You’ve got the photo up before you’ve even sat down: sides cut short and curved around the ear, the back left long. The barber takes one look and asks the question the photo can’t answer. Low, mid or high?
It’s a fair question, because a burst fade comes down to three choices. The curve can sit close to the ear or climb toward the crown. The shortest point, right behind the ear, can go to bare skin or stop at a guard. And the hair at the neck stays long, so you’ll want to say how long.
Below are 25 burst fades cut by working barbers, grouped the way people ask for them: mullets, mohawks, curls, Afro-textured hair, low to high, straight hair and beards. Each one ends with the line to say in the chair, so pick a favorite and read it out.
Burst fade mullets
Textured burst fade mullet
Choppy and piece-y on top, with the length at the back cut into points rather than left heavy. It’s the mullet for straight or slightly wavy hair that won’t curl on its own. Rough-dry it, then work a little clay or texture powder through the ends.
What to ask for Point-cut texture on top, the back kept long but thinned out, burst fade from behind the ear, and a sharp line at the temple.
Curly burst fade mullet
Curls on top, curls at the nape, and bare skin carved round each ear. Barber Style Directory says natural curls give the burst a strong result, because the curly top stands out against the faded sides. Scrunch in a curl cream and leave it alone.
What to ask for Curls kept at about two inches on top and longer at the nape, burst fade to skin behind the ear, and the curl left uncut at the neckline.
Long burst fade mullet
Straight hair grown past the collar and swept back off the face. With this much length at the back, a low burst keeps the contrast soft. Blow-dry it back with a round brush, or finger-dry it for a looser shape.
What to ask for Length past the collar at the back, the top swept back, and a low burst that leaves the sideburns in.
Burst fade mullet with a beard
A mullet and a beard on the same head, joined by the fade. The burst sits between the two, so the sideburn blends into the beard instead of stopping short. Ask for the beard to be tidied in the same appointment and the whole thing reads as one cut.
What to ask for Mid burst to skin, sideburns faded into the beard, textured length on top and at the back.
Burst fade mohawks and faux hawks
Burst fade mohawk
The strip on top stays and the sides go. The burst turns the change between them into a curve instead of a hard line, and Forte Series lists the burst fade mohawk among the cut’s variants. Push the strip up with a strong clay and let the ends go spiky.
What to ask for High burst fade to skin, a strip about three inches wide left long on top, point-cut and pushed up, beard kept.
Spiky faux hawk
The faux hawk keeps more hair at the sides than a real mohawk, so the peak comes from styling rather than the clippers. The burst takes the weight off around the ear and lets the spikes look taller. Blow-dry upward, then twist a little wax into the peak.
What to ask for Mid burst fade, sides left longer than a mohawk, about three inches on top cut to peak in the middle.
Curly burst fade mohawk
A strip of curls down the middle and faded sides. The shape comes from the curl itself, so there’s very little to do in the morning. A leave-in conditioner keeps the curls defined between cuts.
What to ask for Burst fade to skin on both sides, a strip of curls left full on top, line-up at the front.
Curly burst fades
Curly burst fade with a fringe
Curls pushed forward so they fall onto the forehead, with the burst clearing the sides. It’s a good cut for anyone growing curls out, because the fringe can keep getting longer while the barber tidies the sides. Scrunch the curls forward when they’re damp and let them dry.
What to ask for Mid burst to skin, curls left long enough at the front to reach the eyebrows, and the back left curly.
Loose curls with a burst fade
Open, loose curls left fairly long on top, with the burst keeping the sides flat so the whole thing doesn’t go wide. A diffuser on low heat gives the curls some lift without frizz.
What to ask for Loose curls kept about three inches on top, mid burst to skin, and the nape left curly.
Curly burst fade, from behind
This is the view to show your barber, because the back is where a burst differs from a regular fade. The curls stay round and full at the nape, and the fade only cuts in around the ear. Keep it that way by asking for the neckline to be left long.
What to ask for Burst fade round the ear only, curls kept full at the back, and no taper at the neckline.
Tight curls with a burst fade
Small, dense curls that hold their shape without much help. The burst gives the round shape a clean edge round the ear. A curl sponge or a little cream brings the curl pattern back up after a wash.
What to ask for Tight curls left about two inches on top, a mid burst to skin, and a soft line at the front.
Curly low burst fade
A low burst keeps the arc close to the ear, so more curl stays at the sides and the contrast is gentler. Taper Trends notes that a low burst gives a subtle contrast, and on curls it leaves more of the pattern at the sides.
What to ask for Low burst fade, the arc kept close to the ear, curls left full on top and at the back.
Curly burst fade with a beard
Curls on top, a beard below, and the burst joining them at the sideburn. Keep the beard shaped at the same appointment so the fade and the beard line up.
What to ask for Mid burst fade, sideburns faded into the beard, curls kept full on top.
Burst fades on Afro-textured hair
Afro burst fade
A full afro on top, faded out around the ears and left long at the back. Taper Trends says the burst works on coily hair, and the rounded fade suits the round shape of an afro. Pick it out from the roots after a wash to keep the height even.
What to ask for Afro kept full on top, burst fade to skin around the ear, sharp line-up at the front, and length left at the back.
Short coils with a burst fade
Short coils on top, a sharp line at the temple, and the burst cut round the ear. It’s a short cut that still shows the coil pattern. A curl sponge brings the coils up between cuts.
What to ask for Short coils about an inch on top, a mid burst to skin, and a sharp line-up at the front and temples.
Low, mid and high burst fades
Low burst taper
A low burst keeps the arc close to the ear with a subtle contrast, according to Taper Trends. Cut with a soft taper, it’s the quiet version: people notice the haircut more than the fade. It’s also the easy one to live with between appointments.
What to ask for Low burst taper, the arc kept close to the ear, a soft blend with no skin, and the curls left full on top.
Mid burst fade
The arc reaches halfway up the side of the head. Taper Trends says that’s the height most people ask for. It gives a clear contrast without the upkeep of a high burst.
What to ask for Mid burst fade, the arc halfway up the side, skin at the shortest point, and the top left textured.
High burst fade with a hard part
A high burst reaches up toward the crown and gives the strongest contrast, Taper Trends says, and it needs rebooking sooner. A shaved part line adds one more sharp edge. Expect to be back in the chair within a couple of weeks to keep the line crisp.
What to ask for High burst fade to skin, a hard part shaved on one side, and the top kept textured.
Burst fades on straight hair
Textured crop with a burst fade
A short, choppy top with the texture cut in, and the burst doing the work at the sides. Straight hair needs the texture cut in, so ask for point-cutting rather than thinning shears. A pinch of texture powder keeps it matte.
What to ask for Two inches on top, point-cut, a short fringe, and a mid burst to skin.
Burst fade with a messy fringe
A fringe left piece-y and uneven on purpose, so it can fall however it likes. The burst keeps the sides neat, so the messy top reads as a choice. A little matte paste twisted through the ends gives it separation.
What to ask for A messy fringe left piece-y, three inches on top, and a mid burst to skin.
Short burst fade
Short on top and short at the sides, with the burst still curving round the ear. It’s the burst for anyone who wants a quick morning. Keep the top short enough that it only needs a rub of paste.
What to ask for About an inch on top, a mid burst to skin, and the neckline left natural.
Wavy crop with a burst fade
Waves cropped short on top, with the burst clearing the sides. It keeps the movement of wavy hair without the length of a mullet. Sea salt spray on damp hair, then dry it with your fingers.
What to ask for Waves cropped to two or three inches on top, and a mid burst to skin with the back tidied.
Burst fade with a textured quiff
The top pushed up and back, with the burst clearing the sides so the quiff stands out. Forte Series’ routine suits it: sea salt spray or mousse on damp hair, a blow-dry upward, then a molding paste.
What to ask for Three inches on top for the quiff, point-cut for texture, and a mid burst to skin.
Burst fades with a beard
Burst fade with a full beard
A full beard gives the burst somewhere to go. The fade runs down past the ear and into the beard, so the head and the jaw look like one shape. Book the beard trim and the haircut together.
What to ask for Mid burst fade, sideburns blended into the beard, textured top, beard shaped at the same time.
Burst fade with a short beard
A short, trimmed beard and a textured top. The burst connects them without the fade line fighting the beard line.
What to ask for Mid burst fade into a short beard, about two inches of texture on top.
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What is a burst fade?
A burst fade is a fade that curves in a half circle around the ear and into the neckline. The shortest point sits right behind the ear, and the hair gets longer as the fade spreads out from there, so the top and the back keep their length while the patch around the ear goes short. Forte Series says you’ll also hear it called a radial fade or a halo taper.
It’s a shape for the sides, not a whole haircut. That’s why the same burst turns up under a mullet, a mohawk, a crop or a head of curls in the looks above. The barber still needs two more decisions from you: how high the arc climbs, and how close it goes.
| Height | Where the arc sits | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Close to the ear and the hairline | A subtle contrast |
| Mid | Halfway up the side of the head | The height most people ask for |
| High | Up toward the crown | The strongest contrast, and a sooner rebooking |
Who suits a burst fade?
Hair type matters less than you’d think. Taper Trends says it works on straight, wavy, curly and coily hair, and Barber Style Directory says natural curls give a strong result, because a curly top stands out against the faded sides. It does need some length to work with: medium to longer hair on top, by Barber Style Directory’s account.
For face shape, Forte Series lists round, oval and square faces. Taper Trends makes the fair point that your hair’s density, how it grows and how often you’ll see your barber matter more than a face-shape chart.
Then there’s the back of your head. Man Cave Barbershop says the burst suits a flatter back of the head, because the length it leaves there adds volume where you haven’t got much.
What to ask your barber for
Say “burst fade” and then say how high: low, mid or high. Bullfrog Barbershop’s advice is to add whether you want the top longer for texture or shorter and cleaner.
How close it goes is a separate call, and Taper Trends is clear that it’s a different decision from the height. You can have bare skin at the shortest point or a guard number. Barbers blend it with guards in half steps, from about a 0.5 up to a 3, working out from the spot behind the ear.
Then give the length on top in inches and confirm the shape of the neckline, as Forte Series suggests, so nobody tidies away the length at the back you came in for. Bring photos from more than one angle (Man Cave Barbershop’s tip). A burst is easy to see from the side and easy to lose from the front.
How much upkeep does a burst fade take?
Plan on the barber about every three weeks. Taper Trends says most people see regrowth at the two-week mark and a blurred fade by weeks three to four. Forte Series puts it at every two to three weeks. A high burst or a skin finish needs you back sooner.
The good news is the daily part. Taper Trends says your styling is the top only, since the arc holds its shape by itself.
What’s the difference between a burst fade and a taper?
A taper is a gradual fade, and a burst is a particular shape: the curve around the ear. Forte Series draws the line there. A taper shortens the hair at your sideburns and neckline, and a burst does the opposite at the back, cutting short behind the ear and leaving the neck long. You can still have the burst cut with a soft, tapered blend (that’s the low burst taper in the looks above).
| Taper | Burst fade | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | A gradual blend, shorter toward the edges | A half circle around the ear |
| Where it goes short | The sideburns and the neckline | Right behind the ear |
| The neck | Cut short | Left long |
Our taper fade guide has the taper in all its heights, if you want to see the two side by side.
Burst fade vs drop fade: which one is it?
Look behind the ear. According to Forte Series, a drop fade dips lower behind the ear and looks more angular, while a burst curves around the ear and into the neck. Forte Series also matches them to faces: the burst to round and wide faces, the drop to oval and longer ones.
Is a burst fade just a mullet?
No, although you’ll often see them together. Man Cave Barbershop puts it simply: the burst fade is the fade technique, and the mullet is the whole hairstyle. The mullet group above pairs the two, and the rest of the page puts the same burst under crops, mohawks and curls.
How do you style a burst fade?
The top is the part that needs you. Forte Series’ routine starts on damp hair with sea salt spray or mousse, then a blow-dry upward for lift, then a finishing product: texture clay, molding paste, texture powder or a styling cream. Man Cave Barbershop says powder gives a matte finish and wax gives strong hold with some shine. The sides are done when you leave the barber.
How long does a burst fade take to grow out?
Hair grows about half an inch a month, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, so a burst cut to skin behind the ear has about an inch of regrowth there two months later. The top and the back grow at the same rate, so a burst is a handy place to start if you’re growing into a mullet.
And if the burst isn’t quite what you had in mind, it’s one fade among many. Our fade haircuts guide lines up the drop, the temple, the low and the high fade in photos, so you can hold them next to the burst before you book.
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