The Hair Glossary
Here is a list of common terms for haircuts and colors to help you feel more prepared for your future appointment!
Color
Highlights
Custom selected pieces of hair lightened from roots to ends to add brightness and dimmension
Partial Highlights
Highlights placed only on certain areas of the head, usually around the face, hairline, crown, or around the part line.
Full Highlight
Highlights placed throughout the entire head, for maximum brightness coverage.
Babylights
Very fine, delicate highlights to create a soft, natural blend of brightness.
Balayage
French for "sun kissed", this method of lightening creates a softer transition from root to ends than traditional foiling.
Foilayage
A combination of balayage technique and traditional foils, creating more lift than a balayge, but a softer blend than typical foiling.
Teasylights
Highlights that are teased, which creates a softer root blend for grow out than traditional foils.
Money Piece
A bold face framing haircolor around the hairline.
Face Frame
Highlights or color that is a subtle "pop" that draws attention to the face.
Lived-In Color
Color intentionally designed for an easier grow out. This is best for clients going longer in between color appointments.
All-Over Color
One color applied throughout the whole head of hair.
Dimmensioinal Color
Haircolor that has multiple tones, depths, or levels rather than appearing as one solid color.
Global Color
Term for back-to-back foiling or toner/gloss after foiling.
Bronde
A blend of brunette and blonde, neither dominating the color. Typically a softer/more muted color.
Toner
Demi-permanent color used after lightening to adjust the tone of the hair. Usually making blonde cooler, warmer, etc.
Gloss
A clear demi-permanent color with no pigment. This service adds shine to the hair and strengthens it by sealing the cuticle.
Demi-Permanent Color
A color that opens the hair cuticle, depositing color, without affecting the natural color.
Semi-Permanent Color
Color that doesn't open the hair cuticle. This is best for previoiusly lightened hair, or temporary color results.
Shadow Root
Color used to blur root. Typically used after highlighting the hair, creating a softer transition where the natural root color and higlighted haircolor meets.
Root Melt
The processing of taking a root color and blending further down the hair. Best for blending out old highlights or creating a transitional color.
Low Lights
Pieces of hair colored darker rather than lighter to create depth and dimension in the hair.
Grey Blending
Incorporating natural grey/white hair into color, rather than covering it up.
Color Correction
A service that fixes unwanted color/tones,
Level
How light or dark hair is. 1 being black, 10 being white-blonde.
Tone
The underlying pigment of a color. Warm, cool, neutral, golden, copper, etc.
Underlying Pigment
The color/pigment that is exposed when the hair is ligtened.
Amonia
Chemical used in some developers or color that open up the hair cuticle.
Cut
Bob
Haircut length falling anywhere between the jaw and shoulder.
Blunt Bob
A bob with a relatively strong perimeter, typically one length with no layers.
French Bob
A short Bob, typically sitting at chin length or shorter, often paired with a fringe and softer finish.
Bixie
A hybrid cut of both the Pixie and a Bob. Longer than a traditional Pixie, but shorter than a traditional Bob.
Pixie
A very short cut, cropped at the sides and back, keeping length on the top. The length and shape of the top can vary.
Shag
A heavily layered cut designed to create texture and movement, giving an effortless look.
Wolf Cut
A modern variation of the shag, with shorter layers at the top and heavier fringe.
Butterfly Cut
A long, heavily layered cut, with a noticeable face framing shape that connects through the length of the cut.
Blunt Cut/One Length
A haircut with no layering with fuller looking ends.
Layers
Sections throughout the hair cut at different lengths to create a specific shape and movement to the cut as a whole.
Face Framing Layers
Shorter pieces of hair cut around the face, starting from either the brow bone, cheekbone, or jawline.
Undercut
A sectiono underneath the hair cropped, typically with clippers, that can either be hidden or shown, depending on the look you're going for.
Texture/Texturizing
Cutting technique to alter either the weight, movement, or softness of a cut.
Curtain Bangs
Longer bang that is parted in the middle, sweeping away from the face. Length can vary.
Blunt Bangs
Fuller fringe with a more defined line, typically disconnected from any layering around the face.
Bottleneck Bangs
A hybrid bang, parted in the middle with a wispy center of a forward bang, but sweeps to the sides like a curtain bang.
Micro Bangs
Very short fringe/bangs that sit noticeably above the eyebrows
Side Swept Bangs
Fringe/Bang when the hair is parted on the side, sweeping across the forehead in the opposite directioon of the part.
Wispy Bangs
Soft bang, often for finer/thinner hair. Can sometimes be pushed to the side when not styled forward.
Curly Cut
Cut specifically designed for curl patterns ranging from Type 2-Type 4 curls/waves. Dry cut, finished wet, and diffused. Specific shears and techniques are used to cut with the curl pattern.
Diffuse
Hairdryer attachment used to spread the air from the dryer, rather than directing it through other attachments. This allows for a gentle, "diffused" air stream.
Hair Type
Fine Hair
When the individual sstrands of hair have a small diameter.
Coarse Hair
When the individual strands of hair have a large diameter.
Density
The overall amount of hair growing on the head (when all of the hair is pulled together, the density is either thin, medium, or thick)
Porosity
How easily hair absorbs or releases moisture and chemicals. This can be caused by genetics, chemical services, exposure to heat, or damage.
Curl Pattern
The natural shape of the hair: straight, wavy, curly, or coily.
Growth Pattern
The direction which hair grows. Different growth patterns along the same head of hair can cause some areas to stick out, seperate, or resist lying in a particualr direction.
Color Analysis
Season
Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Each one varying in intensity and undertone.
Sub-Season
The pallette/sub-genre of each of the four seasons ranging in intensity and pigment value. Each season has 3 subseasons, varying from True, Light, Dark, Soft, and Bright.
Warm
The undertone of a color. This can range from yellow to red on the color wheel.
Cool
The undertone of a color. This can range from green to purple.
Soft
Smokier/Muted colors, typically a color mixed with a little grey.
Bright
Colors with the highest intensity levels.
True
Colors that sit in the middle of intensity/pigment levels in a season's palette.
Dark
Deepest pigment within a palette. Colors mixed with a little black.
Light
Lightest intensity in a seasons palette. Colors mixed with a little white.
Intensity
The value of a color, ranging from Soft to Bright.
Harmonious Palette
Your true palette. The colors that mirror your undertone and features natural intensity levels best.
Opposite Season
The season/palette that is most opposite of your palette. The direct opposite undertone and intensity level. This is the one palette to avoid.
Draping Method
Comparing opposite fabric undertones and intensity levels. Using natural light and seeing how it reflects onto skin/face, paired with a white drape and headband to remove any influencing outside colors.
Underlying Pigment
The warm or cool undertone of a color.
"Wow" Colors
The colors within your harmonious palette that look best on you.