Burst Taper
A men's Burst Taper haircutting course for hairstylists. Learn to build a modern shape and use root contrast to highlight texture and create smooth graduation.
Result and process
About the course
Burst Taper is a modern men's haircut that combines round layers on top with a high, rounded taper on the sides. The course shows how to use color-treated hair with root regrowth to your advantage - leveraging the contrast between dark roots and light ends to build a haircut with dynamic texture and intentional disconnection at the fringe. It's a technique for clients who want to turn their regrowth into a deliberate styling element.
Vadim Futowsky guides you through the entire process, starting with sectioning the head and building a triangular shape on top that creates a square silhouette once styled. Step by step, he shows how to prep the sides for graduation by working with horizontal layers, then how to build the taper itself - moving from larger guards down, all the way to marking the zero line with a trimmer and blending upward from an open blade.
In this course, you'll see
- How to build a triangular shape on top to achieve a square silhouette after styling on a round head
- The full process of building a burst taper: from 6mm down to prep the shape, to working up from zero for a seamless blend
- How to use the contrast between dark regrowth and light ends to highlight texture and graduation
- How to prep the sides for the taper through graduation in horizontal layers - with no need for diagonal partings
- Working with the wrist alone when blending with clippers - the key to precision and a clean transition
- Personalizing the fade using texturizing shears and straight scissors to remove dark patches and achieve softness
- Final styling without a comb - working matte paste through with your fingers to bring out texture and define sections
After this course, you'll be able to intentionally build a square silhouette on a round head, use regrowth as a compositional asset rather than a problem to hide, and create clean, high tapers with character. This is a haircut that lets you offer clients a modern, bold look that works great day-to-day and stands out in photos.
What you will learn
- 01How to build a triangular shape on top to achieve a square silhouette.
- 02How to prep the sides for the taper by working graduation in horizontal layers.
- 03How to create a seamless burst taper by working from larger guards down to zero.
- 04How to use root contrast to highlight the haircut's texture and graduation.
- 05How to work with intentional disconnection to leave longer sections at the fringe.
- 06Why working with the wrist alone on the clippers is key to precision.
Before you start
This course assumes you already have:
What's inside
Full access with the course
1:3801Building a triangle for a square effect
That's why, to make it look square after styling, we need to create a triangle here.
13:0502Marking the taper's starting line
That's why I mark the section where the taper will start and just cut it straight along the line.
19:5503Working round graduation at the back
We're going to work in round graduation, since the head is rounded here too.
29:5704Intentional disconnection at the cowlicks
This hair will never lie forward, so there can be disconnection here too.
34:1905Warning - don't pull the hair
I don't pull this hair too tight, because it will spring back later and we'll lose the shape.
39:3106Changing the motion - from arm to wrist
On the larger guards I worked with my whole arm, and now I'm working with just my wrist.
41:3007Using texturizing shears to personalize the fade
I only use texturizing shears in this case, because it's a faster way to get a softer fade.
53:0208Styling - how to achieve a square shape
We need to flatten the widest and highest points, and add volume to the rounded parts.
FAQ
Is this course suitable for beginner hairstylists?
What tools are needed to perform this haircut?
Does this technique only work on color-treated hair with regrowth?
Does the course explain how to work with disconnection at the fringe?
Why are the sides prepped with horizontal layers instead of diagonal ones?
How long is the full video course?
Does the course also cover styling the finished haircut?
Details
Educator
Vadim Futowsky
Educator · 5 courses
Vadim Futowsky is the founder of THE UNION HAIR LOUNGE salon in Warsaw, with six years of experience in barbering. In his teaching, he focuses on fundamental principles, deconstructing hairstyles into basic shapes: square, circle, and triangle. He shows how to consciously combine layering, graduation, and line techniques to build any precise form from them.
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