Last Updated on November 2, 2024 by David Thomas
I recently spoke with a new and aspiring barber stylist who just graduated from beauty school. He asked me, “What’s the best way to improve my fades?” Having been in the industry for 15 years, I had to share my knowledge with him, and I thought you could benefit from it as well.
The Best Way to Elevate Your Fades as a New Barber
When I wrapped up school back in 2009, I thought I had all the basics down. I had the foundation and the tools to fade hair—or so I thought. But man, the moment I set foot in an actual salon and barbershop, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. Adjusting to the hustle and bustle of a real barber’s life was no joke.
You know, those first few years were rough, but they taught me invaluable lessons about improving my fading techniques. In sports, we always talked about “drills.” I used to think drills were just some BS to keep us busy. I was all about playing in the actual game, not wasting time on repetitive practice. Fast forward 15 years, and now that I’m into martial arts on this new path to mastery, I’ve realized that drills are what truly elevate your overall game—they make everything more fun because you’re better prepared.
So what’s the best way to improve your fading technique? Honestly, working on mannequins will only get you so far. They don’t regrow hair, so once you’ve done one fade, that’s it. You need real models—real people—to practice on, and LOTS of them.
Back before Instagram was huge, the best way to grow was by being in a busy shop. No one knew who I was, so I made it a point to meet as many people as possible and leave a good impression. Back then, we charged anywhere from $12 to $20 a cut. I used to spend almost an hour on each one because I wanted to do such a good job that they’d have to come back.
Then one day, a seasoned barber pulled me aside and said, “You’re not gonna make any money spending that long on a cut.” He was cranking out 3-4 cuts an hour. I understood what he meant, but I was so fixated on perfecting each haircut that I kept taking my time.
It wasn’t until I moved to another state and started at a new shop—same scenario, $12 cuts, barbers doing 3-4 an hour—that I realized I needed to adapt. I was stubborn but not stupid. I took notes, practiced speeding up, and after about a year, I was doing 3 cuts an hour and making good money. Not only that, but my haircuts actually improved. Instead of cutting 8 people a day, I was cutting 24. It all came down to reps, reps, reps.
One of my favorite stories is about Kobe Bryant explaining how he separated himself from other players. He trained 2-3 times more than everyone else, and after 10-15 years of that, the gap was so wide that nobody could catch up.
So here’s my advice: If you really want to improve your fading skills, find a local shop that takes walk-ins. See how many cuts you can do in a day. Don’t worry about each one being perfect; just focus on getting the reps in. You’ve already got the foundation—you just need volume and experience with different head shapes, sizes, and hair textures.
Hope this helps…
Peace
