20 Curly Taper Fade Haircut Ideas for Men
Twenty curly taper fade variations, plus the instruction that saves the cut — scissors on top, clippers below. Cutting curls with clippers removes the curl pattern along with the length.
In this article · 27
- What Is a Curly Taper Fade?
- How to Choose Your Curly Taper Fade
- The 20 Curly Taper Fade Ideas
- 1. Classic Curly Low Taper
- 2. Curly Mid Taper Fade
- 3. Curly Burst Fade
- 4. Curly Taper with a Line-Up
- 5. Curly Taper with a Drop Fade
- 6. Curly Top with a Skin Taper
- 7. Curly Taper with a Middle Part
- 8. Short Curly Taper
- 9. Curly Taper with a Beard Blend
- 10. High-Volume Curly Taper
- 11. Curly Taper on 2C Waves
- 12. Curly Taper on 3B Curls
- 13. Curly Taper on 4A Coils
- 14. Curly Taper with a Hard Part
- 15. Curly Fringe with a Taper
- 16. Curly Taper with a Twist-Out Top
- 17. Curly Taper with a Sponge-Twist Finish
- 18. Curly Taper for Thick Density
- 19. Curly Taper Grown Out Deliberately
- 20. Curly Taper with a Tapered Neckline
- How to Style and Maintain a Curly Taper Fade
- Mistakes to Avoid
- FAQ
- Final Thoughts
Curly hair and fades work together beautifully, and the one instruction that decides whether it works is about tools rather than length: scissors above the fade line, clippers below it.
What Is a Curly Taper Fade?
A taper fade with the top left long enough for the curl pattern to show. The faded section is cut with clippers; the top is cut with scissors, curl by curl, so each spring keeps its shape.
How to Choose Your Curly Taper Fade
Say "scissors on top". It is the single most useful thing you can tell a barber who has not cut your hair before.
Allow for shrinkage. Curls lose 20 to 50 percent of their apparent length when dry. Ask for the cut on dry hair, or ask for more length than looks right while wet.
Go low or mid, not high. Curl volume on top needs some width at the sides to balance it. A high fade can leave the head reading top-heavy.
Bring a photo of dry, styled hair. A photo of wet curls tells your barber nothing useful.
The 20 Curly Taper Fade Ideas
1. Classic Curly Low Taper
Full curls on top, a 1 to 3 low taper below. The most wearable version.
2. Curly Mid Taper Fade
Blend level with the temple. Takes width out where curls tend to flare.
3. Curly Burst Fade
The fade arcs around the ear, leaving curl length at the back. Popular with a curly mullet.
4. Curly Taper with a Line-Up
Razored front edge against soft curls. High contrast, and it needs a fortnightly touch-up.
5. Curly Taper with a Drop Fade
The line curves down behind the ear, echoing the round shape of the curl mass.
6. Curly Top with a Skin Taper
Maximum contrast between bare skin and full curl. Striking, and strictly fortnightly.
7. Curly Taper with a Middle Part
Curls parted centrally over a low taper. The curl does most of the styling for you.
8. Short Curly Taper
An inch and a half on top. Defined, low effort, and the easiest curly cut to maintain.
9. Curly Taper with a Beard Blend
Curl on top, taper at the sides, blended into a beard. Needs a skilled hand at the jaw.
10. High-Volume Curly Taper
Three inches or more of curl above a low taper. The most dramatic silhouette here.
11. Curly Taper on 2C Waves
Looser wave pattern with a clean taper. The taper stops waves widening at the perimeter.
12. Curly Taper on 3B Curls
Springy defined curls, mid taper. The most photographed combination of the lot.
13. Curly Taper on 4A Coils
Tight coils with a low taper. The taper defines a perimeter that coils naturally blur.
14. Curly Taper with a Hard Part
A razored line through curl. Only works if the curl is dense enough to hold the line open.
15. Curly Fringe with a Taper
Curls falling forward over the forehead above a clean taper.
16. Curly Taper with a Twist-Out Top
Twisted and released for definition, taper at the sides. Two-day prep, week-long payoff.
17. Curly Taper with a Sponge-Twist Finish
Sponge-twisted coils above a low taper. Adds uniform definition to shorter coils.
18. Curly Taper for Thick Density
Interior thinning under the curl mass with a taper below. Removes weight without touching the outline.
19. Curly Taper Grown Out Deliberately
Three weeks past the cut, with the taper softening into the curl. Some of the best-looking versions are the grown-out ones.
20. Curly Taper with a Tapered Neckline
Natural neckline rather than blocked — curls almost never suit a hard squared edge.
How to Style and Maintain a Curly Taper Fade
Apply product to damp hair, not dry — the opposite of straight hair. A curl cream or leave-in raked through, then scrunched, then left alone. Touching curls while they dry is what causes frizz.
Diffuse on low heat or air-dry. Sleep on satin or in a durag to keep the pattern overnight.
Book every three to four weeks. Curl hides grow-out better than straight hair does, so you get an extra week compared with a straight-haired fade.
Mistakes to Avoid
Letting a barber use clippers on top. Every curl gets cut to the same length and the pattern flattens.
Cutting wet without allowing shrinkage. You will leave with far less length than you agreed to.
Brushing dry curls. It separates the clumps into frizz. Fingers or a wide-tooth comb, and only when wet.
A high fade on high-volume curl. The head reads top-heavy. Stay low or mid.
FAQ
Clippers or scissors? Scissors on top, clippers below the fade line.
How much shrinkage? 20 to 50 percent depending on curl type. Cut dry, or leave extra length.
Which fade height? Low or mid. A high fade unbalances curl volume on top.
Final Thoughts
Scissors on top, cut it dry, and stay low or mid. Get those three right and a curly taper is one of the easiest cuts to live with — curl hides grow-out better than any other texture.
See the fade heights compared in low vs high taper fade, the mid version in 20 mid taper fade ideas, and more in Fade Haircuts.
