Burst Fade

What a burst fade is

Most fades run in a band. They start at one temple, go round the back of the head and finish at the other temple, at whatever height you choose. A burst fade does not. The fade is confined to a curved patch around each ear and stops behind it.

The shortest point is just above and around the ear, usually skin or a grade 0. From there the barber blends up through a half grade and a grade 1 into a grade 2 or 3 at the edges of the arc, and then into the length beyond it. Above the arc, the hair keeps its length. Behind it, so does the back of the head, right down to the neck.

That kept length at the back is the defining feature. If the barber carries the fade across the nape, the burst shape is lost and it becomes an ordinary fade.

The burst also goes by sunburst fade, and a softer version that keeps more length at the bottom is often called a burst taper.

Burst fade vs drop fade and other fades

Le fondu en sortie is the one most often confused with it. Both curve near the ear, but a drop fade carries on round the back of the head and dips lower at the nape. The back is faded. A burst stops behind the ear and leaves the back long.

A regular faible évanouissement or mid fade is a straight band round the head. A fondu enchaîné only shortens the sideburns and the neckline and leaves the area around the ear at length. The burst is close to the opposite of a taper. It takes the area around the ear short and leaves the neckline alone.

Le types of fade page has all of them together.

Who suits a burst fade

Curly and coily hair. It suits them best. The arc frames the curls, holds its shape well on dense hair and clears the bulk that would otherwise push out over the ears.

Wavy hair. Good. The waves show on top and at the back.

Thick hair. Good, for the same reason as curly hair. The bulk around the ears goes.

Straight hair. It works, but straight hair at the back can stick out at the sides of the neck as it grows. Keep the back trimmed.

Fine or thinning hair. Not a good choice. The burst relies on volume on top and at the back for its shape. Without it, the arc looks like a patch rather than a style.

Receding hairline. Keep the burst low. A high burst that climbs towards the temple runs into the recession.

Work. A burst fade is a deliberate, fashion-led cut. A low, soft burst under a tidy top can pass in a relaxed workplace, but if you need something conservative, this is the wrong page. A low taper fade is the quiet alternative.

How to ask your barber for a burst fade

Not every barber cuts these often, so be specific.

Name it and describe it. Ask for a burst fade, "a semicircle around the ear, with the back left long". Saying the shape out loud avoids the barber carrying it round into a drop fade.

Say how short. Skin or a grade 0 at the centre of the arc is usual. A grade 0.5 or 1 gives a softer burst taper that grows out more gently.

Say how high. A low burst keeps the arc tight around the ear. A higher one climbs towards the temple and shows more contrast. Point to where you want the top of the arc.

Keep the back. Say clearly that the nape keeps its length. This is the step most often lost.

Describe the top. A strip of length down the middle, curls, or a textured top, and the length in centimetres. Most are worn with 4 to 7cm on top.

Bring photos from the side and the back. A burst is about shape, and a photo explains a shape faster than words.

What to wear on top

• Mohawk or strip. A band of longer hair down the middle with the burst on each side. The best-known version, often called a burst fade mohawk, or on curly hair a frohawk.
• Curls. Left full on top, with the arc framing them.
• Modern mullet. The burst clears the sides and the length at the back carries on into the mullet. The two were made for each other.
• Textured top. 4 to 6cm, messy and matte, for a version that is less of a statement.
• A design. A line shaved into the arc. It needs touching up every time you go back.

Styling

The arc itself needs nothing. For curls, a curl cream or leave-in conditioner on damp hair keeps them defined. A textured top takes a little matte clay or paste on dry hair. A mohawk strip needs a bit of hold to stand up, usually a clay or a firm cream. If you dry curly or wavy hair with a diffuser, keep the volume on top, because the burst depends on the contrast between full hair and tight sides.

Keep heavy product off the faded area, where it catches on the regrowth and dulls the edge.

How often to get it cut

Every two to three weeks. Hair grows roughly 1cm a month, and the arc softens quickly because the contrast is all in one small area. A burst taken to skin looks sharpest for about a week. A softer burst taper stretches closer to three or four weeks.

The back also needs attention. Left alone, the length at the nape grows out over the collar and the shape goes from deliberate to scruffy. Ask the barber to tidy the back each time, without fading it.

La laisser pousser

Because the arc is such a specific shape, growing a burst fade out takes a few cuts. The easiest route is to ask for slightly longer grades in the arc each visit, so it softens into a low fade or a cheveux courts derrière et sur les côtés, and then let it grow from there.