How to Choose the Best Low Taper Fade for Your Face Shape

Choosing the right hairstyle isn't just about following trends—it's about understanding how different cuts interact with your unique facial features. Your face shape plays a crucial role in determining which low taper fade variation will look most flattering on you. This guide breaks down the major face shapes and recommends the best low taper fade styles for each.

Understanding Your Face Shape

Before diving into specific recommendations, you need to identify your face shape. Stand in front of a mirror with your hair pulled back and examine the overall outline of your face. Look at the width of your forehead, cheekbones, and jawline, as well as the length of your face from forehead to chin.

The most common face shapes are oval, round, square, rectangular, diamond, and heart-shaped. Most people don't fit perfectly into one category—you might have characteristics of two shapes—but identifying your dominant shape helps guide your styling decisions.

Oval Face Shape

The oval face is considered the most versatile shape for hairstyling. Characterised by balanced proportions with a slightly wider forehead tapering to a narrower chin, oval faces can pull off virtually any low taper fade variation. The natural symmetry of this face shape means you have freedom to experiment.

For oval faces, the classic low taper fade works beautifully, as do more dramatic variations like the pompadour or quiff with a low fade. You can also experiment with textured tops, slick backs, or even a low taper fade mullet if you're feeling adventurous. The key is choosing a style that reflects your personality since you're not limited by face shape considerations.

Round Face Shape

Round faces feature full cheeks and similar width and length measurements, creating a circular appearance. The goal with a low taper fade for round faces is to add the illusion of length and angles. Styles that create height on top work exceptionally well.

Consider a low taper fade with a pompadour, quiff, or textured top that you style upward. This added height elongates the face visually. Avoid styles that add width at the sides, and keep the fade clean and tight to maintain sleek lines. A low taper fade with a side part can also work well, as the angular part line creates visual interest that complements roundness.

Square Face Shape

Square faces feature a strong, angular jawline with a forehead and jaw of similar width. This masculine shape looks great with many low taper fade styles, but you can choose to either emphasise or soften those angles depending on your preference.

To complement your natural angles, opt for structured styles like a low taper fade with a hard part or slick back. These styles embrace the geometric nature of your face shape. If you prefer to soften your features, textured tops and styles with movement help balance the strong jawline. A low taper fade with a textured fringe can soften the forehead while maintaining a masculine appearance.

Rectangular Face Shape

Also called oblong, the rectangular face is longer than it is wide, with a relatively uniform width from forehead to jaw. The objective here is to add width and avoid adding height, which would further elongate the face.

Low taper fades with fuller sides work better for rectangular faces than very tight fades. Consider keeping slightly more length on the sides while still maintaining the fade effect. On top, avoid styles that add significant height. A low taper fade with a side-swept top, textured crop, or even a modest fringe helps balance the face's length by drawing attention horizontally rather than vertically.

Diamond Face Shape

Diamond faces feature wide, dramatic cheekbones with a narrower forehead and jawline. This distinctive shape benefits from hairstyles that add width at the forehead while complementing those striking cheekbones.

A low taper fade with fringe works wonderfully for diamond shapes, as the fringe adds visual width to the forehead. Textured styles that create volume at the temples also help balance the face. Avoid styles that are too flat on top, as this can emphasise the narrowness of the forehead. The pompadour low taper fade can work well if styled slightly forward rather than straight up.

Heart Face Shape

Heart-shaped faces feature a wider forehead that tapers to a narrower, sometimes pointed chin. The goal is to balance the broader upper face with the narrower lower face, creating harmony in the overall appearance.

Low taper fades that add width at the jaw level help balance heart-shaped faces. Consider styles with some texture and movement at the sides rather than extremely tight fades. On top, medium-length styles that don't add too much height work well. A low taper fade with a side part, textured top, or even a subtle fringe can help draw attention away from the forehead and create better overall balance.

Working with Your Barber

Understanding your face shape is just the starting point. When you visit your barber, share your face shape observations and ask for their professional opinion. They can see angles and proportions that are difficult to assess yourself and can suggest modifications to popular styles that will work better for your specific features.

Bring reference photos but remain open to adjustments your barber suggests. A skilled barber will know how to adapt any style to suit your face shape while still achieving the look you want.

Explore our complete low taper fade collection to see how different variations might look, and use our face shape and hair type filters to find styles specifically recommended for your features. The perfect low taper fade is out there—it just takes a bit of knowledge to find it.