OK so as promised in my last post I am giving you guys a glossary of natural hair jargon. Like I said it’s like a whole new language that you have to learn. I figured this would be helpful for you as you read my blog as well as any other natural hair sites you hopefully visit. This list is definitely not exhaustive just ones I could think of. If you see any abbreviations or phrases that you want to know about just send me a message and let me know. I will keep adding to this post as I see more words, phrases, and abbreviations.
3abc/4a/4b/4c- these are classes of hair types. With 1a being super straight and 4c being a tightly coiled or kinky as you get. You will often see people refer to themselves by one of these classifications on hair forums.
- See link here to determine yours: What's my hair type?
ALS – Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate or Ammonium Laureth Sulfate. These are lathering agents in shampoo that can contribute to hair dryness, damage and hair loss.
BAA-Big Ass Afro what else can I say.
BC - Big Chop - cutting off all your chemically treated hair
BNC- Braid-n-Curl, braiding or plaiting your hair and rolling the ends with curlers.
BC - Big Chop - cutting off all your chemically treated hair
BNC- Braid-n-Curl, braiding or plaiting your hair and rolling the ends with curlers.
BSS- Beauty Supply Store
Co-Wash- Using conditioner instead of shampoo to cleanse the hair to help retain moisture.
- For how to: Click Here
Creamy crack - Not so affectionate term used to refer to hair relaxers; nickname was given because maNy women find it hard to stop getting relaxers when they decide to transition to natural hair
DC/DT - Deep conditioner or deep treatment. When you leave a moisturizing or protein based treatment on your hair for an extended period of time with a heat source (dryer, hot towel or body heat).Demarcation Line – the point where natural hair and relaxed hair meets. This is where breakage is most likely to occur. So be gentle when handling the two textures.
Dusting- trimming your hair about 1/4 and inch or less. Apparently it is called this because so little hair is trimmed when you finish it looks like dust on the floor.
EO- Essential Oils such as coconut oil, lemon oil, peppermint oil, olive oil, lavender oil,etc.
EVCO- Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: used in conditioning treatments and in sealing the hair.
EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: also used in conditioning treatments and in sealing the hair.
Hair Lengths- APL- Arm Pit Length, BSL- Bra Strap Length, CBL- Collar Bone Length, MBL- Mid Back Length. EL – Ear Length. NL – Neck Length, SL – Shoulder Length.
HG- Holy Grail tested and proven products that are known to work. These products will differ from person to person.
HIH- Hand in Hair. Spending a lot of time manipulating and touching your tresses.
Nappyversary – Celebrated on the date of or day after your last relaxer, this is the anniversary of the day you became natural.
HIH- Hand in Hair. Spending a lot of time manipulating and touching your tresses.
Nappyversary – Celebrated on the date of or day after your last relaxer, this is the anniversary of the day you became natural.
No-poo- only co-washing hair, simply no shampoo.NG – New Growth.
Pineappleing- gathering all of your hair in a high, loose ponytail on top of your head with or without loosely wrapping with a satin scarf before going to sleep and gently shaking out in the morning. (Used to preserve the curls overnight).
See how to: Click Here
PJ- Product Junky: a person who loves buying hair care products on the quest for the perfect combination of hair concoction (in other words me).
Plopping- A quick dry method using a a t-shirt or paper towel to dry your hair. It is supposed to decrease drying times.
Pre-pooing- A pre shampoo treatment using oils and/or conditioners applied to hair the night before or right before you shampoo, sometimes with a heat source to help penetrate. It helps hair maintain moisture and keeps shampoos from drying out the hair.
PJ- Product Junky: a person who loves buying hair care products on the quest for the perfect combination of hair concoction (in other words me).
Plopping- A quick dry method using a a t-shirt or paper towel to dry your hair. It is supposed to decrease drying times.
Pre-pooing- A pre shampoo treatment using oils and/or conditioners applied to hair the night before or right before you shampoo, sometimes with a heat source to help penetrate. It helps hair maintain moisture and keeps shampoos from drying out the hair.
Protective Hairstyle – Styles like twists, coils, flat twists and cornrows that require little management, protects the ends of the hair by keeping them tucked away and allows for regular moisturizing.
Sealing – The process of locking moisture in the hair and then sealing it with oils or butters (castor, olive, coconut, safflower, almond oil and shea butter). This is especially important for the ends.
For how to: Click Here
Search and Destroy (S&Ds)- In good lighting, usually in the bathroom, examine your hair ends, whenever you see a split, a crooked end, or a single strand knot, snip it out. Done periodically. Only use hair scissors for this task. Dull scissors will do more damage.
Slip- How slippery a product is (conditioner or detangler). This is important because the more slip a product has the more it will help with detangling.
Search and Destroy (S&Ds)- In good lighting, usually in the bathroom, examine your hair ends, whenever you see a split, a crooked end, or a single strand knot, snip it out. Done periodically. Only use hair scissors for this task. Dull scissors will do more damage.
Slip- How slippery a product is (conditioner or detangler). This is important because the more slip a product has the more it will help with detangling.
SLS- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (found in the harsher shampoos- similar properties to ALS).
TNC- Twist-n-Curl. Twisting the hair with two strand twists and roll the ends.
Transitioning - This is the period of time since your last relaxer.
TWA- Teeny Weeny AfroTwo Strand Twists –Take two equal sections of hair and twirl one section around the other until you reach the very end of your hair. This is also referred to as double strand twist.
Wash and Go- Carefree natural style where you simply wash or co-wash your hair, add a styler (gel, cream) and GO. Let it air dry or dry with a diffuser. This is also seen as WnG, and W&G.
TNC- Twist-n-Curl. Twisting the hair with two strand twists and roll the ends.
Transitioning - This is the period of time since your last relaxer.
TWA- Teeny Weeny AfroTwo Strand Twists –Take two equal sections of hair and twirl one section around the other until you reach the very end of your hair. This is also referred to as double strand twist.
Wash and Go- Carefree natural style where you simply wash or co-wash your hair, add a styler (gel, cream) and GO. Let it air dry or dry with a diffuser. This is also seen as WnG, and W&G.
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