Glossary
Routine Techniques
Wet Set
verb
The process of setting your hairstyle under a hooded dryer when your hair is completely wet, similar to blow drying.
Heat Styling
noun
Styling done with heated tools such as a blow-dryer, flat iron, or curling iron.
This form of styling can be very damaging to your hair and scalp. We recommend only heat-styling your hair once a week at most.
Wash-N-Go
noun; verb
A styling method that includes using all your hair care products – cleansing, conditioning, styling and finishing – in the shower while your hair is wet.
- Doing frequent wash-n-go’s promotes healthy hair
- You can repeat as often as you shower
Protective Styling
noun; verb
Styling done to protect the ends of your hair which helps decrease tangling, breakage, and shedding, and prevent hair loss and scalp problems when done correctly.
This form of styling allows you to style your hair without wetting it.
Protect styles include:
- Blow outs
- Braids
- Twist outs
- Weaves
- Wigs
General Hair Terms
Pattern
The configuration or shape that your hair naturally makes.
Hair patterns range:
Hair patterns can range even on a single head of hair, which is why we have a texture spectrum.
Some textures might have a mix of straight and wavy, wavy and curly, curly and kinky, or anything in between!
Strand
noun
A single hair shaft or cuticle.
- The thickness or width of strands can vary between being fine, medium, or coarse
- Strand thickness is a part of what makes individual texture unique
Fine
adjective
A term used to describe the thickness or width of your hair’s individual strands. Fine strands have a very narrow circumference and are known for being delicate and easily damaged.
Examples:
- Hair can be thick, fine, and curly
- Hair can be thin, fine, and kinky
- Hair can be moderate, fine, and wavy
- Hair can be thin to moderate, fine, and straight
Medium
adjective
A term used to describe the thickness or width of your hair’s individual strands. Medium strands are somewhat strong and elastic. They are neither thin nor thick and have the ability to be shiny or lustrous.
Examples:
- Hair can be thick, medium, and curly
- Hair can be thin, medium, and kinky
- Hair can be moderate, medium, and wavy
- Hair can be thin to moderate, medium, and straight
Coarse
adjective
A term used to describe the thickness or width of your hair’s individual strands. Coarse strands are very wide in circumference and tend to be the strongest strand type. These strands tend to be more lustrous.
Examples:
- Hair can be thick, coarse, and curly
- Hair can be thin, coarse, and kinky
- Hair can be moderate, coarse, and wavy
- Hair can be thin to moderate, coarse, and straight
Density
noun
The amount of hair that naturally grows on your head.
Hair density can be:
- Thin
- Moderate
- Thick
Thin
adjective
A term used to describe hair density or the amount of hair that naturally grows on your head. If you have thin hair, you can easily see your scalp when it’s parted.
- Hair can be thin with fine, medium, or coarse strands
Moderate
adjective
A term used to describe hair density or the amount of hair that naturally grows on your head. If you have moderate hair, you can see some of your scalp when it’s parted.
- Hair can be moderate with fine, medium, or coarse strands
Thick
adjective
A term used to describe hair density or the amount of hair that naturally grows on your head. If you have thin hair, you can easily see your scalp when it’s parted
- Hair can be thick with fine, medium, or coarse strands
Sheen
noun
The reflection that hair’s surface produces, giving the effect of shiny or lustrous hair. Straight and wavy textures’ sheen is typically referred to as shine when hair is healthy because their gentle flowing or curving pattern creates a smooth surface for strands to reflect bright light. Curly and kinky textures’ sheen is typically referred to as luster when hair is healthy due to their pattern creating a matte surface for the strands to reflect a soft, glowing light.
Shine
adjective
A term used to describe hair that has fine to medium strands or a straight to wavy pattern. Straight and wavy textures’ sheen is typically referred to as shine when hair is healthy because their gentle flowing or curving pattern creates a smooth surface for strands to reflect bright light.
Luster
adjective
A term used to describe hair that has medium to coarse strands or a curly to kinky pattern. Curly and kinky textures’ sheen is typically referred to as luster when hair is healthy due to their pattern creating a matte surface for the strands to reflect a soft, glowing light.
Relaxer
noun
A chemical-based lotion or cream treatment to make hair smooth and straight.
Keratin
noun
A type of protein commonly found in hair, nails, and skin.
Hair Rules products are safe for keratin-treated hair!
Dry
adjective
Textures that experience dry hair that tends to be brittle and breakage-prone. This could be caused by dehydration, harsh shampoos, environmental factors, heat-damage, or color treatments.
Flat
adjective
Textures that are lacking in volume are considered flat. Flatness and a lack of volume can be caused by a few things, including excessive oil production and product build up.
Frizzy
adjective
Any texture can experience frizziness. Frizziness is when individual strands of hair are raised, allowing for moisture to pass against them and raise against the rest of your hair. Frizziness can be caused by an imbalance between your hair’s protein and moisture.
Color-Treated
adjective
Hair that has undergone color treatments that include any of the following:
- Color wash
- Temporary dye
- Permanent dye
Heat Damaged
adjective
Hair that has undergone frequent heat-styling, become susceptible to breakage, flyaways, split ends, frizz, dullness, and more, is considered heat-damaged.
Heat-styling tools include:
- Blow dryer
- Curling Iron
- Flat iron
Oily
adjective
Textures that experience oily scalps tend to have
over-producing oil glands or naturally have loose hair patterns (straight and wavy textures).
This can lead to over-shampooing which in turn can cause the length of your hair to dry out.
Dull
adjective
Textures that are dull lack shine or luster, potentially from dryness, excessive product residue, or other environmental causes.
Relaxed
adjective
Hair that’s undergone a lotion or cream treatment to make hair manageable and straight. Doing so reduces your texture’s natural pattern by chemically altering it.
- Relaxing your texture can lead to brittle, fragile, or thinning hair
- When properly taken care of, the damage from relaxing your hair can be minimized or avoided
Keratin-Treated
adjective
Hair that has undergone a semi-permanent hair straightening treatment to smooth and add shine or luster by infusing hair with keratin, a naturally occurring protein in hair. Also known as a Brazilian Blow-out.
Ingredients
Sulfate (Sulfate-free)
noun
A foaming, cleansing agent that strips your hair and is found in traditional shampoos.
- This harsh ingredient is the same detergent found in dish washing soap
- Foaming cleansers (shampoos), which are great for straight, naturally oily, or flat textures, do not need sulfates to bubble or suds up
For your well-being, Hair Rules is free from sulfates in all formulations!
Phthalate (Phthalate-free)
noun
A salt or ester of phthalic acid. Commonly used as a binding agent and is added to plastics to make them flexible.
- They can be found in synthetic fragrance, plastic shower curtains, child backpacks, etc
- They’ve been known to cause infertility, birth defects, and decreased sperm count
For your well-being, Hair Rules is free from phthalates in all formulations!
Paraben (Paraben-free)
noun
A preservative used to extend the shelf life of products to prevent the growth of bacteria.
For your well-being, Hair Rules is free from parabens in all formulations!
Amino Acid
noun
An organic, chemical compound. Studies have shown that it helps with hair growth and regrowth after hair loss.