Now Reading
Curly Hair Lingo

Curly Hair Lingo

Afro girl in cozy fashionable sweater.

Going natural (and natural hair) has its own unique vocabulary!  Here is a handy glossary of natural hair language to make your life a little easier.

Acronyms 

ACV: apple cider vinegar water mix to clarify and remove buildup on scalp and hair

CGM: Curly Girl Method 

LOC Method: A hairstyling layering method performed in this order: Liquid/leave-in conditioner, Oil, Cream

LCO Method: Liquid/leave-in conditioner, Cream, Oil 

LOG Method: Liquid/leave-in, Oil, Gel

LCG Method: Liquid/leave-in, Cream, Gel

LGO Method: Liquid/leave-in, Gel, Oil

LCGO Method: Liquid/leave-in, Cream, Gel, Oil

SOTC: Scrunch out the crunch or cast, meaning breaking the hard gel or mousse cast 

STC or S2C: Squish to condish – squeezing leave-in conditioner into the hair to evenly coat the strands

TWA: Teeny Weeny Afro

Cutting

Big Chop: the process of going natural usually refers to transitioning from relaxed hair to natural hair. Some choose to cut off all their damaged hair when going natural

Dusting: trimming ends no more than a ¼ inch

Washing

Bowl Method: A technique to tighten up curls, with maximum hydration and definition. (YouTuber Jannelle O’Shaughnessy swears by it.)

Clarify: Using certain hair products to remove product build-up, dirt, and sebum that may be clogging hair follicles

Co-Wash (Conditioning Wash): Washing the scalp with a specially formulated conditioner instead of shampoo. 

Curl Cast or Gel Cast: Helps protect and preserve the shape of your hair while it is drying. Imagine a piece of fried chicken, crunchy coating on the outside, but nice and juicy on the inside. Same with your hair. 

Final Wash: Before starting the Curly Girl Method (CGM), you need to clarify and remove build-up on your scalp and hair with a sulfated (non-silicone-containing) shampoo. 

Hygral Fatigue: When hair follicles are swollen due to excessive moisture.

Low Poo: A Curly Girl (CG) friendly shampoo that does not contain sulfates but instead contains gentle cleansing agents.

No Poo: Instead of shampoo, using conditioner to wash your scalp.

Pre-Poo: Applying protective, penetrating, natural oils to the hair before washing to prevent hygral fatigue and aid in detangling 

Slip: How lubricated a conditioner makes your hair feel after applying. The more slip a conditioner has, the easier it is to run your fingers, a wide-tooth comb, or a brush through your hair. 

Hair Types and Styling Techniques 

Density: Hair density refers to the number of individual hair strands per square inch (or square centimeter) on your scalp. It’s a measure of how many hairs you have on your head. The average hair density is 100-200 hairs per square inch

Diffusing: Drying your hair with a diffuser

Hair Type: This refers to the natural shape, texture, and characteristics of a person’s hair. There are four main hair types (Type 1-4), each with subcategories (A-C)

Plopping: A way of wrapping your wet hair in a cotton t-shirt (dry plopping) or shower cap (wet plopping)

Porosity: Refers to your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It is determined by how open or closed the cuticles (the outermost layer) of your hair strands are

Praying Hands: A way of applying hair product by holding hair in between hands like you are praying to create curl clumps

Protective Styling: A hairstyle to prevent breakage and for protection of the hair; also for length retention. Examples include two-strand twists, flat twists, cornrows, braids, up-dos, weaves etc.

Raking: A way to spread product through the hair using fingers spread out like a rake

Roping: A technique to create curl clumps

Root Clipping: A technique to create volume at the roots

Sealing: Locking moisture into the hair with a sealing oil or butter

Scrunching Upward: A technique to create curl patterns

Stretching: The process of lengthening curls and prevent shrinkage by using twist outs or braids out

Texture: Hair texture refers to the thickness or diameter of individual hair strands. There are three main types of hair texture: fine, medium, thick/coarse

Twist Out: Two- or three-strand twisting sectioned hair using a hair butter or gel

Wash’n Go: Washing and styling the hair in the absence of a protective style

Protecting Curls Overnight 

Buff: A sleeve of stretchy material to wear over the hair at night. 

Pineapple: A way of protecting your curls at night with a top front ponytail. 

Other Terms

Product Junkie: Someone who is always buying new hair products in search of the one that will work wonders on their hair

Protein Treatment: A protein treatment helps to rebuild the hair shaft from within to mechanically strengthen the hair, reduce breakage and improve hydration. Protein-rich deep conditioners or protein-reconstructing treatments can contain 5-25% protein.

Shrinkage: The process of curls tightening or compacting while drying giving the appearance of shorter hair. Compacted curls tend to tangle more.

absolutely everything curly logo
Absolutely Everything Curly

View Comments (0)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

COPYRIGHT © 2024 ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING CURLY

Scroll To Top