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Choosing blending, thinning or texturizing shears to add to your scissor collection can seem super overwhelming but we're here to help with that! While some call thinners - texturizers and texturizers - thinners, people are often confused on which is which and what is what. So before we get in over our heads let's go back to basics and understand the differences between blending, thinning and texturizing shears.
Yes! A thousand times yes there is! Let's break it down further shall we. So 'technically speaking' a blending shear can be categorized under either a thinner or a texturizer. Why? Well because when it comes to blending a haircut, it all boils down to what haircut you're wanting to blend. In this case you may need more teeth on the shear or less teeth. Generally the more teeth needed for blending goes best with a shorter haircut like the scissor over comb technique and, yep you guessed it, Less teeth is needed for a longer haircut like when needed to blend layers out by taking more weight out of the bulk.
So now we have the thinner. The thinner generally has the most teeth on the shear. Anywhere from 25-40 teeth (Sounds like a lot, I know right!) This being said surprisingly, even though there can be up to 40 teeth - the smaller the gap between each tooth takes less hair. Also, on all of the teeth they have little tiny grooves on each of the teeth that help to cut every 2nd, 3rd or 4th strand of hair ensuring that the right amount of hair is taken away - this also goes for texturizers.
On that note, Texturizing shears are much like thinners whereas one of the only major differences is the amount of teeth on them and how much hair is taken away. For example, the texturizing shear has anywhere from 5- 24 teeth on them. So in saying that we are brought to the attention of how much hair is taken away from each haircut - consider it to be a more significant amount of hair that's taken due to the space of how far each tooth is apart, the further the tooth, the more hair is taken. Which is what brings me to my next point, when a bigger amount of hair is taken away it is generally used to create texture or movement in the hair hence the name 'texturizing shears'.
This is quite a diverse subject because as said above blending shears can sit under either texturizing shears or thinning shears, Some people even refer to thinning shears as a blending shear believe it or not! This being said, hair thinning shears are designed to thin unless using the shears in a scissor over comb technique or using your hairdressing eye to blend out that chunky part of the fringe or the heavy layering from your clients thick hair. If however, you are using your texturizing shears to do some blending, your safest bet is to be using it on the longer hairstyles and not any scissor over comb method (Unless your an absolute pro and can handle your own, then go for it!) but when using your texturizing shears whilst 'blending' you generally end up with added texture to the haircut.
Simple! Well in pros mind it is at least, but for those of you that have no idea we can help break it down a little. (Keep in mind these are suggested ways of doing so, not always recommended - always best to make sure its the right method for the right hairstyle.)
How to use thinning shears to blend method one: The ever so classic 'Scissor over comb'. If it's a short style you can use your thinners much like your straight blade scissors and blend out the hair much like you would with a normal straight blade only this way you aren't making such a severe cut and have the choice to re go over it until satisfied. This method is commonly used with barbers for the short back and sides haircuts and hairdressers cutting short styles on women and men.
Method two: Unsure on how to soften those heavy bangs and make it look like the perfect blended bang to hair? Well whip out your thinners and use that creative hairdresser eye. Use your judgement on where you see its sitting thicker in the bang/fringe area compared to the rest of the hair. Once found making sure you take it snip at a time and remove weight - snip, comb and check then re snip if you have to. This is the safest way to make sure you don't take too much hair away or and create the perfect blend between the bangs and length of the hair. Unless of course that is your intention - then don't do any of the above!
Method Three: Again using that amazingly trained hairdresser eye you might be feeling that the layers you've just cut into your clients hair are looking a little too chunky or heavy and you need to blend it in. So of course you use your best judgment on where you see fit, pick up and combo the section out and begin you blending out. Much like method two keeping it as snip, comb and check ensuring not too much hair is taken away.
So there we have 3 of the simplest ways of blending using thinning shears - However some people refer to them as a blending shear and have their own wicked ways of using them. There is by far no real rule as such on the right or wrong way of using them. Let's be honest here, hairdressers and barbers are definitely ‘hands on’ type of people we guess as the old saying goes 'practice makes perfect' to really know the true way of how to use the shears.
To choose your thinning or texturizing shears can be tricky if you don't know what you're looking for, which is why you've gotten to this part of the article right? Well lucky for you we're here to simplify this process. Much like buying your first or second or third straight blade shear, you know the rule of the thumb - make sure you are buying a good quality steel scissor. So the same goes for your thinners and texturizers. Duh! Good quality steel is less likely to catch on hair and pull when moving through the hair.
Some would even say its just that bit more important to have a good quality steel thinner/texturizer because really you're not using your thinners and texturizers as often as your normal scissors, so who's to say if you had a lesser quality shear and one of the teeth breaks then well I'm sorry but there goes your haircut! So quality is key people!
Our other tip on choosing your thinning or texturizing shears is to determine what you will be using them for and how many teeth in the shear will be required to get the job done. For example, if you are purely wanting to either thin or blend the hair you could essentially choose a thinning shear with 27 - 42 teeth on them, keeping in mind the more teeth (up to 42 teeth) on the shear the less hair will come out in one snip and pull down, where as having less teeth (from 27 teeth) the bigger gap between the teeth more hair is likely to come out from one snip and pull down if truly using them for thinning or blending. (add in scissor linking back)
If you are wanting to use them more for texturizing as opposed to blending or thinning the hair or adding in texture to your final hair masterpiece you are best to go for a texturizer with 8 - 14 teeth on them. As said above the wider the gap between the teeth the more hair will fall adding in texture. We cannot stress this enough - but please make sure you know what you are doing with these bad boys - one wrong snip of these and a whole chunk of hair can be gone just like that. So we warn you to practice with them before making any swift moves with them, but if you know what you're doing then swift away swiftly! (add in scissor linking back)
To sum it up, it's really not that hard to choose your blending, thinning or texturizing shears is it!? You just have to know what you need it for and how to use them, which if you don't know by now maybe you need to read this article again but properly this time (was that too cheeky of me?). On a serious note much like your scissors one wrong snip can ruin your clients hair so please please please choose wisely. Happy Blending!
