What is a flow haircut for men?

A medium-length hairstyle where the hair moves back away from the face in a natural shape. Also called a brush back. Scissor-led rather than clipper-heavy.

What are curtains in a men's haircut?

Longer hair through the front that parts naturally and frames the face, usually around the centre or slightly off-centre.

A subtle taper that lightly shortens and blends the hair around the sideburns and neckline without removing weight from the sides or back. Cleans the outline without changing the shape.

Is a low taper better than a fade for a flow cut?

For this kind of haircut, usually yes. A low taper keeps the outline clean while preserving the softer, fuller shape needed for flow. A fade would remove too much weight from the sides and break the shape.

How is this different from a full-scissor flow cut?

The other flow entries in the Cut Book (Natural Curtains + Brush Back, Flow Layered Scissor Cut) use no clipper work at all. This one adds a low taper around the sideburns and neckline for a sharper perimeter. Same flow shape above the ear, cleaner edges below it.

How often should I get this haircut refreshed?

Usually around 5 to 7 weeks. Longer than a fade cut. You can refresh the taper on its own between full cuts if you want the perimeter permanently sharp.

Is this a good option for someone growing their hair out?

Very much yes. The low taper keeps you presentable through the awkward grow-out phase while the scissor work lets the top shape mature rather than just puff out.

Where can I get a natural curtains flow cut in Surry Hills?

Fresh By Prince at 216 Devonshire Street. Scissor cuts, low taper work and longer-hair reshaping all handled by Prince from a one-chair studio. L1 light rail stops directly outside.

1 September 2026 8 min read Prince

Natural Curtains Scissor Trim With Low Taper for a Flow Cut

This is one of those cuts where less panic creates a better result. The whole point is not to overcut it.

Natural curtains scissor trim with low taper for a men's flow haircut, cut by Prince at Fresh By Prince in Surry Hills Sydney

The cut

Style: Natural Curtains + Low Taper Flow Cut
Fade: Low taper (sideburns + neckline only, no fade)
Top: Medium length, natural curtain part, scissor-shaped
Best for: Straight to wavy hair, medium density and above
Finish: Natural, clean, relaxed (lightweight cream or paste)
Maintenance: Approx. 5 to 7 weeks
Cut by: Prince
Location: Surry Hills, Sydney

This is one of those cuts where less panic creates a better result. The whole point is not to overcut it.

Prince kept the length through the top, sides and back, refined the shape with scissors, then used a low taper around the edges so the haircut stayed clean without losing the softer flow shape.

The result sits between natural curtains and a brush-back flow cut. It frames the face at the front, keeps movement through the sides, and still carries enough length through the back to feel relaxed rather than rigid.

This isn't a fade haircut pretending to be longer hair. It's a proper scissor-led shape with a taper used for control.

What he wanted

A flow cut that still looks tidy without turning into a taper fade. The full-scissor version was too loose around the sideburns and neck for how sharp the client wanted the perimeter to read. A low taper handles that without eating into the flow shape above it.

What we did

Kept the length through the top so the hair can carry a natural curtain part
Scissor-shaped the internal layers so the front falls forward and sweeps back into flow
Preserved density through the crown and rear so the back stays connected
Low taper only around the sideburns and neckline: clipper touches nothing above the ear
Blended the taper softly into the natural weight above so the transition doesn't read as a fade

Why the cut works

This is the middle-path flow cut. Full scissor (Prince's other flow entries) keeps everything long, which suits some clients but leaves the perimeter softer than others want. A taper fade takes the fade high enough to change the character of the haircut entirely. The low taper here does neither: cleans the sideburn and neck for a sharper outline, leaves everything above the ear untouched, so the flow shape stays intact. The scissors do the styling work. The taper does the tidying work. Neither one is trying to be the other.

Who this cut suits

You want a medium-length hairstyle with a natural curtain part
You want a softer alternative to a skin fade
You want enough length to brush back
You want a tidy outline without looking too clipped
You're growing your hair out from a shorter cut
You want a relaxed but still polished look
You need a haircut that grows out well between visits

Maintenance and grow-out

Around 5 to 7 weeks. Longer than a fade, shorter than a full-scissor flow. The taper cleans up faster than a fade so it can be refreshed on its own between full cuts if you want the sideburn/neck permanently sharp. Otherwise let the whole thing grow together.

At home

This style doesn't need to be frozen in place. Start with damp hair. Lightweight cream or paste. Find the natural part with your hands, then direct the front softly away from the face and guide the sides backwards. Brush for a cleaner finish, fingers for a more relaxed one. The product guides the movement; it doesn't harden the shape.

What to ask your barber

Ask for a natural curtains style with enough length to flow back. Keep it mostly scissor cut, clean it with a low taper around the edges, and leave it soft rather than turning it into a fade. Then show the photo. "Curtains," "flow" and "low taper" all get interpreted differently by different barbers. The photo removes the guesswork.

What is a natural curtains flow cut with a low taper?

A natural curtains flow cut with a low taper is a medium-length men’s haircut that keeps longer hair through the front, top and back so it can part naturally and move away from the face, while using a subtle taper around the sideburns and neckline to keep the outline clean. It offers a softer alternative to a fade and works well for men who want a scissor-cut style with natural movement and a sharper perimeter than a full-scissor cut allows.

The low taper cleans the edges: usually around the sideburns and nape. That’s the entire clipper work. Everything above the ear stays untouched, which is what preserves the flow shape.

Why the low taper (and not a fade)

The purpose of this haircut is softness and movement. Push the sides too short and the front curtains and back flow start disconnecting from the rest of the head. A low taper gives just enough neatness around the ears and neckline to sharpen the finish, while leaving the rest of the shape intact.

Fade would change the personality of the cut. Low taper protects it.

Why this works as both curtains and flow

The curtains are in the front. The hair opens naturally and helps frame the face rather than sitting flat or being combed into one strict direction. The flow is what happens after that: the sides and back move away smoothly and keep a longer, connected shape.

Two style languages, one haircut. If you searched for either, this cut is what you were describing.

Where this sits in the Cut Book flow family

Prince has three flow entries now, each solving a slightly different problem:

Natural Curtains + Flow Brush Back: pure scissor, no clipper anywhere. Softest version. Best for grown-out flow that’s already comfortable being long.
Flow Layered Scissor Cut: pure scissor, more aggressive internal layering. Best for thicker hair that needs the layers to stop it going bulky.
This one: scissor + low taper. Middle path. Best when you want the flow shape but need a sharper outline than pure scissor gives.

Full flow catalogue lives at /flow-haircut-sydney/.

Why the scissors matter

You don’t get a haircut like this by taking guards up the side and hoping. The shape depends on how the weight is distributed: enough length through the top, side panels and back so the hair can travel naturally, then scissors removing bulk where the haircut would otherwise become too heavy. The taper is a five-minute finishing job. The scissor work is the haircut.

Is this a good option for growing your hair out?

Yes, one of the strongest reasons this cut exists. A lot of men want to move away from tighter barber cuts but don’t want to look scruffy in the transition. This gives a clean route into medium-length hair: low taper keeps the perimeter presentable, scissor work lets the shape grow rather than just puff out. Come back every 5-7 weeks, let the top get longer each visit, arrive at a full flow in a few cuts.

Why get this cut at Fresh By Prince?

Most Surry Hills barbers advertise scissor cuts on their service page. Fewer show what a scissor cut actually looks like on a real head, and even fewer break down when to add a low taper and when to leave it fully scissor. Fresh By Prince is a one-chair studio at 216 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills. Prince handles the consultation, cut and finish, which matters on a haircut this dependent on shape and weight-distribution judgement. On a cut like this, the barber’s call about where to leave the length and where to cut it away is the whole thing.

Frequently asked

What is a flow haircut for men?

A medium-length hairstyle where the hair moves back away from the face in a natural shape. Also called a brush back. Scissor-led rather than clipper-heavy.
What are curtains in a men's haircut?

Longer hair through the front that parts naturally and frames the face, usually around the centre or slightly off-centre.
What is a low taper?

A subtle taper that lightly shortens and blends the hair around the sideburns and neckline without removing weight from the sides or back. Cleans the outline without changing the shape.
Is a low taper better than a fade for a flow cut?

For this kind of haircut, usually yes. A low taper keeps the outline clean while preserving the softer, fuller shape needed for flow. A fade would remove too much weight from the sides and break the shape.
How is this different from a full-scissor flow cut?

The other flow entries in the Cut Book (Natural Curtains + Brush Back, Flow Layered Scissor Cut) use no clipper work at all. This one adds a low taper around the sideburns and neckline for a sharper perimeter. Same flow shape above the ear, cleaner edges below it.
How often should I get this haircut refreshed?

Usually around 5 to 7 weeks. Longer than a fade cut. You can refresh the taper on its own between full cuts if you want the perimeter permanently sharp.
Is this a good option for someone growing their hair out?

Very much yes. The low taper keeps you presentable through the awkward grow-out phase while the scissor work lets the top shape mature rather than just puff out.
Where can I get a natural curtains flow cut in Surry Hills?

Fresh By Prince at 216 Devonshire Street. Scissor cuts, low taper work and longer-hair reshaping all handled by Prince from a one-chair studio. L1 light rail stops directly 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