You may be exceptionally skilled with your scissors and haircuts. But if you are not equipped with the best quality tools for the job, the outcome may not be as accurate, precise, and sharp.
If you have recently bought thinning shears and wondering how to use thinning shears, we have got your back!
Thinning shears, or hair-thinning scissors, are scissors with one blade with teeth and another without. The teeth are little grooves on the blade that will quickly cut your hair into even sections to help alleviate any excess weight. The shears also soften the lines and blend the sections of hair to create a cohesive look.
What Are Thinning Shears Used For?
Thinning shear is a must-have tool for any hairstyling enthusiast due to its versatility and ease of use. It adds textures and depth to specific sections of hair and can also be used for an entire haircut.
This wonderful equipment removes surplus weight from hair while using smaller teeth. They are designed to blend away distinct lines left by hair scissors and soften the look. Newer models can have anywhere between 28 and 40 teeth.
Interestingly, shears are considered a secondary tool to any haircut and should not be used to achieve overall shape. When using a thinning shear, it should be only for the last 10 percent of the haircut.
Types of Thinning Shears
There are mainly three main types of thinning shears-
- 20-30 teeth thinning shears for texturing and blending.
- 6-12 and 30-40 teeth thinning shears for removing the bulk.
- 14-20 teeth thinning shears for blending and finishing.
How to Use Thinning Scissors?
There are different ways to use a thinning shear. They can do anything that a regular shear can do, just softer. You can use the thinning shears to blend on long hair, short hair, thick hair, or thinner hair. However, it is usually not recommended for curly hair.
The important things to remember while using the thinning shears are the cutting placement and the direction your shears face as you cut. Thinning shears cut sections of your hair shorter, so getting close to the scalp or hairline can also cause issues.
Below are the ways on how to use thinning shears for different purposes-
1. To blend hair: They should be used on dry hair to blend shorter, finer hair. To blend the hair, use them more on the end of the strands. On long hair, angle your thinning shears downwards in the direction of the hair growth. It will be like brushing the ends of the hair with your thinning shears.
It can be used to blend a layered haircut. Raise a section of hair and dust the ends with your thinning shears. You can also blend the short haircuts using them. Use thinning shears over the comb to blend the cut and give them a soft finish.
2. To remove weight: To remove unwanted weight in a haircut. Use thinning scissors for slicing through the hair. For very thick hair, it can be used to remove weight from the inside of the cut. On dry hair, we can use it to remove weight by elevating sections and cutting from mid and below the hair shaft.
However, one should be careful not to thin hair from too far up the hair shaft as it can make hair stick up.
3. To give texture: Thinning shears can be used to cut blunt lines. It will provide blunt lines with a softer edge. This is great for a bob haircut as they can sometimes be heavy on the ends.
The softness of the cut is also incredible for the growing out process. Using thinning shears also provides you an added layer of protection when cutting straight lines.
How to Use Thinning Shears for Different Cutting Techniques?
Professional stylists use thinning shears to create different hairstyles. Different techniques can be adopted while using thinning shears.
- Point cutting: Use thinning shears to cut hair vertically. This can be used in point cutting technique. It helps to create texture and movement.
- Slide cutting: Cut the hair while sliding the shears down the hair shaft. Slide cutting technique is best used for creating blended looks and hairstyles.
- Razor cutting: Some hairstylists use thinning shear in place of razor for creating softer, natural looks.
- Chunking: This is a volume removal technique in which hairstylists take a large section of hair and use thinning shears to remove bulk.
Conclusion
Thinning shears is a hairstylist’s secret weapon. It helps in creating a seamless blend of different hair sections, resulting in a stunningly natural looking finish.
Mastering the techniques of using thinning shears may take some time and effort. But the payoff in the form of beautiful and flawless haircuts is truly worth it.
Image Source : canva
