To start with, it’s important to know how you can abuse your shears. You may be doing the wrong thing with your shears without even noticing so read through and make sure you aren’t doing any of the following. As odd as it may sound, some stylists actually cut paper with their hair scissors. This is one of the worst things to do with your shears because it severely damages the blades.

One must be extremely careful not to offset the balance of the scissors. By cutting a piece of paper, no matter how thin it may be, you are cutting something that is much thicker than hair. Shears are made for hair because the thickness is measured in nanometers and is easy to glide through with a simple pair of shears. Paper is thicker than hair and stiffer so it is not as easy to cut through it with the blades of a pair of hair scissors. Paper cutting scissors are made with a thicker, less complex blade while shear blades are defined so precisely and balanced to a “t”.

Something that may be hard to avoid is throwing hair scissors when done using them. Once hairstylists get into their groove of motion and into a routine that helps them cut hair in a faster way, they tend to lack in the gentleness of using their shears. They may make a few cuts in a certain area of the hair and then toss the scissors onto the counter to pick up their next tool. This is extremely harmful to the shears because hitting up against other objects such as a comb, another pair of scissors, or even a simple countertop can ruin the cutting edge and sharpness.

Loaning your shears to a friend is an absolute no-no in the world of hair. You may think they are very trustworthy and would never do anything to damage your property but you may have two different ideas of being careful. They may not care about their tools as much as you which means they could toss your shears around or use them for the improper purpose. This is extremely costly for anyone who loans their shears out to friends or family.

Hairstyling isn’t the easiest job in the world when you look at the big picture. Precise measurements and cuts take not only knowledge, but also plenty of skill. Anyone cutting hair must be well educated in what they are doing, which includes taking care of their tools. As long as hairdressers free up a little time in their busy schedules to organize their tools, they can save themselves money by preserving everything and keeping it all in great shape.

First, to curl your hair with a flat iron, you will obviously need a flat iron. Investing in a quality flat iron such as a Chi hair straightener will give you better results. Comb or brush your hair free of all tangles, part it however you would like and section it off.   The size of your sections will depend on your hair type and the type of curls you want.

Next, start on the underside of all of your hair. Grasp a  piece of hair and clamp the hair straightener close to the roots, just as you would if you were going to straighten the hair.   When you begin to pull the flat iron down, turn it about 60 to 90 degrees, like you are twirling the hair around the flat iron, but do not twirl it all the way around (this would make it impossible to pull through).  Pull the flat iron slowly through your hair, keeping it at an angle – the slower the better to get the curl you want.

When you release the hair, before it is completely cooled, twist it around your fingers to solidify your shape. Allow the hair to cool before moving, it will have a very tight look, but it will fall later. You may want to spritz the section with a light, volumizing hair spray for better hold.

Repeat these steps for all the sections of hair on your head. After you’ve moved through all of your hair and have the amount of curls you want, gently comb through them with your fingers or pull apart the tightest curls to achieve the most natural look.

Curling your hair with a flat iron is easy and provides silky, shiny, fizz free curls all with one, versatile tool.

Kamisori Thinning Shears

or poofiness of their locks.

Thinning hair scissors, also known as thinning shears, come in a variety of styles.  In general, they look very similar to regular hair scissors, but have one blade that more closely resembles a comb.  The size and space between the “teeth” is what determines how much or how little hair is thinned or removed.

Some say that thinning hair scissors remove too much hair and leave your locks looking stringy and can even cause a balding look in extreme cases.  It’s true, if a stylist is too eager to remove thickness, he or she can end up cutting so much that your hair will suffer for months to come as it grows out properly.

Others, however, say that you just need to find an experienced hair stylist because thinning hair scissors

can save you precious hours in hair styling time and precious dollars in hair styling products.  They support this nifty trick wholeheartedly and will recommend it to any poofy haired patron.

Regardless of whether you choose to take a strong stand, keep in mind that this is a cutting process and if not done well, you could suffer from split ends and other adverse effects.  You’re always safest if you plan to take advantage of thinning hair scissors no more than three times per year.

And remember, if you have a fiasco…you can always wear a hat.

The first, and most important, step is to invest in some high quality professional hair scissors.  I say “invest” because these are generally more expensive than your standard kitchen or office scissors, but are a long term value that will make a great difference in your bang maintenance efforts.  Professional hair shears are made from higher quality metal and are designed to snip hair, rather than bend over the blade, which can result in tearing or ripping (and a “what the heck was I thinking?” moment).

Start by dividing your DRY bangs into three separate sections.  Wet hair will fool you on the length of the hair, so dry bangs are key.  Take one section, twist it gently (one or two rotations) and snip the ends using your professional hair shears.  Don’t cut straight across, but rather vertically.  This will help prevent a blunt edge.  Repeat with the other two sections and comb or fluff your bangs and look for any stray strands that need to be trimmed.

For those interested in being a part of this trend, keep in mind that a bob, and a growing out bob, looks better with an asymmetrical cut. Ask your stylist to cut it slightly longer in the front and a bit shorter in the back.  This hair cut is really the best of both worlds.  It’s short enough to be trendy, but long enough to wear in a casual pony tail or a fancy up-do.

To achieve this look at home, be sure to invest in a pair of very high quality hair scissors.  A pair of cheap shears from your local discount store isn’t going to cut it (pun intended).  This particular hair cut tends to be easier to do when the hair is damp, but not dripping wet.

Starting with small sections, comb out your hair and grab a part of your hair between your index and middle finger.  Measure your hair to the desired length and carefully snip off the excess using extra sharp hair scissors.  Repeat this process until you have cut all of your hair.  To make sure both sides are even, part your hair and carefully pull section that are directly across from each other on either side of your head and compare their length.

For those of you who are a little more daring, you could try a more complicated technique.  Comb all of your hair forward and cut it to the desired length, doing small sections at a time.  Be sure you keep a spray bottle filled with water nearby to use whenever you hair starts to dry out.  You may need to enlist the help of a friend to trim the back of your hair, but this technique will help you achieve the “shorter in the back” look that is so popular in bobs.

Of course, you can always visit a stylist and have him or her do the cut, then maintain it on your own at home, or revisit the salon every 4-6 weeks for upkeep.