Mid Burst Fade: How to Ask for It + Trendy Cuts to Try

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Learn how to style & maintain this clean, eye-catching look

Co-authored by Tiffany Carnevale-Russo and Sophie Burkholder, BA

Last Updated: June 17, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Different Types of Mid Burst Fades
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• What is a mid burst fade?
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• Asking for a Mid Burst Fade
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• Styling & Maintenance
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• Similar Styles
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• Choosing a Fade Style
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• Video

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The mid-burst fade is a trendy haircut, where the fade curves around your ear in a radiating pattern starting around your temple. It’s a clean and crisp look, so if you’re interested in trying it, we’re here to help! We’ll explain what the mid burst fade looks like, how to ask for it, and go over popular mid burst fade styles and variations, all while sharing advice from wikiHow’s hairstyling experts. We’ll also give you advice on how to style this look, as well as what to consider when choosing a fade.

All About the Mid Burst Fade

The mid-burst fade starts around the temples and curves in a “C” shape around the ear, with the hair getting gradually shorter as it gets closer to the ear. The neckline is not faded and is typically cut in a straight, curved, or “V” shape. The hair is kept longer on top, which creates a cool contrast with the fade.

Steps

Section 1 of 6:

Mid Burst Fade Hairstyles

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   Classic mid burst fade The classic mid burst fade starts around the temple or end of the eyebrow and curves in a “C” shape all the way around the ear. The fade transitions from longer hair to skin, giving you a crisp and clean look. You keep the hair up top slightly longer and cut in lots of texture for a super trendy style.

   • Remember, with this type of fade, the fade doesn’t go around your neck. So, you’ll still have a strip of longer, unfaded hair at the back of your head.
   • Let your barber know if you want to cut the hair at the back of your neck in a straight line, a curve, or in a trendy “V” shape.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Jacob Joseph is a barber and owner of The Barber Lounge barbershop. He’s also a men's grooming content creator who educates men on how to maintain their look at home.

   Tiffany Carnevale-Russo is a hairstylist with over 19 years of experience. She specializes in haircuts and hairstyling for men.

   Igor Sadurskii is a traditional barber. Known for his expertise in classic and modern men’s haircuts, he’s passionate about the art of barbering.

   Frankie Sanderson is a hairstylist and founder of TheStudeo, which specializes in hairstyling, makeup, and personal image.

   Janet Miranda is a professional hair stylist with over 15 years of experience in the hair and makeup world.
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   Mid burst fade with textured fringe This style is a variation of the classic mid burst fade, just with an added fringe. Simply ask your barber to keep your hair slightly longer at the front of your head so they can cut a textured and layered fringe over your forehead. This gives you a voluminous and tousled look.

   • Specify where you want your fringe to end. For instance, ask for a long fringe that goes to your brows, or a shorter fringe that hits midway down your forehead.
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   Mid burst fade mullet If you haven’t heard, the mullet is back in style, and it looks great with a mid burst fade. Just ask your barber to cut your hair short at the front of your head and add a short, choppy fringe. Then, get them to gradually transition your hair from shorter to longer as it gets to the back of your head for the signature style.

   • The burst fade helps highlight the different lengths of the mullet, giving it a clean look and making it stand out even more.
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   Mid burst fade textured crop or French crop The cropped cut is another trendy style that looks great when paired with a mid burst fade. If you prefer a tousled style with more volume, go with the textured crop, which gives you a choppy, layered cut and a short, messy fringe. If you prefer a clean and sleek style, get the French crop, which gives you a sharper cut and a straight fringe.
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   Mid burst fade with quiff Voluminous styles like the quiff create a flattering contrast with a fade, making it a great style to pair with the mid burst fade. Simply ask your barber to keep your hair longer on top. To style a quiff, master hair stylist Frankie Sanderson says to work mousse or gel into your damp hair. Then, dry your hair upward and back with a hair dryer, using your fingers to set the style in place.

   • If you want a more polished look, Sanderson suggests applying a bit of styling wax to your hair to set the style. Or, use a styling clay.
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   Mid burst fade faux hawk or mohawk The mid burst fade looks great with either a faux hawk or mohawk, as the faded sides naturally complement these spiky, edgy styles. If you want a more subtle look, go with the faux hawk. But, if you want a more dramatic look, ask your barber for a mohawk.

   • With the faux hawk, you keep the center section of hair at the top and back of your head long and shorten the sides. To style, rub some mousse into your hands and brush your hair upward.
   • With the mohawk, you also keep the center section of hair at the top and back of your head long, but you buzz or completely shave the sides. To style, spray your hair with hairspray, set it with a blow dryer, and then brush your hair upward with your hands.
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   Mid burst fade buzz cut If you like shorter, low-maintenance hairstyles, the buzz cut mid burst fade is the look for you. With this style, your barber uses clippers to trim your hair short all over, usually around ⅜ inch (10 mm) long. Then, they add your fade around the ear, which gives this timeless style a clean, trendy twist.
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   Mid burst fade with afro Pairing a mid burst fade with an afro is the perfect way to achieve a super clean and defined look while still maintaining volume up top. At your appointment, just tell your barber how high you want your afro to be so they can cut your hair to your preferred length.
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   Long mid burst fade If you want to keep your hair on the longer side, adding a mid burst fade to the sides creates an even more dramatic and stylish look. Tell your barber how long you want your hair to stay on the top and back and ask them to cut in choppy layers to achieve a tousled, edgy look.

   • For instance, you may want a long, flow-style cut, a long mullet, or a mushroom style.
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    Slicked back mid burst fade The slick back is a sleek style that complements the clean sides of a mid burst fade. Just ask your barber to keep your hair longer on top. Then, to style a slick back, simply apply pomade or gel through your hair. Then, use a comb to brush your hair back.
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    Mid burst fade with Edgar cut The Edgar cut is a trending style that has a long, bowl-like shape, complete with a sharp fringe at the front. It pairs well with a mid burst fade, as this helps contrast with the longer top to give you a clean, eye-catching look.
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    Mid burst fade with a design Get creative with the classic mid burst fade by adding an eye-catching design to the fade around your ears or to the longer hair at the back of your neck. For instance, ask your barber to cut in a zig-zag shape or other geometric design to the fade. Or, tell them to cut in a thin “V” shape to the hair along your neck.
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Section 2 of 6:

What is a mid burst fade?

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1. 
   A mid burst fade starts at the temple and curves around the ear. The mid burst fade is a combination of 2 different types of fades: the burst fade and the mid fade. Professional barber Jacob Joseph explains that the burst fade simply curves around the front and back of the ear, with the hair cut gradually shorter until it fades into your skin. The semi-circular shape creates an edgy, radiating appearance. The mid fade simply refers to where the fade cut starts, which is typically at the temples or top of the ears.

   • Unlike a traditional fade, the burst fade is only around the ears. The fade doesn’t extend around the neck.
   • What’s the difference between a burst fade and a drop fade? The drop fade is a variation on the traditional fade style, where the fade line dips under the ear and follows the curve of the neck. The burst fade concentrates the fade around the ear, and there’s no fade line around the back of the neck.

Section 3 of 6:

How to Ask for a Mid Burst Fade

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1. 1
   Tell your barber you want a burst fade that starts around your temple. Simply ask your barber for a burst fade that curves in a “C” shape around your ear. Then, let them know exactly where you want the beginning of the fade to start—for a mid fade, that’s typically in line with your temple or top of your ear. Explain how gradual you want the fade to be, then specify how much hair you want them to cut on top of your head.

   • For example, you may want a longer, more gradual fade (like a taper fade) or a shorter, more dramatic fade (like a skin fade).
   • Or, tell your barber what length clipper guards you want them to use for your fade. Most barbers use #2, #1.5. #1, and #0.5 clipper guards to do a mid burst fade.
   • Hair stylist Tiffany Carnevale-Russo explains that the higher the clipper guard number, the less hair you trim off. So, a #3 guard trims off less hair than a #1 or #0 guard.
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   Show your barber a photo of exactly what you want. Bring in a few reference photos of the style you want, including the fade and the hair on top. As Carnevale-Russo says, pictures speak 1,000 words and are more explanatory than simply telling your barber what it is you're looking for.

   • Also show your barber what you want to stay away from, says master cosmetologist Shun Pittman. This provides your barber with a clear description of what you want and what you don’t, so they exactly know how to deliver the look.
   • Make sure you like the cuts your barber gives, too! Barber Igor Sadurskii suggests looking at different barbers’ social media profiles and websites to look at the work and see if it matches up with the style you want.
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   Consult with your barber about what would look best on you. Carnevale-Russo definitely recommends taking your barber's opinions into consideration, as they generally know which styles will look best on you. For instance, they may suggest a few tweaks to the length of your fade or the style you choose up top to help flatter your hair type, face shape, features, and lifestyle.
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Section 4 of 6:

How to Style and Maintain a Mid Burst Fade

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   Style your hair with pomade, wax, or sea salt spray for texture and volume. The classic mid burst fade is a pretty low-maintenance cut, so styling it is pretty easy. To create some extra volume, simply run pomade or wax through your slightly damp hair and tousle it a bit. Or, apply sea salt spray and scrunch your hair to create texture and waves.

   • If you want a more tousled and messy look, Joseph suggests styling your hair with volumizing powder or clay.
   • When your barber cuts your hair, Carnevale-Russo recommends asking them to tell you how to properly style it and which styling products work best with your hair type.
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   Get regular trims to maintain a clean look. To keep your mid burst fade looking fresh, professional hair stylist Janet Miranda suggests getting your hair trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks. This is usually around the time when your hair starts to lose its shape.

   • Besides maintaining your hairstyle, hair stylist Yan Kandkhorov says regular trims are important because they get rid of split ends and keep your hair healthy. If you don’t get rid of split ends, the split can grow bigger and lead to your hair breaking and appearing thinner.
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   Keep up with your regular hair care. To keep your hair healthy and looking great, simply maintain your hair care routine. Aim to shampoo and condition your hair 2 to 3 times per week, and gently dab it with a towel to dry it. If you have curly or textured hair, Joseph recommends applying leave-in conditioner or curling gel to keep your hair hydrated and moisturized.

   • Make sure to use a shampoo and conditioner for your hair type, advises Miranda. And when you style your hair, use products that work with your hair type, too.
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Section 5 of 6:

Burst Fade Variations

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1. 
   Opt for a high or low burst fade if you don’t like the look of a mid fade. There are other fade lengths if you don’t like where the mid burst fade starts on your head. The high burst fade starts higher up, typically above your temples, which gives you a more bold and dramatic look since there’s less hair on the sides of your head. On the other hand, a low burst fade starts lower, usually below the temple, which provides a more subtle look.

Section 6 of 6:

How to Choose a Fade Style

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1. 1
   Consider your face shape. There are several basic face shapes for men, including the oval, round, square, heart, diamond, oblong/rectangle, and triangle. And according to Sadurskii, a good haircut follows your facial structure to create the right style for your face shape. Master hair stylist Jamie Bushman suggests telling your barber what you like about your face and what you want to enhance, as well as what you might want to minimize, to find a style that flatters your shape.

   • Looking for the best styles for your face shape? We’ve already compiled the best hairstyles for men with round, oval, square, heart, diamond, oblong, and triangle faces!
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   Ensure your fade works with your hair type. According to Sanderson, it’s important to take your hair texture into consideration when choosing a cut, as a style you like might not work best with your hair type. Luckily, he says your barber will be able to tell you if a particular cut will look good with your hair type. If it doesn’t, they’ll suggest a better style!

   • For instance, if you have thick hair, you may want a higher fade to reduce some of your natural volume. But if you have finer hair, you may want a lower fade that helps give you more volume.
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   Think about how much maintenance you want to put into your hair. Ensure the fade style you choose matches your lifestyle, too. While most fades are pretty low maintenance and just require regular trims to keep them in shape, the style you choose up top may require more styling.

   • For instance, the buzz is the perfect style for low-maintenance guys who don’t want a lot of fuss. But, if you like to style your hair, you probably want a cut that’s longer on top.
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