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How To Maintain A Fade: 5 Salon Tips In Managing Black Hair

Last Updated on: September 29, 2022

Whether it’s high, mid, or low fade, haircuts will never go out of style. The fade hairstyle has been a fad for years, and that is because it looks exceptional on older men, young guys, and boys. When done correctly, any fade haircut will leave you feeling like flying when you leave the barbershop; after all, your face looks great.

Unfortunately…

Maintaining a fade can be quite challenging, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing or have never had this haircut before. So if you want to keep magic produced by the fresh-cut going for a few days, you need to learn how to touch up a fade at home.

How to Maintain a Fade Haircut?

Thanks to your new fade hairstyle, there is no greater feeling than getting a fresh fade haircut and looking sharp every day. And the only way your fade can look fresh is through proper maintenance. After all, normal haircuts require regular care, but fade haircuts demand extra supervision. 

Plus, with the different fade hairstyles available, you have different options to try. But one of the scariest things for any man is looking at their fade in the mirror after a few days only to realize that the magic is no longer there.

Luckily, there are ways you can keep your fade looking fresh for a very long time or between visits to the barbershop. After all, your fade does need some attention to remain clean and sharp. So here are a few tips on proven fade haircut maintenance tips that can leave you looking fresh all day long:

1. Sharpen the Fade’s Edges

Generally, a perfect fade can only last for between 3 to 5 days, but you can keep your fade looking fresh for a few more days with a new razor. To keep your fade fresh until your next visit to the barbershop, you need to learn how to touch up a fade at home.

This means taking your usual straight razor and cleaning up all the messy parts. You can carefully shape up the predefined line and make the edges sharper.

On top of that, you have to make sure you focus on three other key regions while taking care of your haircut: eyebrow hair, ear hair, and neck hair. After all, no one needs some extra strands running their beloved fade haircut. 

If you learn how to use the razor correctly, you can avoid frequent visits to the barbershop and save both time and money. Shaving using a razor is the simplest and most effective method for taking care of your fade cut.

A comb and beard trimmer can also help you with hair care, but your hair type will play a key role in determining the right tools for you.

2. Purchase the Right Hair Products

Hair Products
Hair Products

The second thing you have to know when learning how to touch up a fade at home is that the wrong product can cause severe damage to the haircut. Therefore, you should invest in great products that can help nourish the hair without using too many chemicals. 

Look for a shampoo that can make your hair smooth and healthy while promoting collagen production. Use a product with ingredients that work perfectly with treated hair.

The right product can prolong and pronounce your exceptional fade haircut.

3. Lower the Likelihood of Heat Damage

Most of us love a bit of drying, curling, and ironing; unfortunately, all these come at a huge cost. Too much heat when curling or ironing your hair can cause hair damage. 

If you have to style your hair using a hot tool, you should use a heat protectant.

A heat protectant works just like sunscreen; therefore, it’s crucial that you apply some before and after styling your hair.

4. Don’t Over-Brush Your Hair

Overbrushing Hair

When you get a fade haircut, the hair on top of your head is very special; therefore, you have to be very careful when brushing it. 

After all, over-brushing your fade hair strands can weaken them while causing split ends.

Plus, when grooming your low-fade haircut, the last thing you’ll ever need is to deal with hair breakage. Therefore, you should focus more on the quality of your brushing and not the duration.

5. Visit the Barbershop for a Haircut

Barber and Customer

Despite doing everything humanly possible to take care of your fade, the best solution for keeping it sharp is by getting a haircut. After all, a razor has its limits, especially when it comes to sharpening the edges of your fade haircut. 

A barbershop visit is mandatory if you need your haircut to look fresh, but you still have to learn how to maintain a fade haircut at home.

In fact, experts recommend that you should get a haircut once every 2 to 3 weeks if you want to prevent hair damage and avoid split ends


What Is the Best Style of Fade for Black Men?

While the classic fade, with a masculine, minimalist look, originated from the military, today’s fades express various personalities. Some of the most popular fades among black men include:

1. Taper Fade

There is no fade more subtle than the taper fade. The barber keeps the hair longer while gradually transitioning to shorter hair. 

Taper fade looks more mature, classic, and clean-cut than the other skin fades. You can easily pair a taper haircut with an afro to add frame and structure to your hairstyle.

2. High Fade

A high fade is the most striking and boldest fade style available. Starting on your head, right on top of the temples, the high fade creates a masculine, cool, and crisp effect. 

High fades make your face look longer, making it ideal for guys with square or round faces. You can use high fades to give your afro and dreads shape.

3. Low Fade

Low fades begin above the ears before fading down to the neck. A sophisticated and stylish low fade can be a versatile cut ideal for folks looking for an understated look. So if you have never tried this haircut, then you should start with a low fade.

4. Mid Fade 

The mid fade is an all-rounder style that starts between a temp and low fade. Mid fades are more defined than the others but with sharper contrast between the short sections and long hair to create a semi-undercut look. A mid-fade haircut can be a great option for updating a Mohawk.

5. Skin Fade

A skin fade haircut is ideal for guys with afro-textured hair looking for a way to shape their style. The skin fade will leave you with sharper cheekbones and jawline. It will give you a masculine look that doesn’t require styling.

6. Bald Fade

A bald fade haircut is a skin fade that tapers to clean shaved skin. Therefore, it requires more upkeep since you’ll make more trips to the barbershop to remain sharper. Bald fades are more versatile, modern, clean, and sharp. Bald fade can be easily paired with cropped hair.

7. Other Fade Styles

Other fade hairstyles that are ideal for black guys include taper fade haircut, buzz cut, and burst fade. These fade styles can work perfectly on guys with wavy hair or curly hair while improving their face shape, and with the best info on how to maintain a fade, you can look fresh between barber visits. But make sure you pick the right fade style that goes well with the shape of your head.


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Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Difficult to Do My Own Fade?

Fading your hair is an exceptional skill, particularly if you plan on becoming a barber, but it’s not easy. While doing it with a friend may seem simpler, working on your hair in front of a mirror can be a bit challenging. Therefore, we recommend that you get a barber to help you out. After all, you do need sharper-looking facial hair.

Are Fades Popular?

Yes, they are! Ever since they made a comeback, fades have dominated the newer haircuts for the last few years. Moreover, the different fade styles available mean that you can experiment until you find one that works with your hair texture and the shape of your head.

How Often Should I Maintain a High Top Fade?

If you want to keep it ultra-fresh, then you may have the sides and back freshened after every 1 to 2 weeks. But if you want it to grow a bit, then you should leave it for an average of 3 weeks and then have the side and back freshened.


Conclusion

Ever since the fade haircuts made a comeback, they have dominated the latest haircuts. Fades work perfectly on both long and short hair. It works for people of all ages, and with the different types of fades available, you can get an option that works for you.

But going to the barbershop every week for a haircut can be quite costly; therefore, you need to maintain your haircut. Luckily, taking care of a fade isn’t hard; you can remain sharp for a few more days with the right tools and certain hair products.

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