The 12 Best Hair Shears, Whether You're a Novice Cutter or a Pro

Final Verdict

The shears you go for will more or less depend on your hair and skill set, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a few team Byrdie favorites. First up, we love the Matsui Matte Black Aichei Mountain Offset Shear (view at Scissor Tech) for their sharpness, longevity, and the fact you can tweak the finger grips to suit you. We also love the Fromm Explore 5.75" Hair Cutting Shears (view at Ulta) because they hit a sweet spot between quality, ease of use, and affordability.

What to Look for When Buying Professional Hair Shears

Material

When looking to buy hair shears, stainless steel is by far the best material to go for as it retains a sharp edge, won’t rust, and will last forever. 

Length

While this is more so important for professional stylists than at-home stylists, you can still consider the length of your shear. First of all, choose something that aligns with the size of your hands. If they’re bigger (and your fingers are longer) go for a longer shear and vice versa. 

Your hairstyle matters as well. Longer shears are better at cutting curves and long layers, whereas shorter shears are great for ends, bangs, short choppy styles, and crops. 

FAQs

How do you use professional hair shears?

According to stylist and Raw salon owner Anthony Nader, at-home haircuts are a slippery slope, but possible if you take the approach that less is more. 

When it comes to serious style overhauls or technical shapes, Nader suggests waiting it out until you can see a professional. But for trims and freshen-ups, he swears by a technique called “twisting and slicing”.

"Take one-inch sections of dry hair (never wet). Starting around the hairline, twist each section before you point and snip the very ends using your shears. Only take the tiniest amount before you unravel and see how it’s sitting. If you want to lose more length, twist again and repeat the process. Use this method all over your head, putting the focus on the longest, thickest sections until you’re finished. I love this method because it’s difficult to stuff up and leaves you with a soft line. Cutting blunt, horizontal lines in the hair at home is dangerous and difficult to get right without proper training."

When it comes to bangs, Nader suggests the following: “Always trim your bangs when dry to avoid shrinkage. Use a comb to section your bangs and separate into sections. Hold the sections between your fingers and use the same “point and snip” method as before. Take tiny amounts of hair off and work slowly. You can always remove more, but once it's gone, it’s gone.”

How do you clean professional hair shears?

Nader suggests using a cloth soaked with rubbing alcohol to clean your shears in between each use.

Why Trust Byrdie?

Emily Algar is an experienced freelance journalist who covers all things beauty. She has written for various publications such as Allure, Who What Wear, MyDomaine, and, of course, Byrdie.