--- title: "Drop Fade" date: 2026-11-15 published: 2026-11-13 author: "" --- # Drop Fade [Home](/) / [Men’s hairstyles](/mens-hairstyles/) / Drop Fade# Drop Fade The fade line dips down behind the ear, following the curve of the head. FadeDropCurves behind the earEvery 2 to 3 weeks A drop fade is a fade where the line does not run level round the head. It sits above the ear at the front, then dips down behind the ear and follows the curve of the skull to the nape. The blend is the same as any fade, short at the bottom and longer above. Only the shape of the line is different, and that curve is the whole point. You will find it alongside its relatives in [every cut in the directory](/mens-hairstyles/). ![Bearded man with a drop fade and a short top swept back, front view](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/drop-fade-haircut-front-photo.jpg)Front ![Profile of a drop fade, the fade dipping lower behind the ear under a swept-back top](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/drop-fade-haircut-profile-photo.jpg)Profile The same cut from the front and in profile. ## At a glance Also calledDrop fade haircut SidesFaded above the ear, dropping lower behind it Top4 to 8cm, often slicked back or a pompadour Where it startsAbove the ear at the front, curving down to the nape Goes down toA grade 0 or 1, or skin UpkeepEvery 2 to 3 weeks Best onHeads with a noticeable curve at the back. The barber sets the depth for flatter heads Avoid ifYou want a simple, level outline Popularised byCole Palmer (a French crop with a mid drop fade), James Anderson (a mid-high drop fade with a small quiff) Upkeep**3 / 5** The curve needs redoing every 2 to 3 weeks Styling effort**3 / 5** Slick or pompadour tops take a few minutes Length needed**3 / 5** Needs length on top to contrast with ## £5 off your first delivery A fresh cut looks sharpest with a clean neckline. A sharp blade keeps it that way between visits, without the razor burn a blunt one leaves. *This page has a form, which is not reproduced here. Use the page itself to fill it in.* £5 off your first subscription or VIP order – one per customer, unsubscribe with 1 click ## How to ask your barber 1. **Name it**Ask for a drop fade: the line starts above the ear and curves down behind it to the nape. 2. **Say how high**Low or mid at the front, depending on how much contrast you want. 3. **Say how short**A grade 0 or 1, or skin. 4. **Describe the top**Slicked back, pompadour or textured, with the length. ## The variations The same cut, worn differently. What changes is the length, where the short part starts and how the top is styled. **Low drop fade** Starts just above the ear The most common version. **Drop skin fade** Taken to skin More contrast. **With a slick back** 6 to 8cm, combed back The curve follows the line of the hair. **With a pompadour** Volume at the front A classic pairing. **With curls** Curly top Clean curve, curls on top. ## Will it work with your hair? Hair type decides how a cut sits and how fast it loses its shape. The table below is the short version. Straight Ideal Shows the curve cleanly. Wavy Ideal Waves sit well above the curve. Curly Works The curve can get lost under a full curly top. Coily Ideal A crisp curve on short coily hair. Thick Ideal Takes weight off behind the ears. Fine or thinning Works Fine, as long as the top is not slicked flat. ## Will it suit your face? Where a cut adds height and where it takes width away decides how it sits with your face shape. Hair type matters more, but this is the short version. Oval Ideal Balanced proportions, so the cut itself decides. Round Works Add a little lift at the front so it does not sit flat and wide. Square Ideal A neat parting suits a defined jaw. Oblong Works Keep the top fairly flat rather than lifted. Heart Ideal A side parting breaks up a broad forehead. Diamond Works A parting with some fullness on top works. ## Beard styles that go with it Hair and beard are one outline. These keep the proportions right with this cut. [![Man in a white T-shirt with a beard fade, a full beard that gets shorter up the cheeks and blends into a skin fade haircut, front view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/beard-fade-beard-style-front-photo.jpg) **Beard fade**The curve behind the ear flows into a faded sideburn.](/beard-styles/beard-fade/) [![Man in a light blue shirt with a boxed beard, short and neat with crisp cheek lines and a moustache, front view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/boxed-beard-beard-style-front-photo.jpg) **Boxed beard**Neat edges suit a slicked or styled top.](/beard-styles/boxed-beard/) [![Man in a dark blazer with a Hollywoodian beard, a short beard along the jaw and chin joined to a moustache, sideburns faded out, front view](/wp-content/uploads/beard-styles/photos/hollywoodian-beard-style-front-photo.jpg) **Hollywoodian**Beard on the jaw and chin, cheeks clear, to match the clean sides.](/beard-styles/hollywoodian/) ## What a drop fade is Picture a standard fade from the side. The line where the short hair meets the longer hair runs roughly horizontal, from the temple, over the ear and round the back. On a drop fade, that line drops. It starts in the same place at the front, then curves downwards behind the ear, so at the back of the head the fade sits much lower than it does at the sides. The finished shape follows the natural curve of the skull rather than cutting across it. ![Profile in a barber's chair of a short top with a fade that dips lower behind the ear, and a short beard](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/drop-fade-short-top-side-view.jpg) The effect is that more hair is left at the back of the head and the crown, and the outline around and behind the ear looks deliberate and rounded. From the front, a drop fade looks almost exactly like a normal fade. You see the difference from the side and the back. Like any fade, it can finish at different depths. A grade 0 or a half at the bottom is standard. A drop skin fade goes to bare skin with a foil shaver or razor. ## Drop fade vs other fades The [types of fade](/mens-hairstyles/types-of-fade/) are described by two things, height and depth. The drop adds a third, the shape of the line. That means a drop fade can also be low, mid or high. ![Profile of a bearded man in a barbershop with a drop fade under a slicked-back top](/wp-content/uploads/mens-hairstyles/photos/realistic/drop-fade-slicked-back-barbershop-profile.jpg) **Drop fade vs low fade.** A [low fade](/mens-hairstyles/low-fade/) runs a level line just above the ear all the way round. A low drop fade starts in the same place but curves down behind the ear. Same front, different back. **Drop fade vs burst fade.** These get confused because both involve a curve around the ear. A [burst fade](/mens-hairstyles/burst-fade/) is a semicircle centred on the ear. It is short around the ear and then the length returns at the back, often leaving a longer section at the nape. A drop fade keeps going down to the neckline. The back is short on a drop, longer on a burst. **Drop fade vs taper.** A taper only shortens the edges, at the sideburns and the nape. A drop fade blends a full band of the side. Tapers grow out more softly. If you want the gentlest version, look at the [taper fade](/mens-hairstyles/taper-fade/) family instead. ## Who a drop fade suits **Head shape.** This is the one cut where head shape matters more than face shape. Because the line follows the curve of the skull, it suits heads with a noticeable curve at the back. If the back of your head is flatter, a level fade can look neater, and a good barber will adjust how deep the drop goes to suit you. **Hair type.** Straight and wavy hair show the curve cleanly. On thick hair, a drop fade takes a lot of weight off behind the ears, which stops the back of the head looking wide. Coily hair holds a crisp curve very well. On a full curly top, the curve can get lost under the volume, so keep the top a little more controlled if you want the shape to show. More on this in [hairstyles by hair type](/mens-hairstyles/hairstyles-by-hair-type/). **Fine or thinning hair.** Fine, as long as the top is not slicked flat against the head. A slightly higher fade with a grade 1 or longer at the bottom avoids too much scalp showing. **Work.** A low drop fade with a guarded finish is about as conservative as a fade gets. A high drop skin fade is much louder. **Avoid it if** you want a simple, level outline, or you do not want to explain the cut to a new barber every time. ## How to ask a UK barber for a drop fade Bring a photo that shows the side and the back. Pictures from the front do not show what makes it a drop fade. 1. **Name it, and describe it.** “A drop fade, where the line starts above the ear and curves down behind it to the nape.” Not every barber uses the same name, so describe the shape as well. 2. **Say how high it starts at the front.** Low (just above the ear) or mid (around the temple). Low is the most common. 3. **Give the bottom grade.** A grade 0 (no guard, about 0.5 to 1mm), a grade 1 (3mm), or skin. 4. **Describe the top.** Length in centimetres and how you wear it. Example orders: - “Low drop fade from a grade 0, curving down behind the ear, about 6cm on top so I can slick it back.” - “Mid drop skin fade, about 4cm on top, textured and pushed forward.” Mention whether you want a squared or a natural neckline. And if you wear a beard, ask for a beard fade so the sideburn blends down into the beard without a hard line. ## Styling a drop fade The fade needs nothing day to day. What you do on top is up to you, but drop fades tend to go with tops that have some length and direction. **Slicked back.** About 6 to 8cm on top, combed straight back with a light pomade or cream. This is a classic pairing, because the line of the hair follows the line of the fade. See the [slick back](/mens-hairstyles/slick-back/) for the full method. **Pompadour or quiff.** Volume at the front, blow-dried up and back, set with a stronger paste or clay. The drop keeps the back neat underneath. The [quiff](/mens-hairstyles/quiff/) page covers the drying technique. **Textured crop.** 3 to 4cm pushed forward with a small amount of matte paste. The quickest option. **Curls.** Curl cream on damp hair and leave it to dry. Keep the top a bit shorter than you might otherwise so the curve still shows. Keep product off the faded area. On very short hair it just looks greasy. ## Upkeep and how often to cut a drop fade Every two to three weeks. The curve is the first thing to go. Hair grows roughly 1cm a month, and a few millimetres is enough to blur the line behind the ear and make the drop look like an ordinary fade. A skin drop fade needs the shorter end of that range. One finishing on a grade 1 can stretch to three weeks or a little more. Stick with the same barber if you can. The depth and shape of the curve is a judgement call, and a new barber will cut it slightly differently. ## Drop fade variations - **Low drop fade.** Starts just above the ear. The most common version and the easiest to wear. - **Mid drop fade.** Starts around the temple, so there is more contrast from the front. - **Drop skin fade.** Taken to bare skin at the bottom. - **With a slick back.** 6 to 8cm combed back. The curve follows the line of the hair. - **With a pompadour.** Volume at the front, neat curve behind. - **With curls.** A clean curve under a curly top. To grow a drop fade out, ask the barber to stop fading and only tidy the neckline. The curve softens within a few weeks. At around six weeks a grade 3 or 4 through the back and sides evens out the lengths. ## Questions we get asked Can you get a low drop fade?Yes, and it is the most common version. A low drop fade starts just above the ear at the front and curves down behind the ear to the nape. It is subtle from the front and grows out more gently than a mid or high drop. What is the difference between a drop fade and a burst fade?A burst fade is a semicircle around the ear, with length coming back at the nape. A drop fade curves down behind the ear and carries on down to the neckline, so the back is short. The burst leaves more hair at the back, the drop leaves less. Should I get a taper or a drop fade?A taper is softer and only shortens the edges, so it grows out more gently and suits conservative settings. A drop fade blends a full band of the side and gives a sharper, more shaped outline. Choose the taper for low upkeep, the drop if you want the shape to show. How long does a drop fade last?It looks sharp for about one to two weeks. By three weeks the curve behind the ear starts to blur. Most people get it recut every two to three weeks. Does a drop fade work on curly hair?Yes. The fade keeps the sides and back tidy while the curls sit on top. Keep the top controlled enough that it does not hang over the curve, or you lose the shape that makes it a drop fade. ## Other fades Close relatives, and how they differ. [Skin FadeGrade 0 to skin](/mens-hairstyles/skin-fade/)[Low FadeAbove the ear](/mens-hairstyles/low-fade/)[High FadeTop of the sides](/mens-hairstyles/high-fade/)[Burst FadeAround the ear](/mens-hairstyles/burst-fade/) ## Browse by what matters to you The same directory, cut a different way. [Types of Fade HaircutWhere the fade starts, how short it goes, and the shapes in between.](/mens-hairstyles/types-of-fade/) [All 29 hairstylesThe full directory](/mens-hairstyles/) [Razor subscriptionFor a clean neckline between cuts. Five-blade refills from £10](/)