"Milady Standard Cosmetology," Vocabulary from Part 3

When a hairstyle is harmonious it has the following elements:
•A form (also called volume) with interesting lines
•A pleasing color or combination of colors and textures
•A balance and rhythm (recurrent pattern of movement) that together strengthen the design

Horizontal lines create width in hair design. Vertical lines create length and height in hair design. They make a hairstyle appear longer and narrower as the eye follows the lines up and down. Diagonal lines are positioned between horizontal and vertical lines. They are often used to emphasize or minimize facial features. Curved lines, lines moving in a circular or semi-circular direction, soften a design.

Single lines are used in the one-length hairstyle. These hairstyles are best for clients requiring the lowest maintenance when styling their hair.

Directional lines are lines with a definite forward or backward movement. Transitional lines are usually curved lines that are used to blend and soften horizontal or vertical lines. These lines are used frequently when texturizing a haircut along with hair color placement and color blending.

A general guide for classic proportion is that the hair should not be wider than the center of the shoulders, regardless of the body structure. Keep in mind that the best hairstyles are those that create harmony between the client’s height and weight.

We are more aware of the (positive) form than the (negative) spaces. In hair design, with every movement the relationship of the form and space changes.

All hair, whether straight, wavy, curly, or excessively curly has a unique directional pattern and its own movement. For example, straight hair reflects light better than other patterns; it also reflects the most light when it is cut to a single length. Wavy hair can be combed directionally to create horizontal lines. Curly hair is more coiled and often grows more compact together. Curly hair will reflect less light and can create a larger form than straight or wavy hair.

Symmetrical balance occurs when both sides of the hairstyle are the same distance from the center, the same length, and have the same volume when viewed from the front. Asymmetrical balance is established when the two imaginary halves of a hairstyle have an equal visual weight, but are positioned unevenly. Opposite sides of the hairstyle are different lengths or have a different volume.

Depending on placement, color can accent or de-emphasize a particular part of a style or client feature. Because the eye is drawn to the lightest color present, you can use a light color to draw a line in a hairstyle in the direction you want the eye to travel, as with highlights around the fringe or facial area. A single line of color, or a series of repeated lines of color, can create a bold, dramatic accent.

Wavy, fine hair can appear fuller when diffused with heat and the appropriate haircut and style. But wavy, coarse hair can produce a silhouette that is very voluminous if it is not shaped properly.

Straight, medium hair offers more versatility in styling. It responds well to blow drying with various sized brushes and has a good amount of movement. Wavy, medium offers the most versatility in styling as it has the most uniformity of pattern.

There are seven basic facial shapes: oval, round, square, triangle (pear-shaped), oblong, diamond, and inverted triangle (heart-shaped).

The oval face is about one and a half times longer than its width across the brow. The forehead is slightly wider than the chin. It visibly has no areas that dominate the others. A person with an oval face can wear any hairstyle unless there are other considerations, such as eyeglasses, length and shape of nose, or profile.

The straight profile is considered the ideal; it is neither convex (curving outward) nor concave (curving inward). Generally, all hairstyles are flattering to the straight profile. The convex profile has a receding forehead and chin. It calls for an arrangement of curls or bangs over the forehead. The concave profile has a prominent forehead and chin, with other features receding inward. It should be accommodated by softly styling the hair at the nape with an upward movement.

The bang area, also known as fringe area, is the triangular section that begins at the apex, or high point of the head, and ends at the front corners. The bang is parted in three basic ways:
•A triangular parting is the basic parting for bang sections and gives a symmetrical balance to the features on the face.
•A diagonal parting gives height to a round or square face and width to a long, thin face.
•A curved part is used for a receding hairline or high forehead.

The massage can provide beneficial qualities such as increasing blood circulation and calming tenseness. Usually done after the hair has been cleansed, massage techniques are initiated along with the conditioning service. The conditioner is applied and the massage manipulations begin, allowing the conditioning product to penetrate more evenly.

Medicated shampoo contains special ingredients that are effective in reducing dandruff or relieving other scalp conditions. Clarifying shampoo contains an active agent that binds to metals and removes them from the hair, as well as an equalizing agent that enriches hair, helps retain moisture, and makes hair more manageable. Dry shampoo, also known as powder shampoo, cleanses the hair without soap and water. The powder picks up dirt and oils as you brush or comb it through the hair.

You will not necessarily use every reference point for every haircut, but it is important to know where they are. To find the occipital bone, simply feel the back of the skull or place a comb flat against the nape and find where the comb leaves the head. The location of the four corners (place two combs flat against the side and back, and then locate the back corner at the point where the two combs meet) signals a change in the shape of the head from flat to round and vice versa.

The apex is the highest point on the top of the head; it is easily located by placing a comb flat on top of the head. The parietal ridge (crest area) is found where the head starts to curve away from the comb. On many people, the crown is flat and is the site of cowlicks or whorls. Because of this, it is important to pay special attention to this area when haircutting.

There are four types of sections used in haircutting: horseshoe (separates the head at the parietal ridge to below the crown), pivoting (also referred to as pie shape sections; rotates from a central point), profile (divides the head in two sections, a right and left profile, allowing subsectioning to take place), and radial (taken from ear to ear and divides the head from front to back starting behind the apex in the crown).

The most commonly used elevations are 45 and 90 degrees. The more you elevate the hair, the more graduation and layering you create. When the hair is elevated below 90 degrees, you are building weight. When you elevate the hair at 90 degrees or higher, you are removing weight, or layering the hair.

A stationary guideline does not move. All other sections are combed to the stationary guideline and cut at the same angle and length. Stationary guidelines are used in blunt (one-length) haircuts or in haircuts that use overdirection to create a length or weight increase. A traveling guideline, also known as movable guideline, moves as the haircut progresses. Traveling guidelines are used when creating layered or graduated haircuts.

Whereas elevation is simply the degree to which you lift a section away from the head, overdirection occurs when you comb the hair away from its natural falling position, rather than straight out from the head.

Texturizing shears (thinning, tapering, or notching shears) are used to remove bulk from the hair. Straight razors or feather blades are used when a softer effect on the ends of the hair is desired. Clippers are used when creating short haircuts, short tapers, fades, and flat tops. Trimmers (edgers) are used to remove excess or unwanted hair at the neckline and around the ears and to create crisp outlines.

The gauge is called the Rockwell hardness. Generally, a shear with a Rockwell hardness of at least 56 or 57 is ideal. A shear with a Rockwell hardness that is higher than 63 can be too hard and brittle to work with; the shear could even break if dropped.

In a blunt haircut, all the hair comes to a single hanging level, forming a weight line. A graduated haircut is a slow or immediate build up of weight; this is caused by cutting the hair with tension, low to medium elevation, or overdirection. A layered haircut is an effect achieved by cutting the hair with elevation or overdirection. The long-layered haircut is cut at a 90-degree elevation and then overdirected to maintain length and weight at the perimeter.

Finger waving is the process of shaping and directing the hair into an S pattern through the use of the fingers, combs, and finger-waving lotion.

Pin curls serve as the basis for patterns, lines, waves, curls, and rolls that are used in a wide range of hairstyles. You can use them on all types of hair, including straight, permanent waved, or naturally curly hair. Pin curls work best when the hair is layered and smoothly wound. This style makes springy and long-lasting curls with good direction and definition.

Rollers are used to create many of the same effects as stand-up pin curls. Because a roller holds the equivalent of two to four stand-up curls, the roller is a much faster way to set the hair. Also, wrapping around the roller with tension gives the hair a stronger and longer-lasting set.

Backbrushing, also known as ruffing, is used to build a soft cushion or to mesh two or more curl patterns together for a uniform and smooth comb out. These techniques are used for styling updos or for adding a little height to a hairstyle after hot-roller setting or blowdrying.

Blowdry styling is the technique of drying and styling damp hair in one operation and it has revolutionized the hairstyling world.

Finishing or hair spray is used to hold the style when it is complete. Foam (mousse) is an airy, whipped product that builds moderate body and volume. Gels are thick preparations that come in a tube or bottle that create the strongest control for slicked or molded styles, and add texture definition when spread with the fingers. Pomade (wax) adds weight to the hair by causing strands to join together. Silicone (serum) adds gloss while creating textural definition.

All thermal irons have four basic parts: (1) rod handle, (2) shell
handle, (3) barrel or rod (round, solid prong), and (4) shell (the clamp that presses the hair against the barrel or rod). Flat irons have two hot plates with either straight or beveled edges.

A pressing generally lasts until the hair is shampooed. Hair pressing also prepares the hair for additional services such as thermal curling and croquignole thermal curling. A good hair pressing leaves the hair in a natural and lustrous condition and it is not harmful to the hair.

The ponytail is the foundation for a chignon, bun, and knot, among other designs.

Human hair is the gold standard for hair extensions. Kanekalon is a manufactured, synthetic fiber of excellent quality. Nylon or rayon synthetic is less expensive than many other synthetics and is available in varying qualities. Traditional yarn used to make sweaters and hats is now being used to adorn hair. Lin is a wool fiber that has a matte finish and comes only in black and brown. Yak hair is shaved and processed and used alone or blended with human hair.

An invisible braid, also known as an inverted braid or French braid, is a three-strand braid that is produced with an overhand technique. In an overhand technique, the first side section goes over the middle one, then the other side section goes over the middle strand.

The fishtail braid is a simple, two-strand braid in which hair is picked up from the sides and added to the strands as they are crossed over each other. The halo braids are two or three long, simple, inverted, thick cornrows created around the head; the braids are then wrapped around the head and pinned. Cornrows, also known as canerows, are narrow rows of visible braids that lie close to the scalp and are created with a three-strand, on-the-scalp braiding technique.

Hair locking is achieved without the use of chemicals, with techniques such as double twisting, wrapping with cord, palm rolling, braiding, sisterlocks, or coiling and combing. The hair locks in several slow phases, which can take from six months to a year depending on the length, density, and coil pattern of the hair. But locks can also form in textured hair that is not combed or brushed out.

There are two basic categories of wigs. Cap wigs are constructed with an elasticized, mesh-fiber base to which the hair is attached; they are made in several sizes and require special fittings. Capless wigs are machine-made from human or artificial hair. The hair is woven into wefts, which are long strips with a threaded edge. Rows of wefts are sewn to elastic strips in a circular pattern to fit the head shape. Capless wigs are ready-to-wear and less expensive.

Permanent waving is a two-step process whereby the hair undergoes a physical change caused by wrapping the hair on perm rods; the hair then undergoes a chemical change caused by the application of permanent waving solution and neutralizer.

It is advisable to do preliminary test curls to assess what the final curl pattern will look like. This is especially important if the hair appears damaged, dehydrated, color treated, or if there is any uncertainty about the results.

In traditional color theory, when all three primary colors are present in equal proportions, the resulting color is black or dark muddy gray depending on the saturation of the pigment. It is helpful to think of hair color in terms of different combinations of primary colors. Natural brown, for example, has the primary colors in the following proportions: blue-B, red-RR, and yellow-YYY. White can be used to lighten a color. Black can be used to deepen a color.

Complementary colors neutralize each other. When formulating haircolor, you will find that it is often your goal to emphasize or distract from skin tones or eye color. You may also want to neutralize or refine unwanted tones in the hair. Understanding complementary colors will help you choose the correct tone to accomplish these goals.

Natural haircolors, also known as vegetable haircolors, such as henna, are colors obtained from the leaves or bark of plants. They do not lighten natural hair color, and the result tends to be weak. Metallic haircolors, also known as progressive haircolors, contain metal salts that change hair color gradually by buildup and exposure to air, creating a dull, metallic appearance.

Colorists can choose from three forms of lighteners: oil, cream, and powder. Oil and cream are considered on-the-scalp lighteners that can be used directly on the scalp by mixing them with activators. Most powdered lighteners are stronger and faster, so they often cannot be used directly on the scalp.

The U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires that a patch test be given 24 to 48 hours prior to each application of an aniline haircolor. The color used for the patch test must be the same as the color that will be used for the haircolor service.