A taper starts at short hair whereas a fade starts at skin. Here, we have the skin drop fade. One of my favorites. It's real smooth and easy to do. Start off skinning it bald.

So a #1 fade will terminate in hair that's ¼ of an inch. Skin fade In this case the fade tapers all the way down to the skin and is usually finished with a razor blade by your barber.

This low-maintenance style has short hair all around with a straight fringe. Named after Julius Caesar, ... Drop Fade. A unique fade that drops lower behind the ears for a distinct shape.