Are Skin Fades Really That Popular? - Hairbinger

Before I was cutting my own hair, I was going to the barber shop on a weekly basis to get a fresh skin fade.

You would think that skin fades — given the shorter style that they are — would be a pretty popular haircut among men.

But is that really the case?

In this article, we’ll look at how popular skin fades really are and why.

When did skin fades become popular?

Hairstyles — like other forms of fashion — are trendy. And the skin fade is no exception to the rule.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when skin fades became popular, but it probably happened sometime in the late 80s, early 90s, with the explosion of hip hop.

As the Jheri curl was going out of style, men transitioned into something with a shorter and cleaner look — thus the fade was born.

The fade is actually just a more skilled and time consuming version of an undercut — and those were made popular from the military (most likely).

However, a fade requires more effort and skill to blend out the lines that you’d see in a basic military undercut.

Undercuts in the military go all the way back to the First World War, but the fade wasn’t born until several decades afterward.

A skin fade, however, is even more difficult to pinpoint because not all fades are skin fades, necessarily (not all fades go all the way down to the skin).

Either way, the skin fade was probably made popular from hip hop culture in the late 80s — particularly from east coast, black barber shops.

And even though hip hop culture has been predominantly black, white folks have also tried their hands at skin fades — especially later on down the road (like Justin Timberlake).

Are skin fades popular today?

However popular skin fades were in the 80s and 90s, they don’t seem to be near as popular today.

All you need to do is take a look around to see how little often people have them. It’s not often you’ll find men today wearing a skin fade.

Skin fades are still more common in the black community, but I still don’t think they are near as popular as they once were.

Like I said earlier, hairstyles are trendy. So, those wearing a skin fade today are generally not trying to keep up with any modern-day trends.

That’s most certainly the case with me.

I’ve been wearing a skin fade for about 20 years. I don’t do it because it’s trendy; I do it because it’s me.

But that seems to be an exception to the rule.

What celebrities have skin fades?

To get a better idea of how popular skin fades are, just look at celebrities!

You’ll notice that not many of them have skin fades, even.

And that’s probably because a lot of them change their hairstyles so often.

However, there are a few who have worn skin fades at least once in there life.

Here are a few celebrities that come to mind:

• Usher
• Nas
• Justin Timberlake
• Michael B. Jordan
• Nick Cannon
• Drake
• Jamie Foxx
• T.I.
• Will Smith

Most of these celebrities have had a skin fade at least once; however, Nas has worn a skin fade for as long as I can remember.

Drake, T.I., and Michael B. Jordan have also worn them pretty often, but Nas has worn one the most consistently, I think.

Why don’t more actors have skin fades?

When it comes to actors, you won’t find many of them wearing a skin fade, either — and why is that?

I think it’s because skin fades are too short for consistent film production.

If an actor is shooting a particular scene, it might take more than just a day or two to complete that scene. And it will take even longer to complete the entire movie.

If actors have a real short skin fade in one part of a scene, and a few days growth in another part, that would not be a very good production.

To avoid this, actors would have to get skin fades almost everyday — almost like shaving — in order to keep their look consistent throughout the entire movie or particular scene. And that would be a pain.

I think producers prefer some wiggle room with an actor’s hairstyles — something that won’t noticeably be different from day to day while shooting — and the skin fade doesn’t allow much room for that.

Should you get a skin fade?

Obviously, I am partial to the skin fade since I’ve worn one for 20 years or more. But that doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone.

We’ll look at some of the pros and cons in just a second, but here is one reason to get a skin fade: they really aren’t that popular.

If you get a skin fade, chances are you won’t have a similar haircut as your friends.

Skin fades are not necessarily “in” right now when it comes to hair trends.

So, if you’re looking for a clean cut look to call your own, you should definitely consider a skin fade.

Pros and cons of skin fades

There are pros and cons to everything, and haircuts are no exception.

So, let’s look at some of the pros and cons to having a skin fade.

Pros

• Low maintenance
• Clean cut
• Professional look
• Wash and go
• Fits any occasion

Cons

• More difficult to cut
• Doesn’t last very long
• Takes a long time to cut
• Have to cut it often

Are skin fades more expensive?

Most of the time a skin fade at a barber shop will not be more expensive than any other haircut you can get from a barber.

However, they may take more time — due to all the additional steps required to get all the lines blended out.

Barbers generally have to use three to four different pieces of equipment to get it right, so it does take quite a bit longer than your basic haircut.

While skin fades might be more expensive than a simple lineup or shape up, barbers generally won’t charge any extra when compared to almost any other haircut they offer.

What are some alternatives to skin fades?

If the skin fade doesn’t seem like the hairstyle for you, there are a few alternatives — if you still want something short and low maintenance.

Regular fade

A fade haircut doesn’t always have to go down to the skin. You can have a faded haircut and still have a little more length to it.

That’s what I would call a “regular fade.” Most hairstyles will have some sort of fade in the haircut anyway (in some shape or form).

Buzz cut

Of course there’s always the buzz cut. This, also, doesn’t have to be all the way down to the skin, and it will still give you that shorter look.

This might also be referred to as a “military cut.”

What’s nice about this haircut, is it’s quick and easy — no need to spend an hour blending all the lines like you have to do on a skin fade.

Taper

The taper is another popular short haircut. It’s usually a little longer than a buzz cut, but not much.

A taper pretty much has the same length all-around except for the sideburns and the back of neck. So, there is a small fade in those areas — hence it tapers.

Conclusion

Skin fades are not as popular as some might think. But they do seem to be somewhat popular in the black community.

Nevertheless, they are a stylish haircut to have, and that’s one of the reasons I have one.

Skin fades require more time and skill, but they look pretty sharp when done right; they’re more elegant than simple buzz cuts.

Skin fades are a perfect fit for those who want a shorter hairstyle, with little or no maintenance.

• How Long Do Basic Haircuts Last?
• Why Do Barbers Hate Skin Fades?
• Why Do People Hate Fade Haircuts?