Bangs - The part of the hair cut and styled to hang on the forehead. It is also referred to as fringe. The bangs can be cut in a variety of styles and can be textured in many ways as well.

Big Hair - In the Southern United States, this phrase is often heard: "Praise the Lord, and pass the hairspray". The Southern U.S. is also considered the birthplace of 'Big Hair' or 'Pageant Hair' because of the fact that most beauty queens and pageant contestants seemed to favor bigger, more voluminous hairstyles.

In general terms, though, 'Big Hair' refers to very full hairstyles, and those styles can be as varied as the women who wear them. In the late 80s and early 90s, 'big hair' meant high cresting bangs and out-swept sides. Earlier generations had their own 'big hair' styles, like the 'Beehive', the 'Bouffant', and even the 'Bubble' (though not all 'big hair' styles had names beginning with a 'B'). While the earlier 'big hair' styles were generally shorter (with hairlines above the collar) they seemed to grow longer as decades passed. The common factor for these styles through the years seems to be that they were held firm against the winds by gallons of hairspray, and were often believed to be better and more beautiful the bigger they were.

Today's 'big hair' styles are more curled than coiffed, but volume is still the key. Gels, mousse and countless other products are used to create masses of cascading curls and layers of flowing waves, all of which have 'big hair' written all over them.

Bob - The bob cut refers to any haircut that ends in a blunt line. Typically, a bob cut is shorter in length - between earlobe and chin length. It is a classic style (originating in the 1920s) that has many variations. The bob hairstyle may be angled in any direction, and may or may not include bangs. Its defining feature is the clear clean line at the ends of the hair.

Body (describing hair): When used to describe the hair, the term body refers to the springiness of the wave pattern of the hair, and is a measure of its ability to hold a curl or style. Often, permanent waves are used to add body to the hair (typically being rolled on the largest available perm rod), and many shampoos and conditioners are formulated to add body.

Cutting Line - The term cutting line refers to the actual line along which the ends of the hair are cut. A vertical cutting line creates layers. The angle of the cutting line determines how close the layers look in the finished haircut.

Depilatory: These are chemical formulations (usually creams or lotions) designed to remove unwanted body or facial hair. Most depilatories work by dissolving the hair. Some depilatories use formulas that are stronger than others and should be used with caution as they can irritate sensitive skin.

Devilock - The Devilock haircut features short hair in the back and sides of the head with long hair in the front. This style can include very short tapered hair on the sides and back or slightly longer layered cutting, but will always be longer in the front.

Double Process Color:This term refers to haircolor procedures requiring two steps to achieve the desired color. Typically a lightener is applied to dark hair, to decolorize the hair to the level desired, shampooed and rinsed away, and then a tint or toner color is applied in the second step of the procedure.
 
Elasticity: Elasticity refers to the hairs ability to recover its natural shape. The average person's hair can be stretched to 150% of its normal length and return to its natural shape without breakage. The level of the hair's elasticity affects how well the hair will hold a curl.
 
Emollients: Emollients are the ingredients used in shampoos, conditioners, skin lotions, oils and other cosmetic products that are designed to smooth and soften. Cocoa butter and shae butter are common emollients found in skin lotions.

Follicle: The follicle is a cylindrical cavity in the skin where you find the hair root and from which the hair shaft grows. There are millions of hair follicles found on the human body.
 
Fringe Area - The fringe area is often referred to as the bangs. It is the area at the front of the head above the forehead. The fringe area usually extends no further than the outer corners of the eyes.

Gamine Haircut - The term 'gamine' means 'mischeivous and playful', and has come to be used to denote the boyishly short and sassy hairstyles worn by many women. Among the women who are famous for their gamine styles are Halle Berry and Sharon Stone. Though not specific as to length, the gamine cut is invariably short (above the ears). It should be noted that 'gamine' doesn't indicate one specific haircut, but rather the general 'look' created by any of a number of different short-short hairstyles. The 'pixie cut' is a gamine hairstyle, and so are the shorter versions of the 'purdey' styles.

Gamine haircuts are best suited to slimmer women, with softer facial features. The style can often make those women with thin angular faces and features appear gaunt and disproportioned. It is sometimes suited to women with fuller figures and rounder faces for its ability to give the illusion of length to the face, but should be considered
carefully before being chosen as the style requires a certain amount of attitude in the women who wear it.

Humectant: A humectant is a substance that imparts moisture, and is found in products designed to restore moisture to dry skin and hair. Shampoos, conditioners, facial masques, body soaps, and lotions often contain humectants. Honey is a natural humectant.

Melanin: Melanin is a naturally-occurring substance. It gives hair (or skin) its coloration, and provides natural protection from harmful solar rays. Pheomelanin and Eumelanin are the two types of melanin found in hair. Pheomelanin is responsible for blonde color and eumelanin gives red and brown colors. The two melanin types combine to create all natural shades and colors of hair.

Mullet - A hairstyle originating and made popular in the early 1980s, the mullet is a hairstyle where the hair on the top and sides of the head is cut in short layers and the back is left long. The transition from short to long can be smoothly blended or very clearly defined. The lengths of the different areas can vary greatly, but will always clearly be longer in the back than on the top and sides.

Natural: The term 'natural' refers to a substance derived from plants, minerals from the earth, or animals (such as those produced by the human body), as opposed to substances that are created synthetically by man.
 
Non-Comedogenic: This term refers to substances and products that do not clog the skin's pores and will not promote the formation of acne blemishes.
 
Occipital Bone - The occipital bone is the part of the skull where the neck joins the skull. It can be felt by placing your hand at the back of the head and feeling the joining point between the skull and neck. See also Anatomy of the Head.
 
Parietal Ridge - The parietal ridge is the area of the skull where the bones of the head begin to curve toward the top. It is also the point at which completely straight hair begins to fall in a completely vertical direction. See also Anatomy of the Head.
 
Part - The part is the point at which a hairstyle is divided and, generally, the hair moves in different directions. Most heads will have a natural part that is found by brushing the hair straight back from the face and allowing it to fall naturally.
 
Pixie Cut - The term pixie cut refers to a variety of short layered haircuts. It is also referred to as an 'elfin' cut. The pixie style is cut over the ears and may include wispy bangs. It also may or may not have longer hair on the top of the head. The defining feature of a pixie cut is close-cropped layers that frame the face and lie close on the sides and back of the head. The style originated in the sixties with models like Twiggy, and actresses like Mia Farrow in 'Rosemary's Baby'. Stylist Vidal Sassoon is credited with popularizing the style in its early variations.
 
Page Boy - A page boy haircut is a typically shoulder-length or slightly shorter in back and on the sides. The style typically includes bangs on the forehead, is cut below the ears, and may include some layers, but only enough to ensure a clean simple style.

Purdey (Purdy) - A hairstyle made popular by actress Joanna Lumley in British  televisions', 'The New Avengers'. The Purdey (Purdy) hairstyle is a blunt cut, almost bowl shaped, with a cut line that angles along the sides to the nape of the neck. The cut  line of the style is slightly tapered to curve inward toward the head and give a smooth look to the finished style. It is also sometimes referred to as a Mop-top.

Rachel Hairstyle - Celebrities have long been influential in creating trends and setting fashion among the general population. Marilyn Monroe made women of the 50s rush out and buy peroxide and pencil in beauty marks to imitate her look. Likewise, the 1990s brought us the television show 'Friends' which became wildly popular world- wide and whose character 'Rachel Green' (played by Jennifer Anniston) caused millions of women and girls to flock to their hairstylists for the long-layered, medium-length, razor-cut shag hairstyle she wore on the show.

The style's popularity is well-deserved. It is a soft, romantic style that looks good on a wide variety of faces. The style is characterized by inward-swept curving layers and wispy bangs that frame the face, while still having sufficient length to be versatile in styling. The overall effect is a look that seems both carefree and carefully done.

Root Lift - The term 'root lift' refers to the technique of adding (or maximizing) the hair's volume through the use of product and/or styling appliances. 'Root Lift' can be achieved in a number of ways, but most commonly by using hair product on damp or wet hair and using a blow-dryer to dry the hair at the scalp while holding it perpendicular to the scalp with the fingers.

The main benefit of the 'Root Lift' technique is that it leaves the hair looking fuller and thicker. Other than the blow-dry with fingers method for creating 'root lift', wrapping the hair in rollers using 'on-base' placement (where the roller ends up resting on top of the section of the scalp from which the hair being wrapped grows). Curling irons and flat iron tools can also be used to create 'root lift'.

While hairspray, mousse and gels are all good products for creating 'root lift' in a hairstyle, there are brand new products now available specifically for adding root lift to the hair.

Sebum: Sebum is an oil produced by glands in the skin and hair follicles, called sebaceous glands, that serves to lubricate and protect the skin and hair from drying and damage.
 

Shag - The shag haircut refers to a haircut with a lot of layers. Although a shag style can be of any length, they are typically shoulder-length at their longest and just below the ears at their shortest. Originating in the late 60s and early 70s, they are still popular today. The defining feature of a shag cut is layering achieved by elevating the hair to a stationary guide for cutting. The shag hairstyle has experienced a revival in popularity due to the cast of the American TV series, 'Friends'.

SPF: 'SPF' is an acronym that stands for 'Sun Protection Factor'. It refers to the level of protection offered by different formulations of sunscreen. The average person should always wear sunscreen lotion with an SPF of at least 15 or higher.
 
Stationary Guide - A stationary guide is a point to which all the hair is directed before cutting. A stationary guide is used in long layered haircuts like the shag. This guide does not move during the haircut.
 
Traveling Guide - A traveling guide is one that moves with the area being cut. With a traveling guide, hair that has been previously cut is used to indicate the length of the next area to be cut. Haircuts like the basic circle cut and the pixie cut use a traveling guide. The result is layers with a uniform length.
 
Wedge - The wedge hairstyle was made popular in the 1970s by figure skater
Dorothy Hamill. It has become a classic style with several variations over the intervening years but is defined by the sharp, clean tapering of the lower layers of the hair toward the nape of the neck. Typically, the style is worn with bangs and is at least mid-ear-length on the sides, but can be longer or shorter and still be considered a wedge, as long as the hair cleanly tapers in the 'wedge' shape at the bottom. It is similar in appearance to the 'Purdey' style listed above.
 
Weight Line - The weight line is the area of a haircut having the greatest length. In a blunt or bob haircut the weight line is at the ends of the hair. In a layered haircut the weight line is the point around the head where the longest hair falls. A heavy weight line clearly shows where the hair was cut and can be blended away using texturing tools if desired.