Glossary of Hair Terms

A-line Bob – An A-line Bob is a geometric bob with a straight fringe, so called because of the resemblance to the capital A.
Asymmetry – A cut that doesn’t match on either side.

Baliage – The art of placing color, both light and dark, in a random pattern that gives a very natural look to the hair.
Bevel – Small bend in the hair, created with a hair dryer or flat iron.
Bob – The Bob was the classic look in the 50′s and 60′s; the style is short and straight but blow-dried and either curled under or flicked out.
Brazilian straighter A.K.A. Keratin Treamtment - A temporary form of straightening that lasts any where from 6 weeks to 4 months depending on the product used. When done correctly this treatment is a safe and effective way to remove about 80% of curl and speed up drying time.

Chignon – A chignon is a sophisticated, elegant up style, where long hair is twisted and pinned from the nape of the neck.
Crop – Originally, the word crop was used as an alternative to haircut, without any specific meaning to the style of the cut. However, it has come to be a description of hair that’s cut very short and hugging the head.

Demi Permanent – Color that is absorbent to the hair; demi permanent lasts longer than semi permanent.
Diffuser – A diffuser is an adapter that’s put on the end of a hair dryer. It spreads out the air flow from the dryer, resulting in a more gentle drying process.
Disconnection – Reinvention of classic shapes by not connecting main sections of the hair style.
Double process – A color application that requires the hair to be prelightened before a second color can be applied.

Feathering – Feathering is a cutting technique used to take hard lines out of the hair.
Fringe – The front section that creates a frame for the face, which can be the most important part of a hair style. A fringe will need to be trimmed regularly.

Glossing – Glossing offers a deposit-only colorwash that creates beautiful shine and slight color.
Graduation – The build up of a shape. It can create a curve in the hair, and is the opposite of layering.

Halo – A short, rounded bob with a fringe that creates a halo effect as it frames the head and face.
Hair extentions – Hair extensions are used to add volume or length to your hair by bonding either synthetic or real hair at your roots.
Highlights – Light color strands that can be spliced over the head – highlights can be heavy, fine, medium or thick.

Irons – Depending on which technique you use, irons can create poker-straight hair or beautiful curls.

Layering – Layering is a technique used by hairdressers to change the thickness of the hair. The hair can be given a fuller appearance, with more texture and movement.
Lowlights – The opposite of highlights; lowlights incorporate darker colors throughout the hair.

Perm – Perms create curls by restructuring hair molecules with a chemical or heat treatment, and is generally either a long-lasting or permanent change to the hair.
Permanent color – Lasting color.

R
Razor cut – A way of haircutting using a razor. Razor haircuts taper the end of the hairshaft and remove weight. Haircuts can seem uneven and grow out faster.
Relaxer – A chemical process that removes about 50 to 85 percent of the hairs curl or texture.
Rough Blow Dry – A rough blow dry is just to remove the moisture from wet hair – in other words, to just dry the hair without styling.

Scrunch Dry – A technique for drying hair and creating style at the same time. Using a diffuser on your hairdryer, put the dryer underneath and literally scrunch your hair with your free hand.
Sectioning – Sectioning the hair allows you to pay attention to a particular area or panel of hair. This technique is done while blow-drying, cutting or coloring the hair by concentrating a panel of hair and pinning or ignoring the rest.
Semi Permanent color – Dye that doesn’t contain ammonia, and lasts up to 8 shampoos.
Single Process- A color application that can be achieved in one step without the need to prelighten the hair first.

Thermal Straightening – Also known as Japanese straightening; A chemical process that removes 100% of the hairs curl.

Undercut – Removing the weight from underneath the hair.