Which term describes thinning the hair using shears to create a graduated length effect?

• A. Ruffing
• B. Texturizing
• C. Effilating
• D. Shingling

Answer: (C)

Effilating is thinning the hair with shears to reduce weight along the strands, allowing the ends to taper gradually and create a blended, graduated length. By lightly sliding thinning or texturizing scissors through the hair, you remove bulk without taking off all length, which gives a softer, stepped line rather than a blunt cut. This technique specifically achieves that gradual length transition.

Ruffing is more about lifting and increasing volume at the roots, not thinning the length. Shingling is a method for laying hair flat and cutting along the parting, not thinning for graduation. Texturizing is a broader idea that can include thinning, but effilating refers to this precise effect of a graduated length through controlled removal of weight.