Some handy words for hairdresser to know

COLOUR TERMS

Know the colour effect you want, but have no idea how to explain it or what it’s called?
Learn the lingo and you’ll be talking like a pro in no time.


Highlights and Lowlights
A highlight is a streak of colour lighter than your usual shade, while lowlight is darker or richer .Highlights are great for natural-looking colour and don’t necessarily have to be blonde



Tone-on-tone
Also known as demis, glosses, quasi or cosmetic colour, these use peroxide to give a longer lasting effect (around 21 washes). They will not lighten your hair and there’s no obvious root regrowth, as the colour fades gradually.

Permanent
Also called dye, tint, professional colour, crème colour or global colour, these colour is mixed with different amounts of hydrogen peroxide to colour your hair permanently and can lighten your natural tone by up to three levels.

Panelling
Here, slabs of colour are applied to the hair, using foils (not woven as highlights, lowlights or weaving). Different layers of colour are used and the technique often gives a dramatic high fashion finish.

Weave
A great alternative to highlights if you want to colour sections of your hair. Hairdressers weaves out some of the hair to colour and leaves the rest natural. The strength of the result depends on if you have fine or chunky weaves.

Halo Lights
Highlights, but not in the traditional sense .The term refers to the placement of the highlights – usually in a T-shapes section on top of the hair. This creates a flattering glow around the face and its great way to ‘lift’ your style

Pre-lightener
Also known as bleach and lightening crème, this is used to get really blonde hair. Its mixed peroxide and can lighten your hair by up to five shades. You then tone the hair with the desired colour, as lighteners don’t contains colour.

Dip-dyeing
Inspired by the art of dip-dyeing clothes, this is where just the very ends of your hair is coloured with either subtle or vibrant tones. For dramatic results, go for a contrasting colour like a pillar-box red ends on dark-brown hair.

Hidden colour
Sections of hair are taken from underneath and coloured, which makes office-to-party hair easy to achieve. Clip your locks into a pony, or pin the top section of your hair up to reveal the hidden drama in the under layers.






CUTTING TERMS
Hairdressers have a language all of their own. Learn the basics and you’ll know what your stylist’s planning to do with your hair before they even pick up the scissors.

Talk about it…
Communication is the key when it comes to getting your hair cut. If you are asking for an “inch” off, makes you both clear about how much you mean. Be prepared to compromise on length if you want to enhance your hair condition.



Slide Cutting
This technique is good for softening strong face shapes, like a square jaw, as it creates a haircut with wispy or feathered finish. Its great for creating texture and removing weight from thick hair, but steer clear if you’ve got fine or curly hair.

Graduation
This is a type of layering where the hair is cut progressively shorter towards the back. Its mostly used on bobs. Where the hair at the front is left longer, working round to shorter lengths. It works best on fine to medium straight or curly hair.

Slicing
Slicing leaves the hair with a textured, feathered finish. It involves sliding the scissors through the hair without closing the blade completely. It’s not great for fine hair or curls – its best on medium to thick hair, adding shapes, definition and softness.

Razoring
It’s the most common and effective way of reducing weight on naturally thick hair by thinning out the bulk. Razoring also creates texture, and softness making it perfect for adding movement to straight hair and softening strong face shapes.

Point cutting
Here, the points of the scissors are use to break up the blunt lines in a haircut. Stylist will often finish the ends with point cutting to prevent the style from looking too blunt. The finished styling can be fine or chunky and suits all faces and hair types.

Layering
Layers can reduce weight in thick hair or add movement and body to fine hair. The length will depend on the look you are going for. Layers gives long hair shape and style without losing the length, while long layers on a crop give it added versatility.