OCF™ Hair Glossary of Basic Terminology and Definitions
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Charting: A means of classifying general primary traits and/or characteristics via distinctions [i.e., straight, wavy, curly, coily, cottony, spongy] for specialized care, treatment and maintenance of an individual natural hair type. Same as typing.
Typing: A means of classifying general primary traits and/or characteristics via distinctions [i.e., straight, wavy, curly, coily, cottony, spongy] for specialized care, treatment and maintenance of an individual natural hair type. Same as charting.
Subtype: Principally distinguishable as; certain other range of traits and/or characteristics [such as texture and thickness] within, between or across natural hair type patterns.
Texture: A subtype categorizing description falling within all hair categories [refers to hair’s natural appearance and characteristic to the eye and touch, i.e., if hair is or is not fine, med-fine, medium, medium-coarse, coarse, dry, oily, brittle, soft, silky, satiny, cottony, elastic and/or the like].
Thickness: A subtype categorizing description falling within all hair categories [thin, med-thin, medium, medium-thick, thick]. Hair’s thickness or thinness may affect hair body [full or limp] and appearance.
Virgin Natural Hair [VNH]: Natural, virgin hair that is both, free from color treatments and also has not been chemically treated via relaxer/texturizer/perm i.e., 100% Natural [no relaxers/perms/ texturizers/colors of any kind]. Generally refers to hair that is both natural in texture and color.
Natural Hair [N]: Natural [non relaxed/non permed/non texturized] hair that has NOT been chemically treated for the purpose of straightening or adding curl, length or wave or texture to the hair. Typically, the term natural is used in reference to whether or not hair has been relaxed, texturized or permed in someway. Generally refers to hair that is natural in ‘texture’, although natural hair still may or may not be color treated.
Healthy Hair: Hair whose PH balance and cuticle/shaft integrity or density have not been corrupted or compromised as a result of miss-use of styling implements, chemicals or heat. Neither will healthy hair display accompanying brittleness or breakage as is typical of damaged hair.
Damaged Hair: Hair whose structural integrity has been corrupted or compromised at the cuticle/shaft level as a result of improper styling, poor health or use of chemicals and/or heat. Damaged hair may display excessive shedding or breakage and also may become brittle.
Normal Hair: Neither dry, nor oily, normal hair falls into the great divide between hair that is oily and hair that is dry.
Oily Hair: Oily hair is hair that looks and/or feels oilier than other sub-textures as a result of having greater oils production and/or distribution throughout the hair and scalp.
Dry Hair: Dry Hair is hair that is naturally dry to the touch and in appearance. Dry hair may range from somewhat dry to extra dry and may or may not display brittleness, also.
Conditioner-Wash [CW]: The technique in which conditioner is used in place of traditional shampoo.
Modified Conditioner-Wash: The method of combining equal parts of a creamy conditioner with shampoo to achieve a modified version of the conditioner-wash technique.
Color: A process [chemical or natural/herbal] in which hair whose natural pigment color has been altered or changed for the purposes of achieving a desired [dye] color [different or similar] cosmetic result. While change in hair color may occur, coloring hair does not alter the natural hair pattern/type.
Henna/Lawsonia inermis: A natural, plant-derived powder used to tint hair. Produces a reddish hue; sometimes called Red Henna. A favorite among those who do not use chemically derived hair colorants.
Indigo/Indigofera tinctoria: A natural, plant-derived powder used to tint hair. Most effective when used in conjunction with or following Henna use. Produces a very deep, blue-black hue; sometimes called Black Henna. A favorite among those who do not use chemically derived hair colorants.
Cassia Obovata/a.k.a. Senna Obovata: A natural plant derived powder used for it’s natural, hair-conditioning properties; sometimes called Neutral Henna.
Limp: Hair that appears flat and lacks body, occurring often as a result of product build-up, avoidable with occasional clarifying maintenance.
Body: Hair that appears to have full, free-flowing movement and bounce.
Full: Hair that appears to be thicker and have body.
Fluffy: Hair that is billowy in nature or has body and movement.
Soft: Hair that is pleasing to the touch, not hard when felt, but touchably soft.
Fine: Hair that is baby soft to the touch in texture and typically will range from very thin to medium thickness.
Medium: Hair that is not coarse to the touch, but is not quite as soft as fine hair, and is usually medium-thick to thick.
Coarse: Hair that is stiff or straw-like to the touch, in texture.
Brittle: Hair that is rough or hard, like straw or brillo-ish to the touch in texture.
Frizzy: Often a result of changes in climate and/or humidity and usually attributed to hair that is described or typed as wavy or curly, but also occurring across all types.
Sub-characteristic Silky: Sub-characteristic in which hair is Silky soft to the touch, and is usually normal to oily.
Sub-characteristic Satiny: Sub-characteristic in which hair isSoft hair, somewhere between silky and cottony that is usually normal to dry.
Sub-characteristic Cottony: Sub-characteristic in which hair is or Typically displays one or more ‘fluff’ hair characteristics,can be very soft to the touch, and is usually, normal to very dry.
Straight: Literally having a pencil straight appearance.
Wavy: Having a waved or somewhat noodle-like appearance.
Curly: Hair that has ringlets, loops, links or defined curl formation.
Coily: Typically hair that has a watch-spring –like appearance.
Cottony: Hair that is naturally very billowy, soft cotton-ballish, cotton candy-ish or yarn like in both texture and appearance, having no distinct curl, coil or wave.
Spongy: Hair that literally has a wedged sponge-like or eraser-like appearance.
Afro: A fluffy to dense hairstyle that typically may be curly, coily, cottony or spongy in appearance or texture.
Kinky: An imprecise descriptive attribute more commonly used to specifically characterize hair patterns best described or typed as curly, coily, cottony or spongy. Generalized, any natural hair type ‘resistant to styling may be described as kinky.
Clarify/Clarifier: Preventative cleansing technique or product, primarily for periodic deep cleansing and removal of product build-up in/on the hair and scalp. If overused can cause dryness.
Moisturizer: Restores, maintains hair moisture levels and softness.
Shampoo: Hair and scalp cleanser.
Clarifying Shampoo: Used in place of every 4th shampoo. Removes product buildup from hair.
Conditioner: Provides essential nutrients to the hair for hair health.
Deep Conditioner: Periodic deep treatment recommended weekly to condition and soften dry, heat styled or very damaged hair.
ACV Rinse: Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse is a clarifying rinse used following shampoo, and before deep condition to help seal the cuticle and hair shaft.
Reconstructor: Intense restorative, salon quality, deep conditioning treatment recommended every six months for healthy hair, or more as needed for extremely damaged hair. Used to treat and soften dry, brittle, heat-styled or damaged hair. Restores damaged hair to healthy condition with regular use as directed.
Brown Sugar Scrub: A clarifying process by which brown sugar is used to aid in the removal of build-up or other debris from the hair and scalp.
Lemon Rinse: A clarifying technique in which a small amount of lemon juice is used to aid in the removal of build-up or other debris from the hair and scalp.
Baking Soda Scrub: A cleansing technique in which baking soda is used to aid in the removal of build-up or other debris from the hair and scalp.
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Enclosures: Reprinted with Permission from 'Goddess Hair & Skin Recipe
Subject: OCF™ Hair Glossary of Basic Terminology and Definitions 
Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:09 am