Texturizing hair is cutting hair in such a way that adds more volume, bounce and movement to your hair in order to improve its overall texture. Thinning hair (aka shearing) is cutting hair to remove volume while maintaining the shape of your hairstyle.

Difference Between Thinning Sheers and Texture Sheers

Texturing is usually done using texture shears (scissors) while thinning is done with thinning sheers. These 2 types of tools look similar but they function differently and give you different results.

Thinning Sheers – These have a solid straight blade paired with a teeth blade. The teeth are spaced out evenly. It is designed so that only hair caught between the blade and teeth is cut away while hair caught in the space between the teeth is left behind. This works well especially on long straight hair, where you can cut away a portion of the hair without affecting the shape of your hair.

Texture Sheers – These have a solid slightly curved blade paired with a teeth blade. The teeth are spaced out evenly but the gap between each tooth is bigger. Texture sheers cut less hair than thinning sheers, this helps increase your hair’s overall movement. The shorter hairs that remain behind helps to support the longer hair, giving your hair extra volume and bounce.

Note that both thinning sheers and texture sheers are can be used for thinning hair. The difference is that since thinning sheers take out more hair, the results may be harsher visible lines. Texture sheers remove less hair and are ideal for softening men’s haircuts, pixie cuts, or thick hair cuts where you want to remove bulk and weight without sacrificing volume and bounce.

Some people have frizzy hair after using these sheers and it’s generally recommended to avoid these if your hair is prone to fizziness.

How To Thin Hair with Thinning Shears at Home

Thinning shears are great for removing the bulk from long and thick hair. Thinning your hair at home can be done but it does require some practice. It would be great if you can find a partner to help you. However, if you cannot find anyone, you will need a mirror to help you see the hair on the back of your head that you need to thin out.

To thin hair with thinning shears at home, follow these simple steps:

Step 1 – Section Your Hair: Sectioning your hair is important because it allows you to know where you have thinned your hair and where you need to focus. It’s recommended to start with these sections:

Top of Head – Gather up hair at the top of your head and twist them into a bunch, use a hair clip to hold the bunched-up hair together.

Above the Ears – Gather up hair just above both ears and twist them into a bunch at the back of your head. This bunch of hair should sit just below the bunch that you made at the top of your head.

Step 2 – Thin your Hair: At this point, you should have hair that is left at the back of your head that is not bunched up. This is the bulk of the hair that you want to thin out. We will call this the thinning section.

Take a section of hair from the thinning section and comb through it with a teeth comb to remove any knots. Spread the strands out between your middle and index finger. Then with your thinning sheers, cut at an angle around the middle of the section of hair. Leave at least 3 inches away from the roots.

Once you have made the cut, use the teeth comb to comb away from the hair that you have cut.

Repeat this step for another section of hair from the thinning section. It’s a good idea to start from one side of your head and work towards the other, that way you know which sections you have thinned and will help you avoid any over thinning. Keep in mind that hair at the side of your face is naturally thinner than the back so many people opt not to thin the hair at the side of the face.

Note that it’s entirely up to you how much hair you want to remove and how thin you want your hair to be.

Step 3 – Once you are satisfied with the amount of hair you have removed from the thinning section, release the hair clip from you above the ear section and let it fall down. then repeat step 2 for this section of the hair as well.

Step 4 – Once you are satisfied with the amount of hair you have removed from above the ear section, release the hair clip from the top of the head section and repeat step 2 for this section of the hair as well.

If you want more volume in your crown area, you may opt to remove less hair from the top of the head section. It’s important to stay at least 3 inches from the scalp of the head. If you cut hair too short in this area, the shorter hairs may stick up and out of the layers of the hair.

Run your fingers into your hair to feel the thickness. Continue thinning until you are satisfied with the amount of hair you have taken out.