The Richard Rios Haircut: How to Get the Mullet-Burst Fade Hybrid That Broke TikTok
The soccer player’s haircut that launched a thousand barber appointments.
The Richard Rios haircut starts with the burst fade — a fade that curves around the ear in an arc shape, leaving the hair above and behind the ear longer. Unlike a traditional fade that tapers the ent…
1. The Burst Fade Foundation
The Richard Rios haircut starts with the burst fade — a fade that curves around the ear in an arc shape, leaving the hair above and behind the ear longer. Unlike a traditional fade that tapers the entire side, the burst fade only fades the area around the ear, creating a ‘burst’ effect. The top is left with 3-4 inches of textured length, styled forward or to the side. The burst fade is the foundation of the look — get this right and the rest follows. Ask your barber for a ‘burst fade around the ear, leave the top long and textured.’
2. The Mullet Back
The back of the Richard Rios haircut is where the mullet lives. The burst fade transitions into a textured mullet tail that extends past the collar — typically 4-6 inches of layered, textured hair. The transition from the faded sides to the mullet back should be gradual, not a hard break. The mullet tail is layered and textured, not a solid block of hair. The ends are point-cut or razor-cut for movement and separation. This is the part of the haircut that makes people look twice — the burst fade is modern and clean, but the mullet back says ‘I don’t follow rules.’
3. The Textured Top Styling
The top of the Richard Rios haircut is where you spend your daily styling time. The hair is 3-4 inches on top, textured with heavy layers, and styled forward or to the side with a matte product. The fringe should be piece-y and separated, not clumped together. Use a matte clay or paste — not pomade, not gel. Work a small amount through damp hair, then blow dry forward while scrunching with fingers. The result should look like you styled it without styling it. The textured top is the contrast to the clean burst fade — messy meets precise.
4. The Maintenance Schedule
The Richard Rios haircut is high-maintenance. The burst fade grows out in 2-3 weeks, losing its clean shape. The mullet gets shaggy after 4-5 weeks, losing its layered texture. The recommended maintenance schedule: barber visit every 2-3 weeks for a burst fade touch-up, and every 4-5 weeks for a full cut (including mullet trimming and top texturing). Between visits, you can maintain the fade yourself with a trimmer (#1 guard around the ears) but the mullet should be left to the barber. Daily styling takes 5-10 minutes with matte clay and a blow dryer.
Materials Checklist
| Item | Purpose | Category |
|---|---|---|
| Matte clay or paste | Daily styling for textured top | Styling Products |
| Blow dryer | Directing texture and volume on top | Styling Tools |
| Trimmer | Between-visit burst fade maintenance | Cutting Tools |
| Sea salt spray | Pre-styling texture for the mullet back | Styling Products |
Every haircut is a statement. These ones just happen to be worth making.
Cut it. Own it. Repeat. ✂️
