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Fades With Beards: Taper, Burst, Drop and Skin Fade Guides

A haircut and beard meet at the sideburn, but that connection does not have to look the same on every face. Decide how much contrast you want there, how long the beard should stay and whether the two outlines should blend or remain visibly separate.

This collection covers beard pairings with low, mid and high tapers as well as burst, drop and skin fades. Use the individual guides to compare the outline, prepare a barber brief and understand what needs maintaining between visits.

Guides in this section

6 articles
BeardSkin fade with beard — the sides and back faded down to bare skin, with the sideburn blending into a shaped, fuller beard at the cheek and jaw.

Skin Fade With Beard: Best Styles, Blending & Barber Tips

A skin fade with beard takes the sides to bare skin while the beard stays on, meeting at the sideburn. Choose low, mid or high, a connected or disconnected sideburn and the beard length, then brief your barber and keep it sharp.

16 min read
BeardDrop fade with beard — a fade curving down behind the ear, carried through the sideburn into a shaped, connected beard.

Drop Fade With Beard: Best Styles, Blending & Barber Guide

A drop fade with beard curves the fade down behind the ear and meets the beard at the sideburn. Which fade height suits your beard, six combinations to show your barber, how the sideburn blend is cut, the six-detail barber request, upkeep and bump-safe finishes.

16 min read
Burst FadeBurst fade with beard — a fade curving in a half-circle around the ear and carried down the sideburn into a trimmed beard.

Burst Fade with Beard: How to Cut, Blend & Keep It Sharp

A burst fade with beard curves around the ear and carries the same gradient through the sideburns into the beard, so hair and facial hair read as one shape. How to cut it, blend it, pick a height for your beard density and keep the join sharp.

14 min read
BeardHigh taper fade with beard — the graduation starting high above the temple and running through the sideburn into a shaped beard.

High Taper Fade With Beard: Barber Guide, Styles & Upkeep

A high taper fade with beard sets the short graduation high on the temples and shapes the beard to meet it. How it compares to a high fade, the five-point barber brief, the best combinations, upkeep, and keeping the beard lines irritation-free.

10 min read
BeardMid taper fade with beard — the taper starting around the mid-temple and carrying through the sideburn into a beard trimmed closer at the cheek and fuller toward the jaw.

Mid Taper Fade With Beard: Styles, Photos & Barber Guide

A mid taper fade with beard carries the mid-temple taper through the sideburn into a beard trimmed to graduate out of it. The six combinations worth knowing, how it compares to a low taper and a mid fade, the five-point barber brief, styling, and upkeep.

11 min read
BeardLow taper fade with beard — the taper kept low around the temples, ears, and nape with the sideburn stepping down into a connected beard.

Low Taper Fade With Beard: 12 Styles & Photos

What the cut is, 12 style combinations by top length and beard type, who it suits, exactly what to ask your barber, how barbers blend the sideburn into the beard, and the honest three-part maintenance.

11 min read
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Other sections of the blog

Taper Fade Basics

54 guides

Low Taper Fade

47 guides

Mid Taper Fade

24 guides

High Taper Fade

15 guides

Curly & Textured Hair

26 guides

Straight & Fine Hair

17 guides

Beards & Statement Cuts

26 guides

Burst Fades

15 guides

Drop Fades

12 guides

Fringe Haircuts

6 guides

Haircut Comparisons

12 guides

Lengths & Styling

13 guides
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