The skin fade is one of the most popular styles in the barbershop, arguably suitable for all face shapes and hair types. However, is it suitable for clients of all ages, specifically, children? With various factors to bear in mind, we asked barbers whether they offer skin fades to children and if so, why?
Age
Bev Steele, barber at Barber Cover Solutions, assures all children aged 16 and under are accompanied by an adult in order to get a skin fade. Meanwhile, Pablo Luis, barber stylist at The Hair Shop in Keswick, has unwavering rules for children requesting a skin fade, regardless of whether they have a guardian with them. “I won’t do a skin fade down to a foil shaver until the client is over 16,” he says. It is also important to make sure your insurance covers this service for children.
Communication
Children often follow trends. They may come into your shop asking for a skin fade after hearing about it through their friends, while not completely understanding what this is. Barber, Donna Eddolls always checks with a child’s guardian that they know exactly what the result will be: “I’ve had so many parents ask for a skin fade for their child, but once I explain what this is and how short it will actually be, they usually ask for just their normal haircut!” Proving that consultation is crucial as always.
It’s also important to outline the possible issues that come with using foil shavers on children’s heads. Wendy Mckenna, manager at Less Than Zero Barbers in Sheffield explains: “Children’s skin is soft and delicate, and foils can really hurt delicate skin.” Therefore, it’s advisable to not use a foil shaver at all. “I wouldn’t go lower than a 1.5mm half guard,” John Tiller advises.
School’s Out
Most schools require their pupils to have their hair cut above a grade two, in fact, there have been instances where pupils have been excluded for ‘extreme’ haircuts, with one Deputy Headteacher commenting: “We deem the skin fade as ‘extreme’ because it exposes the children’s bare skin from the neckline to part way up their head.” A solution for some barbers is to only offer skin fades to children during school holidays.
Quality Matters
When cutting young clients’ hair, some barbers like to consider whether they can achieve an optimal skin fade and how difficult it could be to get a detailed finish. Lyndsey Bertie, owner at Berties Barbers, tells us: “I say no to skin fades for children under five as they often won’t sit still for long periods of time,” and Barber, Trandafir Stefan agrees, adding: “I don’t want to stress young children out with a skin fade, so I just stick to short back and sides.”
Want to show your clients some haircut inspiration? Check out our six short haircuts to know right now.