Temple Fade: What It Is, What Styles It Suits, and How to Cut It

The temple fade is a specific application of fade technique to the temple zone rather than the full side section. Understanding it as distinct from a full side fade is important for barbers who want to offer precise, tailored services rather than a default full fade on every client.

Where the Temple Zone Is

The temple zone is the area on the side of the head from the corner of the forehead, where the hairline meets the edge of the face, back toward the ear. It is roughly the region that is visible when looking directly at someone from a slight angle, the area between the eye level and the ear.

The temples are often where hairlines recede first, where irregular growth patterns create uneven density, and where the transition from the forehead to the side of the head happens. A clean temple zone contributes significantly to how polished an entire hairstyle looks, even when the rest of the sides and back are not faded.

How a Temple Fade Differs From a Full Side Fade

A full side fade graduates the hair from the bottom of the side section (at the neckline level and below the ear) up through the entire side of the head to wherever the fade level ends (low, mid, or high). The graduation covers the whole side.

A temple fade focuses only on the temple zone. The hair at the back and lower sides stays at whatever length it is, and only the temple region receives the graduated treatment. The result is a more localized clean-up that preserves length on the rest of the sides.

This distinction matters for clients who:

• Want to grow out their sides but keep the temple area clean
• Wear natural hair styles where full-side fading would remove too much length
• Have 360 waves and want the wave pattern preserved on the sides but the temple defined
• Prefer minimal length removal during a maintenance visit between full cuts

How to Cut a Temple Fade

The technique is the same as any fade, applied only to the temple zone:

1. Define the zone boundaries. The temple fade starts at the corner of the hairline (where the front hairline meets the sideburn line) and extends back toward the ear, following the natural temple recession line. The upper boundary is typically the natural hairline above the temple.
2. Establish the shortest zone. Use a balding clipper or 0.5 guard at the very bottom of the temple fade zone, near the outer corner of the eye level and at the lower edge of the temple region.
3. Work up through the guard sequence. 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 guards work upward through the temple zone in the same way as a full fade. The graduation zone is smaller here than on a full side fade, so fewer guard steps may be needed to connect from skin to the surrounding length.
4. Blend the transition. The upper edge of the temple fade must blend seamlessly into the surrounding hair length. This transition is often where the technique is most visible. A crisp fade that ends abruptly at a line looks cut, not graduated. Rocking and blending passes at the upper boundary of the fade zone are what make the temple fade look finished.
5. Clean the hairline. Detail the corner of the hairline where the forehead meets the temple. A clean edge here defines the face frame and is one of the most noticeable elements of a polished service.

Temple Fade and Natural Hair Styles

The temple fade is most frequently requested by clients with natural hair textures who want definition and structure without removing the side length that is part of their style. A shaped afro with a clean temple fade and a defined line-up reads as intentional and polished. The same afro without temple definition can look unfinished even if the top is perfectly shaped.

360 waves in particular benefit from the temple fade because the wave pattern at the front of the head is framed by the temple transition. A clean temple fade draws attention to the wave pattern above it rather than to an uneven or undefined temple zone.

Temple Fade as Part of a Full Service

Temple fades also appear within full haircuts where the sides are also faded. In these cases, the temple zone may receive a slightly different treatment than the rest of the sides: a tighter taper at the temples for a sharper front frame while the back and lower sides have a softer graduation, for example. The ability to differentiate treatment within a single cut is a sign of advanced technique.

Training at CADMEN

CADMEN's fade intensive covers the full range of fade applications including temple work on live clients. Approximately 10 live haircuts in 2 days, 3 students maximum, with Francis Paua correcting technique on every cut.

Investment: $1,750 + HST (small group) or $1,950 + HST (1-on-1). $300 deposit. Book at academy.cadmen.ca/in-person-training.

CADMEN Barber Academy is a private training institution in Mississauga, Ontario. It does not provide Skilled Trades Ontario apprenticeship hours or Certificate of Qualification pathways.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a temple fade?

A temple fade graduates the hair in the temple zone only: the area from the corner of the forehead back toward the ear. Unlike a full side fade, the rest of the sides and back retain their length. The temple fade creates a clean, defined transition around the temples and is commonly used with natural hair styles, 360 waves, and cuts where full side fading is not desired.

Is a temple fade the same as a full fade?

No. A full fade graduates the entire side section. A temple fade addresses only the temple zone. A temple fade is a more localized service that preserves side length while cleaning up the transition at the temple area. They can be combined within a single cut, with the temple receiving a different treatment than the rest of the sides.

What haircut styles go with a temple fade?

Natural hair styles (afros, coil patterns, twist outs) where full-side fading would remove too much length. 360 waves where the wave pattern needs to be preserved on the sides but the temple zone needs framing. Longer styles on top where the client wants a clean appearance without removing side length. Any cut where the temple area needs definition as part of maintenance.