Everything You Need to Know About the Messy Fade

A messy fade is perfect if you’re looking for a look that’s modern, cool, and relatively low-maintenance. But how do you ask for it, and how do you keep it looking perfectly messy when you get home? We have everything you need to know about the messy fade, including pro tips from hair stylists Martin Nepton, Steven Waldman, and Tiffany Carnevale-Russo.

What does a messy fade haircut look like?

A messy fade features longer hair on top that’s at least 4 in (10 cm) long and textured to create a messy look. The sides are cut distinctly shorter. You can choose from a high fade that starts near your temples, a mid fade that starts near your ears, or a low fade that starts around your neckline.

Section 1 of 7:

What is a messy fade?

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A messy fade is a cut that’s longer on the top and shorter on the sides. The top is styled to look messy, textured, spiky, or wavy. The fade on the sides and back can be high, medium, or low. Because it’s a fade, your hair will be extremely short or shaved down to bare skin near the nape of your neck and on the sides.^{[1]
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- Tip: If you want to leave some hair all the way down to the nape of your neck, ask for a taper instead of a fade. Fades are sharper and more dramatic, while tapers are a little longer and more casual.

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Types of Messy Fades

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There are endless combinations of messy fades, so feel free to mix and match different styles. Pick one look that you like for the longer, messy top, then choose the type of fade you want for the back. Types of messy fades include:
- High drop fade: Start your fade high on your head near your temples.
- Drop fade: Choose a fade that will follow the curves of your head.
- Bald fade: Have your fade cut all the way down to bare skin.
- Burst fade: Leave the hair a little longer in the back center, so the fade curves down behind your ears.
- Disconnected fade: Create a distinct line between the longer top part and the shorter sides and back.
- Messy fringe fade: Wear your hair combed forward and textured.
- Faux hawk fade: Faux hawks are usually paired with a low drop fade or burst fade.
- Messy quiff: Cut your hair into a quiff, then style it with your fingers to create a piecey, carefree look.
- Broccoli fade: Wear your hair full and curly on top with a high, short fade on the sides.
- Messy spikes with fade: Use gel or wax to create casual, messy spikes.
- Afro fade: Fade the sides and back, and leave the top part of your hair in a natural afro
- Mullet fade: Choose a taper fade mullet for a more subtle look or go with a burst fade mullet for a bolder style.
- Fade with side part: Choose the fade style you like, then wear your hair pushed to one side with a tousled, messy texture.
- Brush-up fade: Brush your hair upward when you style it for an effortless messy fade.
- Wavy fade: Wear your hair in loose waves for a casually cool messy fade.

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Asking for a Messy Fade

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Ask for your hair to be long and messy on top and faded on the sides. Most stylists will have a general sense of what you want if you just say “messy fade,” so you can ask for that. But be prepared with more specific details, like:^{[2]
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- How long you want the top to be. Leave plenty of length to create a messy look—at least around 4 in (10 cm) or so.
- How you plan to style the top. Be clear about how you want the top to look. For instance, if you want to wear your hair combed forward, you might ask for a messy fringe.
- How connected you want the top and sides to look. Decide ahead of time whether you want an abrupt transition from the longer top portion to the shorter sides, or if you’d prefer the look to taper gradually before dropping into the fade.
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Talk about whether you want a high, mid, or low fade. When you’re talking to your stylist, be really clear about the type of fade you’re picturing. High fades start near your temples, quickly dropping into bare skin. Mid fades start just above the ears, and low fades start closer to your hairline.^{[3]
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- Other options include a drop fade, which follows the curve of your head and drops down behind your ears, and a burst fade, which leaves a strip of hair down the back for a fauxhawk-style look.
Carnevale-Russo says that, to be prepared when you’re going to a stylist, “pictures are more explanatory than trying to explain what you’re looking for. Go on Pinterest or Google and save pictures of the style you’re looking for.”^{[4]
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Tiffany Carnevale-Russo
Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Interview}

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Styling a Messy Fade

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Use products to add texture and volume to the top part of your hair. After you wash your hair, work a little product into your hair. Use your fingers to ruffle your hair, bending the pieces in different directions to get a messy look.. Then, either let your hair air dry or use a hairdryer with a diffuser, which will dry your hair gently so it keeps its texture.^{[5]
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- Sea salt spray: Spritz this onto your hair while it’s damp to create a windswept, beachy texture.
- Curling cream: To get messy, curly hair, Nepton recommends “applying a little curling cream, then twisting the hair with your fingers before drying with a diffuser.”^{[6]
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  Martin Nepton
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Hair gel: Waldman recommends using gel “when you want a style with more hold that will stay in place all day.”^{[7]
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  Steven Waldman
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Mousse: Nepton says to get more volume, “put a small amount of mousse into your roots, then blow dry in the opposite way you want the hair to fall.”^{[8]
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  Martin Nepton
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview}
- Matte pomade or paste: Waldman says that if you want “more flexible styling, use a pomade or matte. Choose one with a matte finish for a more modern look.”^{[9]
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  Steven Waldman
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview}

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How do you maintain a messy fade?

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Wash your hair 2–3 times a week. Your hair will look more textured and naturally messy when you wash it less often, so try to skip at least one day between shampoos. If your hair gets too greasy, spray some dry shampoo onto the roots.^{[10]
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- As a bonus, dry shampoo will give your hair extra texture and volume.
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Keep your neck hair and beard trimmed between cuts. A fade is a clean-cut hairstyle, so if your neck hair, ear hair, or beard are a little bushy, it’s going to take away from the overall look. Use a beard trimmer to keep any stray hairs under control.^{[11]
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- You can even use a razor just below the lines of the fade to keep your haircut looking fresh a little longer. Just don’t go past the lines cut by your stylist.
To keep a fade haircut looking clean and sharp, have it touched up every few weeks. You may not need the top trimmed every time you go in, although your stylist may want to shape the area where your cut transitions from the longer messy part to the fade.^{[12]
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What face shapes are best for a messy fade?

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This haircut is pretty versatile, so any face shape can rock a messy fade. However, you can customize it to what will be most flattering for your specific face shape and bone structure. For instance:^{[13]
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- If you have a square or rectangular face, you might go with a high fade to show off your strong jaw. This is also a good option if you have thick hair.
- If you have a round face, ask for a drop fade that curves downward below your ears.
- If you have an oval face, try a low fade with plenty of texture on top. This can also be a good option for making thin hair appear fuller.
- Not sure what your face shape is? Take wikiHow’s “What is my face shape?” quiz!

Section 7 of 7:

What hair types are best for a messy fade?

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Any hair texture will work with a messy fade. Wavy and curly hair may need a little less styling, and thicker hair will already have more volume. But guys with fine, straight hair can get a messy look with the right hair products and a little styling time.