The Beauty Glossary We Want Our Readers to Know
Keep reading for the ultimate beauty glossary from A-Z!
A – Asymmetrical
An asymmetrical haircut is a haircut where one side is longer than the other. Asymmetrical styles can incorporate an undercut, a stacked bob, or a more avant-garde combination of cuts.
B – Beach Waves
Beach waves are relaxed textured undone curls that result in loose waves. This style is full of movement and volume for a perfectly undone everyday look. The 1-inch portion of hair left straight at the ends sets beach waves apart from other wavy styles.
C – Co-washing
Co-washing is a method often used on naturally curly hair. This method uses conditioner to cleanse the hair and allows you to avoid a more drying shampoo alternative. You are left with clean curls that haven’t been stripped dry.
D – Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is the savior for a second, third, and even fourth-day hair. This powder-based product absorbs oil and grease for a water-free shampooing experience. Many people use dry shampoo to refresh their hair after the gym or extend the time between washes.
E – Extensions
Extensions are the secret to achieving long hair almost instantly. Using hair wefts that are either glued, tied, or bonded together with your real hair, extensions literally extend your natural hair to whatever length you choose.
F – Flat Iron
Flat irons allow you to create a sleek and straight hairstyle in just a matter of minutes. The high heat settings glide over the length of your hair to create a straight texture on even the curliest of hair.
G – Gloss
A hair gloss is a semi-permanent hair treatment that adds shine and smoothness to your strands. Hair glosses smooth down the cuticle, resulting in a super-smooth finish.
H – Heat Styling Tools
Curling irons, flat irons, blow dryers, and wavers! Heat styling tools allow you to be the master of your hair texture and recreate your look every day. Each heat styling tool offers a different kind of texture or finish, leaving the creativity up to you.
I – Ingredients
Ingredients in haircare products can often be the difference between a hairstyle you love and one that just falls short. Paying attention to the ingredients in your hair care products will enable you to find what works for your particular hair and create a routine that helps you shine.
J – Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil, created by cold-pressing Jojoba seeds, is a popular ingredient in hair care products. Jojoba oil is an ultra-hydrating oil and is often used to protect against dryness, damage, and split ends.
K – Keratin Treatment
A keratin treatment, sometimes known as a Brazilian blowout, is a hair treatment done to make hair straighter and smoother, and overall more manageable. Hair is made up of proteins, some of which are keratin proteins, and this treatment can reinstate those essential building blocks of your strands.
L – Layers
Asking your hairstylist to add layers to your hair can change your style’s entire shape and even your face’s shape! Layers can add movement, dimension, and shape to any hairstyle.
M – Mullet
A mullet is defined as a haircut that is short in the front and longer in the back. This general structure can lend itself to a range of different cuts and styles, both for men, women, and those seeking a gender-neutral style.
N – Neutralizer
There are a few steps to the process when you opt to have a perm done. Step one is a perm solution that breaks down the structure of the hair so that your stylist can manipulate the texture. The second solution is the neutralizer which restores and strengthens the hair’s bonds to reshape it into the desired curl pattern permanently.
O – Ombré
Ombré hair color is a color pattern that graduates from dark to medium to light hair color. Hair colorists can create this color blend in a range of colors and shades. This style starts out rooted and therefore requires very little upkeep as your hair color grows out.
P – Perm
A perm is a chemical treatment that alters your hair’s texture…permanently. Using a perm solution and the neutralizer mentioned above, your stylist will break down the bonds in your hair and restructure them to create the curl pattern of your choice.
Q – Quiff
The quiff haircut is one of those classic men’s haircuts that never goes out of style. Longer on top and shorter on the sides and back, the quiff haircut is clean, simple, and always on-trend.
R – Rough Dry
Rough drying of your hair is exactly what it sounds like: using a blow dryer and your fingers to get your hair from wet to dry quickly. Stylists will often rough dry your hair before creating a sleek blowout so that the hair is mostly dry when ready to style.
S – Sectioning
Sectioning your hair is relevant in a number of different scenarios. Your hair stylist will section your hair before cutting it, you might section your tresses while braiding it, and your hair colorist will section your strands before applying the hair dye.
T – Texture
Hair texture depends on the size, shape, and thickness of each hair. Thinner strands of hair mean that you have a finer texture, while thicker strands of hair mean that you have thicker textured hair.
U – Undercut
The undercut haircut includes a shaved portion of hair somewhere within the style. Some undercuts are evenly shaved on all sides of the head, while others are asymmetrical. The undercut is a gender-neutral haircut that can easily adapt to your preferences.
V – Volume
Hair volume refers to how much body hair has and how much lift there is throughout the strands. Volume can be near the roots for a more lifted style or throughout the hair for an overall voluminous look.
W – Weave
A weave is an artificial hair extension attached to natural hair by gluing or sewing the piece into the natural hair. Weaves allow the wearer to experiment creatively with various colors, textures, and lengths.
X – Letter “X” Hairstyle
The letter “X” hairstyle is made up of a criss-cross braided style that extends across the back of your head. Alternating braids cross over one another and end in regular three-strand braids to create a letter “X” across the back of your hairstyle.
Y – Yeast
A yeast-like fungus called Malassezia is a major factor that plays into dandruff. This fungus can live on your scalp and feed on skin oils. An effective dandruff shampoo can help fight against this yeast-like fungus.
Z – Zinc
Dandruff shampoos and conditioners often include zinc, an active ingredient used to fight itchiness and dryness that those with dandruff often experience. Seek a wash and care system that includes zinc in the ingredient list for effective dandruff treatment. That’s our comprehensive beauty glossary of hair-related terms! Are you considering putting any essential beauty glossary terms to use? Be sure to share your thoughts with us over @AllThingsHairUS!
