Salon shears are the professional hair cutting scissors that hairdressers use on their customers. Professional salon products are often more expensive and made of a better quality than beauty products made exclusively for consumers. Anyone can purchase salon-quality scissors, but they are specifically marketed toward cosmetologists.
Professional hair cutting scissors come in a variety of styles. Some are made only for thinning hair, texturizing hair, or trimming hair. In addition, salon shears are either made for right-handed stylists or left-handed stylists. The reason that professional scissors cost more than consumer-quality shears is due to the metals used, the degree of tension between the blades, the type of blades, and the overall ergonomics.
Salon shears are usually much lighter than regular scissors since the hair care stylist must be able to hold the scissors for hours every day without fatigue. Shears that are specifically designed for the dominant hand are also more comfortable to use for long periods of time. Lightweight steel and cobalt are the materials found in most salon scissors; cobalt makes the scissors more durable. Many hair stylists prefer Japanese-made shears, which have a reputation for high quality, over any other kind.
Like any other hair cutting tool, salon shears need maintenance. Oiling the shears and tightening the pivot screw ensures that the scissors will last for many years. Scissors also need periodic sharpening with a whet stone. If one tries to cut hair with dull shears, the hair will get split ends very quickly. It is also harder to cut thick hair with dull shears.
After each use, the hair stylist should clean and sterilize her shears before cutting another customer's hair since germs and bugs can be spread via scissors. When the stylist is not using the shears, they should be kept in a case to protect the blades from getting dented or rusted. It is also safer to keep sharp scissors in a case, as someone may reach into a drawer and cut himself on the blades.
Salon-quality shears can be purchased online or through a company that sells salon hair products. Non-hair stylists may choose to order professional shears because of the high quality, although some companies only sell their hair care items to licensed cosmetologists or hair salons. Hair cutting scissors can be used by anyone to create new hair styles, cut hair, or give trims to friends or family members at home.