medium with a pick attachment, pulling the curls up and out from the roots, gives the top height and a looser, fuller texture. A light cream before the dryer and a drop of oil after keep it from drying out. This is the biggest look and it suits round faces. If you want the barber to build the cut around it, read about the blowout taper.
Sponged
A curl sponge rubbed in small circles over damp hair with a curl cream or gel twists the curls into tight, even coils. It works best on 4A to 4C hair at half an inch to two inches, and it is the fastest way to a neat, defined top.
Natural
Wet the curls, work in a leave in conditioner and a light gel, scrunch, and let them air dry without touching them. The curls fall where they want and the taper keeps the edges clean. This suits 3A to 4A patterns best and it is the lowest effort of the three.
Curl care and hydration
Hydrated curls hold their shape, shine and bounce. Dry curls frizz, shrink and break at the ends. Everything in curly hair care comes back to moisture.
- Wash once or twice a week with a sulfate free shampoo, no more.
- Deep condition once a week for 5 to 10 minutes under a cap.
- Apply a leave in conditioner or curl cream to damp hair every morning.
- Seal with a few drops of a light oil, and put one drop on the taper so the short hair does not look ashy.
- Refresh midweek with a spray bottle of water instead of a full wash.
Heavy pomades, waxes and anything with petroleum sit on curls, flake white and block moisture, so stay with water based creams and gels. If the scalp under the curls is dry or flaking, a scalp treatment in the chair cleans and refreshes it, and a scalp that keeps flaking after that is a question for a dermatologist rather than another product.
Nighttime protection
Most of the damage to a curly taper happens on the pillow. Cotton pulls moisture out of the curls and rubs them into frizz, and sleeping on one side flattens the top.
A satin lined durag, a bonnet or a satin pillowcase fixes all three. Put it on over dry or nearly dry hair, and in the morning a spray of water and a shake or a sponge brings the curls back. Men who blow out the top can keep the height for two or three days by sleeping in a loose satin cap rather than a tight durag.
Maintenance and regular trims
The taper needs the barber every two to three weeks, and the curls on top need a trim every four to six weeks so the ends stay healthy and the shape holds.
| Service | How often | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Fade with a low taper | Every 2 to 3 weeks | $30 |
| Taper only | Every 2 to 3 weeks | $25 |
| Line up between cuts | Week 1 or 2 after the cut | $16 |
| Shear trim on the curls | Every 4 to 6 weeks, with the cut | Included in the cut |
| Kids cut with a low taper | Every 3 weeks | $20 |
A low taper looks sharp for two weeks and clean for three. The line up fades first, so a $16 line up at the halfway point keeps the hairline crisp between full cuts. Leave the edges alone in between; a household clipper at the sideburn leaves a notch for two weeks.
Mistakes to avoid
The low taper is hard to get wrong in the chair and easy to get wrong at home. These are the ones we see most.
- Letting a guard touch the curls on top. The top is shear work.
- Washing every day, which strips the oil and turns the curls to frizz.
- Heavy product, which clumps curls and flakes in the taper.
- Blow drying on high heat every morning, which loosens the pattern over months.
- Brushing dry curls, which breaks the pattern. Use fingers or a wide tooth comb on wet hair.
- Sleeping without a durag or satin cap.
- Waiting five weeks, when the taper is gone and the barber starts over.
If the curls look flat or dull even with the routine above, the ends are probably dry and need a trim, not more product.
Why the chair beats the bathroom mirror
A low taper on curly hair is a precision cut on a texture that hides mistakes until it dries. A barber who cuts curls every day shapes the top stretched, checks it dry, and blends the taper into the curl pattern instead of across it.
The chair also gives you things a mirror cannot: a line up from behind, a neckline you cannot see, a razor line at the beard, and a scalp treatment or shampoo and conditioning when the curls need it. Two weeks between visits is enough for most men, and a kid on the same schedule is $20.
Get your low taper at Lilacroix Barbers in Laurelton
Lilacroix Barbers is at 232-12 Merrick Blvd in Laurelton, Queens. Walk ins are welcome seven days a week, and you can call (718) 749-5800 to check the wait. Hours are Monday to Thursday 7:30 AM to 7 PM, Friday and Saturday 7 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday 7 AM to 5 PM.
The Q5, Q86 and Q87 stop at Merrick Boulevard and 233rd Street outside, and the QM63 and QM65 express buses stop there too. The fade is $30, the taper $25 and the line up $16; the full list is on our services page.
Questions readers ask
Can I blow out a low taper fade?
Yes. The taper is at the edges and the top is untouched, so a blow dryer on low with a pick gives the curls height. A light cream before and a drop of oil after keep them from drying out.
How long does a low taper fade last on curly hair?
About two weeks sharp and three weeks clean. A $16 line up at the halfway point keeps the hairline crisp until the next $30 fade.
What products should I use on a curly low taper?
A sulfate free shampoo, a weekly deep conditioner, a daily leave in conditioner or curl cream, a light oil, and a water based gel if you want definition. Skip heavy pomades and waxes.
Should I sleep with a durag on a curly taper?
A satin lined durag, bonnet or pillowcase keeps the curls from frizzing and the top from flattening. Put it on over dry or nearly dry hair.