Shears vs. Razors: The Fine Line Between Textures

In addition to scissors or clippers, your stylist may pull out a razor. Learn what it does with Groupon’s look.

Shears are often considered the tool of the trade, but stylists carry an oft-forgotten but equally important tool in their arsenal—the straight razor. Deciding which one to use depends on a variety of factors, the texture and density of your hair chief among them. Though shears can create virtually any style from any angle, the result is always a straight, blunt cut—lending the hair definition but potentially making it look thick. A razor, on the other hand, cuts with a single fine blade, forming a softer, feathered appearance more akin to a peacock's majestic bouffant.

For people with fine to medium hair with a fairly smooth texture, this can create a dynamic, tossable style with lots of movement. If you have coarse or very fine hair, however, scissors might still be the better bet, as the razor might end up making it frizzy. Curly hair raises somewhat of a dilemma; though its coarse texture seems to demand shears, the tendency for ringlets to accumulate as a single, thick mass means a razor might be able to reduce the hair's weight and boost its movement and playfulness.