Skin fade mullet

They’re both titans in the world of fades. But what’s the difference between a shadow fade and a skin fade? 

Shadow fades are produced by using the clipper with no guard attached, leaving behind short stubble at the bottom.

In contrast, skin fades have the shortest length of the fade shaved all the way down to the skin. 

Let’s dig deeper into how these two common types of fade are different and how you can choose the best one for you. 

But first, it’s important to have a basic understanding of what a fade truly is, as a surprising number of people get it wrong. 

Fades: An Introduction

A “fade” is an effect where the sides and back gradually increase in length from bottom to top.

The different lengths are blended into each other seamlessly to create that typical “faded” and blurred appearance. 

Before we compare shadow fades and skin fades, it’s a good idea to get to grips with how fades are defined.

Fades are usually defined in terms of how high they are and how short they are. 

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