Hair Design and Styling Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering facial shape principles, wet styling, curl bases, thermal pressing techniques, and hair additions from all lecture source pages.

Face shape

Facial form determined by individual bone structure and hairline.

Facial Proportion

The relationship of facial features and shape.

Profile

Outline or contour of the face from the side.

Straight Profile

Forehead, nose, and chin align; considered the ideal profile.

Concave Profile

Profile where the nose appears shrunken with inward curvature.

Space

The area surrounding a hair design.

Curved line

A continuously bending line without angles.

Form

Lines that outline shape.

Proportion

Correlation of size and distance when compared to the whole.

Balance

Comparison to offset or equalized proportion.

Symmetry

Mirror image from a center point.

Asymmetry

Non-mirror image with unequal distribution.

Emphasis

Focal point of a hair design where eyes are drawn at first glance.

Rhythm

Repeated pattern in design.

Harmony

Shapes and lines incorporating all elements of design.

Wet Styling

Designing wet hair into a desired shape.

Shaping (Molding)

Combing hair in a circular motion for the formation of waves.

Base

Hair attached to the scalp.

Stem

Hair between the base and the first roller or curl.

No Stem Curl

Curl positioned directly on base.

Half stem curl

Curl secured 1/2 off base.

Full stem curl

Curl secured completely off base.

Curl (Circles)

The end hair strand that forms a circle.

On base

Curl sits directly on base.

Half off-Base

Curler or roller sits 1/2 on or 1/2 off base.

Off-Base

Curl sits completely off base.

Volume Bases

Bases that create lift, fullness, or height in a design.

Indentation Base

Base creating an emptiness or flat area in a design.

Finger waves

'C' shaped waves formed in alternating directions using fingers and comb.

Pushwaves (Frenchwaves)

Finger wave form using 2 combs to create a 3-dimensional form.

Skipwaves

Wave pattern combining finger waves and pincurls.

Ribboning

Forcing hair between the thumb and back of the comb to create tension.

Cascade Curl (Stand Up Pincurls)

Small section stem and base that stands up to create mass, fullness, or volume.

Barrel Curl

Rectangular-shaped base in wet roller application that supports dry design with larger movement.

Sculpture curl (Carved Curls)

Curl sculpted by hand, iron, or roller to create texture and movement.

Ridge Curls

Flat pincurls following a fingerwave ridge to create a strong wave pattern in finished designs.

Hair pressing (Thermal Hair Straightening)

Temporarily straightening curly or uncontrollable hair using a heated iron or comb.

Soft press

Thermal pressing technique applying comb once on each side of hair shaft; removes 50-60% of curl.

Medium Press

Thermal pressing technique applying comb once on each side of hair shaft with slight pressure; removes 60-75% of curl.

Hard Press

Thermal pressing technique applying comb twice on each side of hair shaft; removes all curl.

Back Combing

Technique using a comb to create a cushion in the base of the scalp (cushioning, interlocking, lacing, matting, ratting) to give height.

Back Brushing (Ruffing)

Technique done on the surface of hair to achieve a light, airy appearance.

Polishing

Provides support, texture, and movement to the final design.

Locks (Dreadlocks)

Hair that has grown intertwined creating a rope-like effect.

Hair Additions

Natural or synthetic hair added to increase length, volume, and/or color.

Wig

Artificial hair covering designed to replace or enhance hair.

Hairpiece

Small wig or smaller sections of hair attachments used to cover specific areas like the top or crown.

Bonding (Fusion)

Attaching hair using an adhesive agent.