Clear, sharp, and endlessly versatile, a temple fade is the low-key element that may utterly rework a person’s haircut. Whether or not paired with a crop, an afro, a quiff or dreads—it elevates the whole lot it touches.
Temple fades (often known as ‘temp fades’ or ‘Brooklyn fades’) have edged their manner into barbershop royalty, and for good cause. They add construction to softer types, edge to longer seems, and polish to just about the whole lot in between. It’s the sort of minimize that tells the world you realize precisely what you’re doing—even once you don’t.
So, what precisely is it?
What Is a Temple Fade?
A temple fade is a taper-style haircut the place the hair progressively fades out across the temples and sideburns, generally dipping behind the ears. In contrast to a excessive fade or pores and skin fade that climbs up the perimeters of the top, the temple fade retains issues tight and exact, focusing its fade across the temples and neckline.
It’s a exact artwork—executed effectively, the fade transitions seamlessly from hair to pores and skin, with an ultra-clean end across the ears and sideburns. It may be paired with virtually any haircut on prime: waves, curls, pompadours, buzz cuts, and even longer textured types.
Briefly, it’s the element that makes a haircut look intentional.
Key Traits
- Tapered fade centered on the temples and sideburns
- Clear, tight edges with sharp outlines
- Works with each brief and medium/lengthy types on prime
- Provides distinction and construction to any minimize
Who Does the Temple Fade Go well with?
The beauty of the temple fade is that it’s democratic. It doesn’t care in case your hair’s curly, unruly or straight, in case your jawline may minimize glass or cushion clouds. What issues is the execution—and barber.
Face Shapes
- Oval: Works with just about something. Contemplate this your inexperienced mild.
- Sq.: The sharp strains of a temple fade spotlight that robust jaw.
- Spherical: The tight fade provides construction, making a extra angular silhouette.
- Diamond/Triangle: Retains issues balanced, particularly with quantity on prime.
Hair Varieties
- Curly: Temple fades pair superbly with quantity and texture.
- Wavy: Nice for distinction and motion.
- Straight: Retains clear strains, particularly with pompadours, crops or slick-backs.
- Afro-textured: The temple fade enhances form and precision and is vastly well-liked in black hairstyles.
6 Temple Fade Haircuts to Strive
The Pure Crop Temple Fade
Low effort, excessive affect. This temple fade retains issues pure on prime with a tousled/messy texture, whereas the perimeters keep sharp and structured. It’s a contemporary tackle the French crop—however with a fade that doesn’t scream for consideration. Suppose refined confidence, not company polish.
This type works particularly effectively in case your hair has a little bit of wave or curl. The feel provides quantity with no need fixed styling, and the temple fade carves in simply sufficient definition to maintain issues clear.
Greatest For
The way to ask your barber
“Maintain the highest pure with loads of texture and sufficient size to mess it up a bit. Then I’d like a temple fade that’s tight across the edges however not too excessive. Go away the perimeter lengthy sufficient to put on ahead or pushed up.”
How To Type
Use matte clay or a sea salt spray to spice up texture. Tough dry with fingers—not a brush—for a superbly imperfect end.
The Comb Over Temple Fade
The gentleman’s alternative—with a contemporary improve. This temple fade is paired with a crisp facet parting or comb-over to ship timeless type with a pointy up to date twist. The temple fade retains issues tight and tailor-made, giving the standard silhouette a clear, fashionable taper on the edges.
Whether or not slicked down with product or left with a little bit of pure wave, this one’s all about distinction: modern up prime, pale on the sides. Perfect for many who like a minimize that works from the boardroom to the bar with zero effort.
Greatest For
- Hair Kind: Straight to wavy hair
- Face Form: Sq., oval or spherical (the peak and facet parting assist elongate the face)
The way to ask your barber
“Maintain size on prime for a comb-over with an outlined facet half. I desire a clear temple fade—tight across the ears and tapered out cleanly. Mix the fade easily into the highest with out going too excessive.”
For a recent assertion end, you would ask for a razor half to actually outline the comb-over.
How To Type
Use a pomade or styling cream for maintain with a slight shine. Comb by way of when damp and let it set naturally. For extra quantity, add a root enhance powder to damp hair then use a blow-dryer and vent brush.
The Pompadour Temple Fade
The pompadour temple fade is what occurs when old-school cool meets precision grooming. It’s large on quantity, however good on element—longer hair swept again with physique and shine, balanced by a clear fade across the temples for that crisp, fashionable edge.
That is the sort of minimize that turns heads on the street and earns nods within the workplace. Trendy with out shouting, assured with out attempting too arduous.
Greatest For
- Hair Kind: Straight or wavy hair with a little bit of pure thickness
- Face Form: Sq., spherical or oval (the peak provides stability)
The way to ask your barber
“I desire a traditional pompadour or swept-back type with size left on prime—sufficient for quantity. Maintain the fade tight across the temples and sideburns, however not too excessive. Taper it neatly into the neckline.”
You’ll get bonus factors in case you request a slight drop fade across the again for a softer end.
How To Type
Blow dry your hair again utilizing a spherical brush to create raise, then set it with a medium-to-high maintain pomade. For a matte end, go for a clay or paste. Both manner, quantity is your finest good friend right here.
The Afro Temple Fade
Daring shaping meets clear edges. The Afro temple fade blends the pure quantity and texture of Afro hair with razor-sharp detailing on the temples. It’s a celebration of texture and id, whereas nonetheless maintaining issues sculpted and exact.
From rounded silhouettes to tight coils with a squared-up hairline, this minimize places the highlight on pure curls—permitting the fade to border the form, not battle it. It’s a timeless type with fashionable finesse.
Greatest For
- Hair Kind: Afro-textured or tightly coiled hair
- Face Form: Oval, sq., or spherical (the peak and construction add stability)
The way to ask your barber
“I need to maintain the pure form of my afro, rounded or barely squared. Add a clear temple fade across the edges—tight on the sideburns and tapered into the neckline. Maintain the hairline sharp and outlined.”
For extra construction, ask for a shaped-up hairline and non-compulsory parting so as to add element.
How To Type
Use a leave-in moisturiser or curl cream to maintain coils hydrated and outlined. A daily shape-up each couple of weeks will maintain the fade and features crisp.
The Curly Temple Fade
Curls with construction—that’s the candy spot. A temple fade paired with pure curls is like placing a body on a masterpiece. The perimeters keep neat and sculpted, letting the curls on prime do their factor—whether or not that’s tight coils or looser, tousled ringlets.
This minimize leans into texture however retains it wanting sharp, not scruffy. Whether or not you’ve bought naturally outlined curls or a little bit of frizz and bounce, the temple fade provides your hair an effortlessly cool polished distinction.
Greatest For
- Hair Kind: Curly, coily or wavy hair
- Face Form: Oval, spherical or triangle (the peak and width work wonders for stability)
The way to ask your barber
“Go away my curls longer and pure on prime—simply formed a bit. I desire a temple fade to wash up the perimeters and across the ears. Mix the fade easily, however maintain the curl definition on prime.”
For further aptitude, ask your barber to form the curls barely ahead right into a free fringe or depart them excessive for extra quantity.
How To Type
Use a curl-defining cream or leave-in conditioner to boost texture and cut back frizz. Let your hair air dry or diffuse it gently. Much less warmth, extra bounce.
The Buzz Minimize Temple Fade
No-nonsense, all type. The thrill minimize with a temple fade is about as low-maintenance as a haircut will get—however don’t let that idiot you. Add a pointy temple fade, and this navy staple all of the sudden turns into fashionable, sharp and critically slick.
Whether or not you’ve bought straight hair, coarse curls or need to rock waves, this type retains issues tight and tidy with a fade that provides form with out fluff.
Greatest For
- Hair Kind: All hair varieties—straight, wavy, curly, Afro-textured
- Face Form: Oval, sq. or rectangular (clear strains add symmetry)
The way to ask your barber
“I desire a buzz minimize throughout—brief however not skin-level—and a clear temple fade across the sides. Maintain the fade clean into the beard or neckline. Line me up across the brow for definition.”
If you wish to put on waves, ask for sufficient size on prime to keep up the sample, and request a clear shape-up to border the waves.
How To Type
For waves: brush day by day and use a durag in a single day to coach the sample. For a traditional buzz minimize: apply a bit moisturiser or scalp oil to maintain issues wholesome and flake-free. In any other case, this one virtually types itself.
