Is a mid taper good for curly hair?

Yes. A mid taper creates enough contrast to sharpen curly hair while preserving natural volume and movement through the top.

The shortest areas are taken very tight, giving the taper a skin-fade finish, but the fade stays concentrated around the lower-to-middle perimeter rather than being taken high around the full head.

Can this work with wavy hair?

Yes. Looser waves can work especially well because the style relies on movement and texture rather than a rigid finish.

Can you keep the back longer?

Yes. That's one of the features of this example. The fuller rear section helps maintain movement and gives the haircut more character than a standard short fade.

How often should I get a taper refreshed?

Around two to three weeks if you like the fade sharp. Longer if you're comfortable with a softer grow-out.

Do I need a lot of curly hair products?

Not necessarily. A lightweight curl cream or texture product is often enough. The goal is to define the curl, not plaster it down.

Where can I get a mid skin taper for curly hair in Sydney?

Fresh By Prince offers men's haircuts including fades and scissor work from a one-chair studio at 216 Devonshire Street in Surry Hills, with the L1 light rail stopping outside.

31 August 2026 6 min read Prince

Mid Skin Taper With Textured Curls

Some haircuts are about controlling the hair. This one is about knowing when not to.

Mid skin taper with textured natural curls cut by Prince at Fresh By Prince in Surry Hills Sydney

The cut

Style: Mid Skin Taper With Textured Curls
Fade: Mid Skin Taper
Top: Medium length, natural curl left textured
Best for: Curly or wavy medium-to-thick hair
Finish: Natural
Maintenance: Approx. 2 to 3 weeks for a sharp taper
Cut by: Prince
Location: Surry Hills, Sydney

Some haircuts are about controlling the hair. This one is about knowing when not to.

The curls already had movement. They already had shape. Prince didn't need to flatten them into something more obedient. He just needed to clean the frame.

For this cut, Prince went with a mid skin taper and kept the natural curls textured and loose through the top and back. The taper gives you the sharpness. The curls give you the personality. Neither one is trying to kill the other.

What he wanted

Keep the curls. Clean the sides. Get a stronger contrast than a low taper without the fade taking over the whole haircut. A cut that still looks like the client's own hair, not a fade with curls sitting on top.

What we did

Kept the natural curl pattern intact through the top and rear section
Left the back longer than a standard short fade, so the shape carries movement rather than sitting flat
Mid skin taper: shortest point sits around the temple and lower sides, taken down tight
Blended the taper up into the natural density above so the curls have weight to sit on
Cleaned the perimeter without stripping the volume that gives the curl pattern its shape

Why the cut works

Curly hair does not need to be bullied. It needs shape. Remove too much weight and the curls lose definition. Leave too much and the haircut turns heavy and shapeless. The job is not to make curly hair neat. The job is to make the curls sit where they look best. Prince leaves enough density through the top and rear section for the curl pattern to form naturally, then uses the taper to give the eye a clean boundary. That contrast makes the texture look stronger, not messier.

Who this cut suits

Naturally curly hair
Wavy-to-curly texture
Medium to thick density
Hair that carries volume easily
You want natural texture rather than a straightened or heavily controlled finish
You want to keep some length through the top and back
You want a haircut that still looks like your own hair, not a fade template

Maintenance and grow-out

Around two to three weeks if you want the skin taper looking sharp. You can stretch it longer if you're comfortable with the fade softening. The curls themselves can often go longer between major reshaping appointments, depending on how quickly the overall silhouette starts to get heavy. That gives this haircut a nice balance. Sharp when fresh. Still wearable as it grows.

At home

Don't dry the curls out. After washing, leave the hair damp, use a small amount of curl cream or a lightweight styling product, and work it through gently. Let the curls settle. Scrunch them if you want more definition, or use less product and leave them alone for a looser finish. The taper doesn't need much attention at home. The curls do, and even then less is usually better than more.

What to ask your barber

Ask for a mid skin taper with the curls left natural and textured through the top, keeping enough length and weight so the curl pattern still forms properly. Then show the photo. "Mid taper" means slightly different things depending on the barber, your head shape and how much skin exposure you actually want. The photo gives direction. The consultation gives you the right haircut.

What is a mid skin taper with textured curls?

A mid skin taper is a fade concentrated through the lower-to-middle perimeter of the haircut, taken down very short or to skin around the sides while leaving more length and weight above. Paired with textured curls, the idea is simple: clean the edges, preserve the movement.

That is different from taking a full fade high around the head and cutting away too much of the natural curl pattern. With this style, the curls stay alive. You can see the texture sitting naturally through the top, with enough length through the back to keep the shape interesting rather than turning the whole thing into a standard short fade. The result is modern, but it doesn’t look manufactured.

Why Prince used a mid skin taper, not a low one

This cut needed contrast. A very low taper would have been softer. A high fade would have taken over. The mid skin taper gives a stronger transition without stripping character from the haircut. The shortest point sits around the temple and lower sides, then blends into the natural density above. That allows the curl pattern to stay visually heavy where it matters.

Mid taper versus low taper on curly hair

The main difference is how much contrast you want.

Low taper: softer, more conservative, more weight left through the sides.

Mid taper: stronger contrast, more visible fade, cleaner perimeter.

For this client, Prince went mid because the curls had enough volume and density to hold their own. The taper needs to match the hair above it.

Why this works on this client

Look at the profile. The curls create height and movement. The taper tightens the side. The rear section is left fuller, which keeps the shape from becoming too conventional. It gives the haircut a bit of attitude. That’s what makes this one good. It isn’t just tidy. It’s recognisable.

What if my curls are tighter or looser?

The same idea can still work, but the execution changes. Loose curls and waves can carry more separation. Tighter curls may need more careful weight control to keep the overall shape balanced. Coily hair will behave differently again. That’s why the same haircut name doesn’t mean identical cutting decisions on every client.

Why get this cut at Fresh By Prince?

Fresh By Prince is a one-chair men’s grooming studio at 216 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. Prince cuts the client from start to finish. No hand-off. No junior finishing the haircut. No conveyor belt.

For curly hair, that’s a real advantage. You don’t want someone simply following a guard number. You want someone reading the texture. Where does it spring. Where does it collapse. Where is there too much weight. Where does the curl need room. That’s the haircut.

Frequently asked

Is a mid taper good for curly hair?

Yes. A mid taper creates enough contrast to sharpen curly hair while preserving natural volume and movement through the top.
Is this a skin fade?

The shortest areas are taken very tight, giving the taper a skin-fade finish, but the fade stays concentrated around the lower-to-middle perimeter rather than being taken high around the full head.
Can this work with wavy hair?

Yes. Looser waves can work especially well because the style relies on movement and texture rather than a rigid finish.
Can you keep the back longer?

Yes. That's one of the features of this example. The fuller rear section helps maintain movement and gives the haircut more character than a standard short fade.
How often should I get a taper refreshed?

Around two to three weeks if you like the fade sharp. Longer if you're comfortable with a softer grow-out.
Do I need a lot of curly hair products?

Not necessarily. A lightweight curl cream or texture product is often enough. The goal is to define the curl, not plaster it down.
Where can I get a mid skin taper for curly hair in Sydney?

Fresh By Prince offers men's haircuts including fades and scissor work from a one-chair studio at 216 Devonshire Street in Surry Hills, with the L1 light rail stopping outside.

Coming from outside Surry Hills?

Coming from the Inner West?

If you're travelling from Newtown, Erskineville, Marrickville, Petersham, Stanmore, Ashfield or Burwood, getting into Central makes Fresh By Prince an easy city-side appointment rather than a cross-Sydney mission.

Coming from the Eastern Suburbs?

Clients coming from Randwick, Kensington, Kingsford and the eastern light rail corridor can use the light rail network toward Surry Hills and Central.

Coming from Western Sydney?

If you're travelling from Parramatta, Strathfield, Lidcombe or further west, get the train into Central and walk up toward Devonshire Street.

Coming from North Sydney?

Metro and rail connections make Surry Hills accessible from North Sydney, Chatswood and the Lower North Shore without needing to drive across the city and hunt for a park.

Like this cut?

Book the Haircut and bring the photo. Consultation covers the rest.

Book the chair

216 Devonshire St, Surry Hills · L1 light rail at the door