"Milady Standard Cosmetology," Vocabulary from Part 4

Some medical conditions (such as lupus) and medications (such as antidepressants or cortisones) may cause thinning of the skin or make the skin more vulnerable to injury. Waxing clients with these conditions could cause unnecessary inflammation or severe injuries to the skin.

Electrolysis is the removal of hair by means of an electric current that destroys the growth cells of the hair. The current is applied with a very fine, needle-shaped electrode that is inserted into each hair follicle. This technique must only be performed by a licensed electrologist.

Tweezers are commonly used to remove and shape eyebrow hairs, and can also be used to remove undesirable hairs from around the mouth and chin.

A depilatory contains detergents to strip the sebum from the hair and adhesives to hold the chemicals to the hair shaft for the five to ten minutes necessary to remove the hair. During the application time, the hair expands and the disulfide bonds break. Finally, such chemicals as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, thioglycolic acid, or calcium thioglycolate destroy the disulfide bonds. These chemicals turn the hair into a soft, jelly-like mass that can be scraped from the skin.

An epilator removes the hair from the bottom of the follicle. This means the hair would take longer (4-6 weeks) to grow back. For more sensitive skin types, wax can be substituted with a thick, sugar-based paste. Another advantage of sugaring is that it can be used on hairs that are 0.3 centimeters long.

The technical term for dehydrated or dry is alipidic (lack of lipids). Alipidic skin becomes dehydrated because it does not produce enough sebum to prevent the evaporation of cell moisture.

When follicles are blocked with solidified sebum and dead cell buildup, oxygen cannot readily get to the bottom of the follicle where acne bacteria live. The lack of oxygen and access to a food source such as a blocked follicle filled with sebum cause acne bacteria to multiply quickly, eventually causing a break in the follicle wall.

Cleansing milks are non-foaming, lotion cleansers designed to cleanse dry and sensitive skin types and to remove makeup. Foaming cleansers are cleansers containing surfactants (detergents) that cause the product to foam and rinse off easily.

Proper exfoliation may improve the appearance of the skin in the following ways:
•Reduces clogged pores and skin oiliness
•Promotes skin smoothness
•Increases moisture content and hydration
•Reduces hyperpigmentation (dark blotches of color)
•Decreases uneven skin color
•Eliminates or softens wrinkles and fine lines
•Increases elasticity

Enzyme peels, also known as keratolytic enzymes or protein-dissolving agents, are a type of chemical exfoliant that works by dissolving keratin protein in the surface cells of the skin. Usually, enzyme products are made using plant-extracted enzymes from papaya (resulting in an enzyme known as papain) or pineapple (resulting in an enzyme known as bromelain), or they are made from an enzyme derived from beef by-products (resulting in an enzyme known as pancreatin).

Look for daily moisturizers that contain broad-spectrum sunscreens, which protect against both UVA and UVB light, helping to prevent sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer.

Effleurage is a light, continuous stroking movement applied in a slow, rhythmic manner with the fingers or the palms. Petrissage is a kneading movement performed by lifting, squeezing, and pressing the tissue with a light, firm pressure. Fulling is a form of petrissage in which the tissue is grasped, gently lifted, and spread out.

Chucking is grasping the flesh firmly in one hand and moving the hand up and down along the bone while the other hand keeps the arm or leg in a steady position. Rolling is pressing and twisting the tissues with a fast back-and-forth movement. Wringing is a vigorous movement in which the hands, placed a little distance apart on both sides of the client’s arm or leg and working downward, apply a twisting motion against the bones in the opposite direction.

Tapotement movements tone the muscles and impart a healthy glow to the area being massaged. This form of massage is the most stimulating and should be applied with care and discretion. In facial massage, use only light finger tapping. Hacking and slapping movements are used only to massage the back, shoulders, and arms.

The following benefits may be obtained by proper facial and scalp massage:
•Skin and all structures are nourished
•Skin becomes softer and more pliable
•Circulation of blood is increased
•Activity of skin glands is stimulated
•Muscle fibers are stimulated and strengthened
•Nerves are soothed and rested
•Pain is sometimes relieved

Most steamers work by having a heating coil that boils water. The steam from the boiling water flows through a pipe that can be focused on the area to be treated, normally the face. Only distilled water should be used in most steamers to avoid mineral buildup in the machine. Steam is usually administered at the beginning of the facial treatment, because it can help to soften tissues and make it more accepting of moisturizers and other treatment products.

A brushing machine is a rotating electric appliance with
interchangeable brushes that can be attached to the rotating head. Brushes of various sizes as well as textures are common. Larger and stiffer brushes are used for back treatment, and smaller and softer brushes are used for the face.

During desincrustation, galvanic current is used to force an alkaline fluid or gel deeper into the follicle in order to loosen the sebum. Another process that uses galvanic current is iontophoresis, which enables water-soluble products that contain ions to penetrate the skin.

Concealers contain a high concentration of pigment and provide greater coverage than foundation. They are used to hide dark eye circles, hyperpigmentation, distended capillaries, and other imperfections. There should be no obvious line of demarcation where foundation or concealer begins and ends.

Pressed powder is most commonly reserved as the final layer of powder and is perfect for touch-ups. Loose powder is used to set the foundation, making it easier to apply other powders, such as blush or bronzer. Face powder is often reapplied throughout the day to absorb excess sebum and reduce the shine of oily skin.

Available in cream as well as pressed and loose powder forms, eye shadows come in almost every color of the rainbow, from warm to cool, neutral to bright, and light to dark. They also come in a variety of finishes, including metallic, matte, frost, or shimmer.

Eyeliner pencils consist of a wax (paraffin) or hardened oil base (petrolatum) with a variety of additives to create color; they are available in both soft and hard forms for use on the upper and lower eyelids. Eyebrow pencils and eyebrow powders are used to darken the eyebrows, correct their shape, or fill in sparse areas.

Never apply blush in a solid circle on the apple of the cheek, beyond the corner of the eye, or blended inward between the cheekbone and the nose. Sweeping blush just below the cheekbones will result in a more chiseled, sophisticated look. For more definition and a warm glow, bronzer can be used.

Lip liner is generally applied before the lip color to define the shape of the lips and keep color from bleeding.

Mascara is a cosmetic preparation used to darken, define, and thicken the eyelashes. It is a polymer product that is formulated with water, wax, thickeners, film formers, and preservatives. The pigments most commonly used in mascara are carbon black and iron oxides.

•Hair is the term used for the bristles of makeup brushes.
•Ferrule is the metal part that holds the brush intact and supports the strength of the bristles. Look for double crimping, or a ring, around the ferrule to ensure the handle won’t loosen.
•The handle comes in a wide range of lengths and can be made of wood, acrylic, plastic, or metal.

Single-use implements include sponges (to apply foundation, powder, or creams), sponge-tipped shadow applicators, powder puffs, mascara wands, spatulas (to remove makeup from containers), or cotton swabs and pads.

•Warm colors range from yellow and gold to orange, red-orange, most reds, and even some yellow-greens.
•Cool colors encompass blues, greens, violets, and blue-reds.
A neutral skin tone contains equal elements of warm and cool, no matter how fair or deep the skin is.