cut & color
definitions
Bringing photos of the hair style you want is a great way to avoid a bad experience and weeks of wearing hats. Ensure the experience is great by knowing some basic terminology about your desired style.
All of the photos in our Look Book include key words about the cut, style, or color process. Below, we share brief explanations of these terms so it will be easy to communicate with your stylist and get the look you want.
hair
lengths
hair
type
Type 1 - Straight
Straight hair (type 1) has no waves or curl and falls naturally glat against the head.
Type 2 - Wavy
Wavy hair (type 3) has a slight curve or "S" shape.
Type 3 - Curly
Curly hair (type 3) hair as a springy, corkscrew-like texture and can include loose waves, "Z"-shaped coils, or spirals.
Type 4 - Coily
Coily hair (type 4) - also called kinky hair - forms tight curls in a zig-zag pattern from the scalp.
hair density
& texture
Low Density (Thin)
Fewer strands per square inch. Use lightweught hair care formulas.
Medium Density
The most common density
High Density (Thick)
High number of strands per square inch. Can handle heavier hair care products, such creams, lotions and butters.
Fine Texture
Soft, thin individual strands
Medium Texture
The most common texture, and it rests right in the middle between fine and coarse textures
Coarse Texture
Thicker individual strands that can feel heavy
hair cutting
methods
Bangs / Fringe
Cutting hair so strands fall over the scalp's front hairline to cover the forehead
Blended
Cutting hair so there is a gradual transition from shorter haor on the sides and back to longer hair on the top
Blunt
Cutting straight across the hair; Can be horizontal, diagonal, or rounded; Creates clean lines; Can help fine or thin hair appear thicker
Buzz
Cutting or shaving the hair very short and close to the scalp
Graduated
Gradually tapering hair length from short to longer; Creates a tapered appearance that builds weight within the shape of the hair.
Layered
Cutting exterior sections of hair in multiple soft, closely spaced, and angled cuts. Suits straight and wavy hair. Adds dimension, shape, and volume
Textured
Cutting inner sectons of hair to remove bulk; Creates movement and dimension; Used with both blunt cuts and layered cuts.
hair cuts
& styles
"Old Money" Bob
Medium-length hair with a textured blunt cut, might have long layers to frme face
Afro
Type 4 hair that is not straightened or ir ironed and which is combed out.
Asymmetrical
Cutting hair at varying lengths on different sides of the head; Adds visual interest.
Baby Bangs
a.k.a Micro Bangs; Cut very short, above the eyebrows; Creates an edgy look; Highlights facial features.
Bob
Cutting straight around the head at jaw level or slightly below; Highly versatile, easy to maintain.
Bowl Cut
Named for the shape of the style as much as for a once-common method of achieving it
Butch
Eveningly cut short (5-20 mm), following the contour of the head.
Chandelier Layers
Long layers in the back, with graduated layers toward the front, including very long bangs that frame your face.
Chopped
Cutting hair in sections, at random; A dramatic method of adding texture and removing length; Can be applied to a variety of haircuts, including bobs, pixie cuts, and undercuts.
Crew
Top cut relatively short, with the back and sides tapered
Crop
A short cut with a blunt fringe and faded sides and back.
Curtain Bangs / Side Swept
Fringe frames the face with long, wispy strands that are parted in the middle or slightly off-center. Adds softness and sophistication.
Deconstructed Bob
A bob shape with jagged, textured edges, giving it a slightly messy and natural appearance.
Edgar
front hair has bangs and the sides are tapered
Face-Framing Layers
Shorter pieces of hair cut around the face to add movement and body
Faded
A taper that is cut close to the scalp so hair gradualy blends into the skin; Creates a smooth transition, adds contrast, and highlights the jawline.
Fauxhawk
Also known as the 'fashion punk cut', the hairstyle is an approximation of a mohawk made without shaving or 'buzzing' the hair on the sides of the head.
Feathered
Fine layers cut throughout the entire shape.
French Bangs
Inspired by Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot, front fringe cut to just above the eyebrows, with slightly longer ends on the sides.
Ghost Layers / Invisible Layers
Layers cut beneath the topmost layer of hair at a sharp angle. Gives hair similar movement but without the layered look.
Hi-top fade
Type for hair has sides and back cut short and the top is long
Lob / Long Bob
Blunt cut and medium length
Long Layers
Cutting different lengths on top of each other to create dimension and movement.
Mermaid Shag
Long , choppy layers, tousled waves, and a slightly messy texture
Mixie
Combines a pixie cut and a mullet, with the back longer than the front, cut short and choppy.
Mohawk
Shaved or buzzed on the sides and a strip of hair in the middle that is often long and spiked.
Mop Top
Short hair cut mid length with bangs that brush over forehead.
Mullet
Cutting the front, top and sides shorter and keeping the back longer.
One Length / Uniform
A consistent length from the crown to the tips of the hair strands; Creates a bold and striking visual impact; Emphasizes hair's thickness and density.
Pageboy
Longer bob with bangs
Pixie
A very short, cropped, highly textured haircut.
Pompadour
Short cut where hair is swept upwards from the face and worn high over the forehead, and sometimes upswept around the sides and back as well.
Razor cut
Choppy short layers that are thinned at the bottom. Often with side-swept bangs.
Shag
A heavily layered cut; Layers evenly progress from shorter on top to longest at the bottom; Works on any length; Often done with bangs.
Shingle Bob
A dome-shaped short haircut with the bottom razored into a V shape.
Stacked Crop
Layering hair at an angle to create a graduated look.
Step Cut
Bluntly cutting hair into different lengths with space between each section; Works well with wavy and curly hair. Adds bounce and reduces volume.
Tapered
Cutting hair close to the hairline, with the the length gradually decreasing from the top, down the sides and back; Creates texture on top.
Textured Bob
A choppy bob with movement
U Cut
Gradually cutting the sides of hair shorter while keeping the back and middle longe. Creates a rounded, U-shaped with soft curves and blended layers.
Undercut
Shaving or cutting short the back and sides with length kept on top; Creates a bold look due to the stark contrast.
V Cut
Cutting hair at a steep diagonal around the face, continuing to taper until the sides meet at a point in the back.
Waves
Type 4 hair cut short, with the curl showing a wave pattern.
Wispy Bangs
Feathered and textured with slightly uneven ends; Creates a soft and natural look.
Wolf
A type of mullet with choppy ends, voluminous layers, and a mix of short and long lengths. The top and crown are cut shorter to create volume, while the layers around the sides and back are left longer.
hair color
processes
Balayage Highlights
A free-hand method of applying hair dye; Adds natural-looking dimensions to the hair
Bleaching
Using a chemical processor to remove natural or artificial color from the hair follicle; Can lighten hair 1 or 2 levels; Often done before dying hair so the new color is not impacted by the existing hair color.
Highlights
Using sheets of foil to apply lighter color dye to sections of hair; Adds dimension and vibrancy.
Lowlights
Using sheets of foil to applyApplying darker color dye to sections of hair; Gives an edgier, sophisticated look.
Multi-Color Process
Applying two or more colors of permanent or semi-permanent hair dye to sections of hair.
Ombré
Applying multiple colors of dye so there is a gradual transition of color from top to bottom
Ombré Highlights
Dying strands of hair by appying multiple colors of dye so there is a gradual transition of color from top to bottom
Partial Highlights
Adding highlights to only the top section and around the face.
Single-Process Color
Evenly applying a single color of permanent or semi-permanent hair dye.
Sombré
An ombré color process that uses two closely related colors.
Toning
After bleaching, a chemical process is applied to reduce or remove brassy tones from the hair.