Slick back, from Artesia.
Length over the forehead, combed straight back toward the crown, over sides that can run from a soft taper to a skin fade. I cut it in Carlsbad, 36 miles south of Artesia on US 285, which OpenStreetMap routing calls a 44-minute drive.
It's a put-together cut for someone who wants to keep some hair, and it handles the distance better than most.
BOOK A SLICK BACK| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jobs in mining, oil and ag | 15.9% | Census ACS 2023 |
| Median age | 30.9 | Census ACS 2023 |
| Minutes to the shop | 44 | OpenStreetMap routing |
Booking the slick back.
Prices and times from my Booksy menu.
Essential Haircut$50 · 40 min+
Top, sides, straight razor neckline, then I comb it back and style it so you see how it should sit.
Book this serviceSignature Cut$65 · 45 min+
The cut plus your beard, trimmed or lined up, and a hot towel. For the long-beard version on the slick back page.
Book this serviceThe top stretches. The sides don't.
A slick back is forgiving on top; more length often combs back easier than less. What dates it is underneath, where the fade or taper puffs out as it grows. So the sides decide when you drive down again, and a low taper will give you a longer gap than a high skin fade. Tell me which matters more, the sharpness or the spacing, and I'll cut to it. Then book the next one before the 44 minutes home.
An office cut in an oilfield town.
Artesia's median age is 30.9 and 15.9% of its jobs are in mining, oil and gas, or agriculture (Census ACS 2023). A slick back is the opposite of a hard-hat cut: it wants a comb and a minute in the morning. If your week is split between the field and somewhere you need to look sharp, say so, and I'll keep the top short enough to push back by hand on the days a helmet goes on.
The climate helps. Humidity sits around 38% (Open-Meteo, 2023–25), and combed-back hair tends to hold in dry air far better than in muggy weather, where it lifts by lunch. You still need something in it, but you're not fighting the sky.
Slick back, Artesia questions.
How much length do I need on top before I drive down?+
Enough to lie back without standing up, longest at the front. If it's not there yet, I can cut the sides now and shape the top as it grows.
Fade or taper under a slick back?+
A skin fade makes it sharper and more modern; a low taper keeps it classic and stretches the time between visits.
Can I add a shaved line?+
Yes. The second cut on the slick back page has one curving behind the ear.
Will my curly hair slick back?+
With a shorter top, or as a looser pushed-back shape. Bring a photo of what you're after.
From Artesia
Driving down from Artesia: distance, route and how to book the trip.
Slick Back · Carlsbad
Length on top combed back over a fade or taper.
Slick back · Roswell
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Slick back · Hobbs
The slick back from Hobbs: a style for the days you're not under a hard hat, cut 70 miles west in Carlsbad.
Textured crop · Artesia
Textured crops for Artesia: a top you style in seconds, built for early starts and the drive down 285.
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Textured fringe for Artesia: a forward-worn cut for a young town, booked before the drive down 285.
Burst fade · Artesia
Burst fade for Artesia: why the arc suits a young town, and how to time the trip down 285.