With so many different types of shears on the market, it may be difficult to narrow down the search for the perfect pair. And, according to Sam Villa, global artistic ambassador for Redken, you should actually be on the hunt for five pairs—each with its own unique purpose.
"When I first started out, I used one shear for everything because that’s what I was comfortable with. Then, someone told me that I needed a longer shear for something I was doing and I asked why, because I knew I could get the job done with the shears I was using," Villa says. "They then explained the what, how and why behind each shear design and that’s when I understood that I could minimize my effort and maximize the results when using the right shears for the right job,” he adds.
Here, Villa shares five types of shears that every stylist needs in their kit:
- Short Blunt Shear: for cutting shorter styles and detailing around ears. A 5.5 swivel shear is even better as it will allow the wrist to stay straight and elbow down when maneuvering angles tight to the head.
- Medium Blunt Shear: for wet/dry cutting and layering everyday cuts with exceptional control.
- Long Blunt Shear: for deep point cutting, slide cutting, larger sections and longer lengths.
- Blending Shear: the bottom over-polished blade pushes hair into teeth for a scallop instead of straight cut so it’s great for layering, especially blondes because it won’t leave a line.
- Multi-textural Shear: for extracting weight, blending and creating texture.