What is a mid-high skin fade?

A skin fade that sits higher than a standard mid fade but lower than an extreme high fade, with the shortest section taken down to bare skin. Stronger contrast than a mid, without going all the way into aggressive-high territory.

Is a textured comb over professional?

Yes. It keeps the organised side direction of a classic professional haircut, but the texture gives it a more contemporary finish. Works in most business settings, works on the weekend too.

Is this the same as the High Skin Fade Comb Over?

Same family, two different versions. The high skin fade comb over is cleaner and more polished. This one keeps the same shape but adds internal texture and drops the fade a touch. Pick clean for formal, textured for a softer modern finish.

Does this haircut work with thick hair?

Yes. Thick hair gives the top enough density for both texture and volume. The challenge is weight: too much bulk and the top gets heavy, too little and the shape collapses. Controlled texture, not aggressive thinning.

What about fine hair?

Still works. Prince would preserve more density and be less aggressive with texture. A cleaner side direction can actually make fine hair look fuller because the strands work together instead of being broken into too many separate pieces.

How often should I refresh the skin fade?

Around two to three weeks if you want it sharp. Longer if you're happy with a softer perimeter.

Where can I get a textured comb over with a skin fade in Surry Hills?

Fresh By Prince at 216 Devonshire Street. Skin fades, scissor work and modern comb overs handled by Prince from a one-chair studio. L1 light rail stops directly outside.

1 September 2026 8 min read Prince

Mid-High Skin Fade With a Textured Comb Over

Structured enough for work. Loose enough that it does not feel like your grandfather's side part.

Mid-high skin fade with textured comb-over top cut by Prince at Fresh By Prince in Surry Hills Sydney

The cut

Style: Textured Comb Over
Fade: Mid-High Skin Fade (skin base)
Top: Textured, side-swept, natural part direction
Best for: Straight to slightly wavy, medium-to-thick density
Finish: Matte, controlled (paste, cream or light pomade)
Maintenance: Approx. 2 to 3 weeks for the fade
Cut by: Prince
Location: Surry Hills, Sydney

This one sits right between classic and modern.

The top has the shape of a comb over, but Prince has broken it up with texture so it doesn't look too formal or too polished. Then he's taken the sides into a mid-high skin fade, creating a stronger contrast without turning the haircut into a full high-and-tight.

Clean through the side. Movement through the top. Structured enough for work. Loose enough that it doesn't feel like your grandfather's side part.

That's the balance.

What he wanted

A sharper version of a side part. The classic shape (top swept across, clean sides) but with more life in it. Skin fade taken high enough for real contrast, texture cut into the top so it moves instead of sitting like a slab, no hard part carved into the head.

What we did

Mid-high skin fade: sides taken to skin, blended between mid and high for real contrast
Left substantial length through the top so the comb-over direction has hair to work with
Cut internal texture into the top so sections separate rather than forming one flat surface
Natural side direction rather than a razor-carved hard part (more flexible day to day)
Cleaned the perimeter around the temple and neckline for a defined outline

Why the cut works

A conventional comb over gets very polished: part, comb, pomade, everything sitting exactly where it was told. This one has more life. The length still carries the classic side direction, but the internal texture means individual sections can separate rather than forming one flat block. You can still style it clean for work, but it doesn't collapse if you run your fingers through it later. The haircut has a direction. It doesn't need a uniform.

Who this cut suits

You want a sharp skin fade
You want a professional haircut with some personality
You want enough top length to actually style
You want texture without a messy fringe
You want something more controlled than a crop
You want something less formal than a classic slick side part
You need one cut that works between office and weekend

Maintenance and grow-out

Two to three weeks if you want the skin fade permanently sharp. The top can usually last longer between major reshaping appointments (the shape comes from length, not from a fresh perimeter), but the clean skin-to-shadow transition will soften first. That's the trade-off with skin fades: very easy styling, very obvious regrowth.

At home

Start with damp hair. Small amount of lightweight paste, cream or matte product. Find the natural side direction. Blow-dry across and slightly backwards, fingers for more texture or a comb for more structure. Then break the top apart slightly with your fingertips. The trick is not to make every strand obey. Matte paste for a modern textured finish. Light pomade or cream for a cleaner, more traditional look. Same cut, different mood.

What to ask your barber

Ask for a mid-high skin fade with enough length through the top for a textured comb over. Keep the part natural, leave some movement through the top, and don't make it too slick or formal. Then show the photo. "Comb over" and "mid-high fade" both get interpreted differently by different barbers. The photo gives the target. The consultation adjusts it to your hair.

What is a textured comb over with a mid-high skin fade?

A textured comb over with a mid-high skin fade is a men’s haircut that combines a longer side-swept top with visible texture and sides faded down to bare skin. The higher fade creates strong contrast, while the textured top gives a softer, more modern alternative to a traditional polished side part.

Two elements doing different jobs. The comb over gives the haircut structure and direction. The mid-high skin fade creates the contrast and clears the visual weight through the sides. Put them together and you get something sharper than a traditional side part but less severe than a full high-and-tight.

Why the top has texture

A conventional comb over can get very polished. Part, comb, pomade, everything sitting exactly where it was told. This one has more life. The internal texture lets individual sections separate rather than forming one flat surface. It still styles clean for work when you want it to, but it doesn’t collapse the second you run your fingers through it. The haircut has a direction; it doesn’t need a uniform.

Why the fade sits mid-high

A low fade would have made the haircut softer and more conservative. A full high fade would create much more scalp exposure and make the contrast more aggressive. Mid-high gives room to clean the sides and make the longer top stand out without pushing the fade excessively high. That works especially well here because the top is fairly controlled: the fade gives it edge, the comb over keeps it grown-up.

Textured comb over versus clean comb over

Prince has a cleaner sister cut in the Cut Book: the High Skin Fade Comb Over. Same top direction, cleaner finish, higher fade. Two ways to wear essentially the same architecture:

Clean: higher fade, polished top, more traditional. Better for formal / corporate.
Textured: mid-high fade, broken-up top, more modern. Better for creative / everyday.

Same customer can happily wear both across different weeks.

Is a comb over the same as a side part?

Same family. A side part describes the division in the hair. A comb over describes the direction of the longer hair across the top. This cut doesn’t rely on a carved hard part; the direction is more natural, which makes the finish softer and more flexible. Comb it cleanly for a sharper look, break it apart with your fingers for more texture. Same haircut, different mood.

Does it work with thick hair?

Yes. Thick hair gives the top enough density to build both volume and texture. The challenge is controlling the weight. If Prince leaves too much bulk, the top becomes heavy and difficult to style. If he takes too much out, the hair loses the strength needed for the comb-over shape. Controlled texture, not aggressive thinning.

Why get this cut at Fresh By Prince?

Skin fades are everywhere in Surry Hills. What’s less common is the barber who can pair one properly with a controlled, textured top so the whole cut hangs together. Fresh By Prince is a one-chair studio at 216 Devonshire Street. Prince handles the consultation, the cut and the finish, which matters on a cut like this where a clipper-only barber can nail the fade and still miss the shape of the top. Both parts have to work; one person owning both is why they do.

Frequently asked

What is a textured comb over?

A comb over that keeps longer hair through the top and directs it across from one side, but with internal texture cut in so sections separate and move rather than forming a slick block. More modern than the traditional slick side part.
What is a mid-high skin fade?

A skin fade that sits higher than a standard mid fade but lower than an extreme high fade, with the shortest section taken down to bare skin. Stronger contrast than a mid, without going all the way into aggressive-high territory.
Is a textured comb over professional?

Yes. It keeps the organised side direction of a classic professional haircut, but the texture gives it a more contemporary finish. Works in most business settings, works on the weekend too.
Is this the same as the High Skin Fade Comb Over?

Same family, two different versions. The high skin fade comb over is cleaner and more polished. This one keeps the same shape but adds internal texture and drops the fade a touch. Pick clean for formal, textured for a softer modern finish.
Is a comb over the same as a side part?

They overlap. Side part refers more to the parting line itself. Comb over refers to how the longer top is directed across the head. This cut doesn't rely on a carved hard part, which makes the finish more flexible.
Does this haircut work with thick hair?

Yes. Thick hair gives the top enough density for both texture and volume. The challenge is weight: too much bulk and the top gets heavy, too little and the shape collapses. Controlled texture, not aggressive thinning.
What about fine hair?

Still works. Prince would preserve more density and be less aggressive with texture. A cleaner side direction can actually make fine hair look fuller because the strands work together instead of being broken into too many separate pieces.
How often should I refresh the skin fade?

Around two to three weeks if you want it sharp. Longer if you're happy with a softer perimeter.
Where can I get a textured comb over with a skin fade in Surry Hills?

Fresh By Prince at 216 Devonshire Street. Skin fades, scissor work and modern comb overs 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