glossary of terms

Based on VERVERY App

Note: Terms are not meant to serve as exact definitions, but as simplified interpretations of very personalized and often complex services

hair service definitions

FOIL HIGHLIGHTS:

Foil highlights are common hair color technique that allows a hairstylist to create multi-dimensional color with an even result from root to end in a systematic placement. Often used as a traditional highlighting/ lowlighting technique and for color corrections. Babylights and teasylights are also some common, customizable techniques and buzzwords within the foiling family.

BALAYAGE:

Balayage is hair color technique in which a stylist hand paints lightener onto the hair allowing for a more transitional brightness of color and more natural grow out. Though it began in France, this technique has taken over the hair color industry with incredible customization. One customization that has become very popular over time is known as Foiliage, which combines techniques from traditional foil highlights and balayage together to ultimately create a hyper-personalized balayage look.

FULL BLONDING:

Full blonding is a fashion forward look - also known as global blonding, full bleach out, platinum card, or double process blonde. It is a technique where a stylist will apply a lightener to 100% of a person's hair in order to make them completely blonde from root to end.

RAINBOW / FASHION COLORS:

Fashion colors are also referred to as vivids, fantasy hair or unicorn hair. It is a color statement that is done by having a stylist add one or more colors (that are not naturally occurring hair colors) to a person's hair. This is almost always preceded by lightening the hair first in order to allow the colors to show brightly.

PERMANENT WAVE:

Permanent waves are otherwise known as a 'perm'. It is a chemical service which permanently alters the hair to have a wave or curl pattern. Results vary.

CHEMICAL STRAIGHTENING:

Otherwise known as hair relaxing, chemical straightening is the process of breaking protein bonds in curly or wavy hair in order for it to permanently become straight. Results vary.

HAIR COLOR CORRECTION:

A hair color correction is widely interpretive term, a corrective color service refers to any situation in which a significant change is being done to the hair, requiring a particular level of skill and experience of the stylist in order to execute. Results are almost never guaranteed due to the nature of the situation and may require several sessions. 

OMBRE:

Ombre is more of a look than a technique. It is meant to create an effect that looks as though a person's hair color is gradually transitioning from dark to medium to light, with the darkest hair being at the top and the lightest at the bottom.

HAIR EXTENSIONS:

Hair extensions are the the process of attaching additional hair to a person's natural hair in order to create length and/or thickness. The four main types of hair extension methods are keratin bond, I-tip, weft, or tape in. Each method has it's own advantages, price range, and maintenance required.

WEAVE:

A weave is a hairstyle using wefted hair sewn onto cornrows to increase thickness and/or length of hair.

SMOOTHING TREATMENT:

The most commonly known smoothing treatments are the Keratin treatment and Brazilian Blowout. Both processes offer a semi permanent result and are known for reducing the amount of curl and/or frizz in a person's hair without changing the natural structure. There are several alternatives to these treatments that offer their own range of benefits and longevity.

WIGS:

There are 5 main types of wigs; Lace, Monofilament, Capless, Combination, and Polyurethane. Each have their own benefits, price point, longevity, and care instructions. You can get wigs hand made or ready-to-wear. You can also get a full or partial wig, or even a wig topper depending on your lifestyle and needs.

LOCS:

Locs are also known as dreadlocks or dreads. Professional locs are done in salon by creating rope-like strands of hair through various methods such as backcombing, rolling, or braiding.

SILK PRESS:

A silk press is a method of straightening natural curls sans a chemical relaxer. Instead, this hairstyling technique uses a blow-dryer and flat iron to smooth out the hair. This treatment is typically done on curly / coily textures and can last up to 2 weeks.

RAZOR HAIRCUTS:

Razoring is cutting technique where a stylist will utilize a guarded razor, instead of scissors, in order to create a finished look that has more texture and less blunt ends.

CURLY HAIRCUTS:

There are many cutting styles/techniques offered for curly hair. Some involve cutting the hair wet, some dry, some twisted, some blunt. In any case, the stylist will work with the natural curl pattern to determine the angle, shape, and technique needed for the waves/curls/coils to build out a proper shape which, very importantly, lays different than straight hair.

SUPPORTING LINKS:

https://www.modernsalon.com/377706/a-glossary-of-salon-terminology-courtesy-hair-com

https://www.hair.com/ultimate-wig-extension-glossary.html

https://behindthechair.com/articles/different-types-of-hair-extensions-your-go-to-guide/

hair type definitions

THIN / FINE HAIR:

Thin refers to distribution - that a person does not have a lot of hair follicles growing hair per square inch on their scalp.

Fine refers to texture - that a person's individual hairs are smaller in diameter, and are often harder to see and feel compared to coarse hair. These terms are not synonymous, but are bundled together in VERVERY because they often - not always - accompany one another, and because people tend to have a hard time defining which case is theirs.

For clarity, a person can have thin distribution but coarse textured hair, or have fine textured hair that is super thick and dense.

THICK / COARSE HAIR:

Thick refers to distribution - that a person has a lot of hair follicles growing hair per square inch on their scalp.

Coarse refers to texture - that a person's individual hairs are larger in diameter, and are often easier to see and feel compared to fine hair. These terms are not synonymous, but are bundled together in VERVERY because they often - not always - accompany one another, and because people tend to have a hard time defining which case is theirs.

For clarity, a person can have thick distribution of very fine textured hair, or have coarse textured hair with a very thin distribution.

STRAIGHT / WAVY/ CURLY/ COILY:

For simplicity, we refer to hair texture in terms of straight, wavy, curly, or coily in the VERVERY app. In actuality, there is a range of textures that can be classified in a systematic order. Please see the chart below to help determine your own hair texture!

FRIZZY / UNMANAGEABLE:

Frizzy and unmanageable hair can sometimes just be something we are born with. Other times it often occurs, is when we start to get more grey hair, as grey hair is often 'hardened' and has more cuticle layers thus being more difficult to manage. Other times, frizzy / unmanageable hair is due to a lack of person's understanding in how to manage the combination of texture and density that they have.

SUPPORTING LINKS:

https://curls.com/pages/hair-type-guide

https://www.besthairhelp.com/hair-types-and-how-to-care-for-them