Acid perm

A type of perm that creates softer, looser curls than an alkaline perm.

Activator

A chemical used with bleach to speed up the bleaching process without hair damage.

Alkaline perm

A type of chemical perm that creates tight, springy curls. Alkaline perms are stronger than acid perms.

Balayage

A hand-painted highlighting process. The stylist brushes on the color in a freehand design to create a naturally sun-kissed look instead of a traditional foil approach. The result is a softer, more natural look without noticeable regrowth lines in the color.

Bangs

Also known as fringe, this is the hair along the forehead when it is cut shorter than the other hair. The face-framing hair takes on many different looks, from thick and chunky to thin and wispy. Bangs may be cut straight across or angled and blended with a side-swept look.

Barbicide

The sanitizer used to disinfect tools, particularly combs and brushes. This is a specific brand name of the sanitizing liquid.

Blunt cut

A type of haircut in which all strands are the same length. The cut goes straight across, without any layers or variation in length.

Bob cut

The classic bob cut generally hits around the chin or just below the ears and has a blunt line. Bobs can angle in different directions as long as they have clear lines at the bottom edge.

Body

The volume of a person’s hair.

Chelating

A process that strips hair before performing a chemical hair service. This process is also called clarifying.