- Sanitation
- The lowest level of decontamination — cleaning with soap/detergent and water to lower the number of germs; required before disinfecting, but kills nothing on its own.
- Disinfection
- Using an EPA-registered, hospital-grade product to kill most pathogens (not spores) on hard, non-porous tools — the everyday salon standard.
- Sterilization
- The highest level of decontamination, usually by autoclave, destroying all microbial life including bacterial spores.
- Disinfectant
- A chemical agent used on non-living surfaces and tools to destroy pathogens; too strong for skin.
- Antiseptic
- A product safe for use on living skin to reduce germs (e.g., on a small nick); never used to decontaminate tools.
- Autoclave
- A device that sterilizes implements with pressurized steam, destroying all microorganisms including spores.
- EPA-registered disinfectant
- A disinfectant the EPA has approved to kill specific pathogens; salons must use one that is bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal.
- Contact (dwell) time
- How long tools must stay fully wet or submerged in a disinfectant for it to kill the listed germs (e.g., the full 10 minutes on the label).
- Bactericidal / virucidal / fungicidal
- Label terms meaning a product is capable of destroying bacteria, viruses, and fungi respectively.
- Bloodborne pathogens
- Disease-causing microorganisms carried in human blood and body fluids, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.
- Universal precautions
- Treating every client's blood and body fluids as if they are potentially infectious, regardless of the person.
- Cross-contamination
- The spread of germs from one person, tool, or surface to another; prevented by disinfecting multi-use tools and discarding single-use items.
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- A manufacturer document listing a chemical's hazards, ingredients, safe handling, storage, and first aid; OSHA requires salons to keep them accessible.
- Pathogenic bacteria
- Harmful, disease-producing bacteria that can invade the body and cause infection.
- Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats)
- Common EPA-registered disinfectants used for immersing or wiping non-porous salon tools and surfaces.
- Contagious vs. infectious disease
- A contagious disease spreads easily person-to-person by contact; an infectious disease is caused by pathogens but isn't necessarily spread by casual contact.
- Direct vs. indirect transmission
- Direct transmission is person-to-person contact; indirect transmission is contact with a contaminated object or surface.
- Epidermis
- The thin outer layer of the skin; its outermost part, the stratum corneum, is the body's first protective barrier.
- Dermis
- The deeper skin layer beneath the epidermis, containing blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, and the oil and sweat glands.
- Stratum corneum
- The outermost layer of the epidermis — the skin's first line of defense against pathogens and water loss.
- Acid mantle
- The slightly acidic film (about pH 4.5–5.5) on the skin's surface that helps protect against microbial invasion.
- Melanin
- The pigment made by melanocytes that gives skin, hair, and eyes their color and helps protect against UV radiation.
- Sebaceous gland
- An oil gland in the dermis that secretes sebum to lubricate the skin and hair.
- Sudoriferous gland
- A sweat gland in the dermis that secretes perspiration to help regulate body temperature.
- Arrector pili muscle
- The small muscle attached to a hair follicle that contracts in cold or fear to raise the hair (goosebumps).
- Cuticle (hair)
- The tough, transparent outer layer of overlapping scales that protects the hair; an acid closes it, an alkali opens it.
- Cortex
- The thick middle layer of the hair shaft that gives strength, elasticity, and natural color — where chemical services act.
- Medulla
- The innermost core of the hair shaft, often absent in fine or naturally blond hair.
- Keratin
- The tough, fibrous protein that makes up hair, skin, and nails, hardened by disulfide bonds.
- Disulfide bond
- The strong sulfur-to-sulfur bond in hair keratin that permanent waves and relaxers break and (for thio) re-form to change the hair's shape.
- Anagen phase
- The active growth phase of the hair cycle, where most scalp hair sits.
- Catagen phase
- The short transitional phase of the hair cycle when growth stops and the follicle shrinks.
- Telogen phase
- The resting phase of the hair cycle, after which the old hair sheds and a new growth cycle begins.
- Dermal papilla
- The structure at the base of the follicle that supplies blood to nourish the growing hair.
- Vellus vs. terminal hair
- Vellus hair is fine, soft, and usually unpigmented; terminal hair is coarse, longer, and pigmented (scalp, brows, beard).
- pH scale
- A 0–14 logarithmic scale of acidity/alkalinity: below 7 acidic (closes cuticle), 7 neutral, above 7 alkaline (opens cuticle).
- Acid closes, alkali opens
- The core rule: acidic products close and smooth the hair cuticle; alkaline products swell and open it for penetration.
- Physical vs. chemical change
- A physical change alters form only (wetting/drying hair); a chemical change creates a new substance (permanent color, a perm).
- Acid vs. alkali (base)
- An acid has a pH below 7; an alkali (base) has a pH above 7. In hair, acids close the cuticle and alkalis open it.
- Emulsifier
- An ingredient that lets oil and water blend into a stable, smooth mixture (emulsion) in cosmetic products.
- Sebum
- The oily secretion of the sebaceous glands that lubricates and protects the skin and hair.
- Hair follicle
- The tube-like structure in the skin from which a hair grows; the matrix at its base produces the hair shaft.
- Tinea (ringworm)
- A contagious fungal infection of skin or scalp appearing as a red, ring-shaped, scaly patch; a disease — refer, don't service.
- Folliculitis / furuncle
- An inflamed, often pus-filled infection of a hair follicle (a furuncle is a boil); infectious — do not service, refer.
- Head lice (pediculosis capitis)
- A contagious infestation shown by intense itching and tiny grayish-white eggs (nits) on the hair shaft; do not service, refer.
- Guideline (haircutting)
- The first section cut that establishes the length all subsequent sections are cut to follow.
- Elevation
- The angle hair is held from the head while cutting; 0° gives a blunt one-length cut, 90° gives uniform layers.
- Blunt vs. layered cut
- A blunt cut is one length with weight at the perimeter; a layered cut has graduated lengths and less weight.
- Point cutting / slithering
- Texturizing techniques that remove bulk and soften ends without changing the overall length.
- Graduated bob
- A cut that builds weight and stacks at the nape using lower elevation, creating a graduated, beveled shape.
- Porosity
- The hair's ability to absorb moisture and chemicals, set by how open the cuticle is; it drives processing time and color result.
- Elasticity
- The hair's ability to stretch and return without breaking; poor elasticity (gummy, over-stretching wet hair) signals damage.
- Density vs. texture
- Density is the number of hairs per square inch (thin/medium/thick); texture is the diameter of each strand (fine/medium/coarse).
- Clarifying shampoo
- A more alkaline, deep-cleansing shampoo that removes product buildup, often used before a chemical service.
- Acid-balanced shampoo
- A gentle, slightly acidic shampoo that smooths the cuticle and is good for color-treated or chemically processed hair.
- Conditioner vs. deep treatment
- A rinse-through conditioner adds slip and surface moisture briefly; a deep treatment penetrates to repair and condition the hair.
- Temporary hair color
- Color that coats the cuticle with no chemical change and washes out in one shampoo.
- Semi-permanent color
- Deposit-only color that partially penetrates the cuticle, requires no developer, and fades over several shampoos.
- Demi-permanent color
- Deposit-only color mixed with a low-volume developer; lasts longer than semi and blends gray without lifting.
- Permanent hair color
- Oxidative color that uses an alkaline agent to open the cuticle and a peroxide developer to lift natural pigment and deposit lasting color in the cortex.
- Developer (oxidizing agent)
- Hydrogen peroxide mixed with permanent color or lightener; its volume number sets how much it lifts (10/20/30/40).
- Alkalizing agent (ammonia)
- The ingredient in permanent color that raises pH to open the cuticle so color can penetrate.
- Level
- In hair color, the lightness or darkness of a shade on a numbered scale, independent of tone.
- Tone
- The warmth or coolness of a color (e.g., ash/cool vs. gold/warm) within a given level.
- Law of color
- The color theory of primaries (red, yellow, blue) and complementary pairs; a color neutralizes the one opposite it.
- Primary colors
- Red, yellow, and blue — the three pigments from which all other colors are made.
- Secondary colors
- Orange (red+yellow), green (yellow+blue), and violet (red+blue), each made by mixing two primaries.
- Complementary colors
- Colors opposite on the wheel that neutralize each other: violet↔yellow, blue↔orange, green↔red.
- Toner
- A demi/semi-permanent product used after lightening to neutralize unwanted tones (violet on yellow, blue on orange) and set the final shade.
- Double-process color
- Two services in one: first lighten/pre-lighten the hair, then apply a toner or deposit color.
- Patch (predisposition) test
- A test applied behind the ear or inner elbow before an oxidative color service to check for an allergic reaction.
- Strand test
- A test on a small section to preview the color result and processing time before treating the whole head.
- Permanent (cold) wave
- A two-step service: alkaline waving lotion reduces (breaks) disulfide bonds, then a neutralizer oxidizes them in the new curled shape.
- Ammonium thioglycolate
- The reducing agent in a cold wave (and thio relaxer) that breaks disulfide bonds to soften the hair.
- Neutralizer (perm)
- The oxidizing solution applied after processing that re-forms (oxidizes) the disulfide bonds to lock in the new curl.
- Rod size and curl
- The diameter of the perm rod sets the size of the wave — smaller rods make tighter curls.
- Thio relaxer
- A relaxer that breaks disulfide bonds by reduction, smooths the hair straight, then re-forms the bonds with a neutralizer.
- Hydroxide relaxer
- A relaxer (sodium, guanidine, lithium hydroxide) that straightens by lanthionization — permanently breaking a bond so it cannot reform.
- Lanthionization
- The chemical reaction of a hydroxide relaxer that removes a sulfur atom from a disulfide bond, breaking it for good.
- Base/protective cream
- A protective cream applied to the scalp and hairline before a relaxer to shield skin from the strong chemical.
- Bond builder
- A product added to lightening or color services that helps protect and rebuild the hair's bonds to reduce damage.
- Balayage
- A freehand lightening technique that paints color onto the surface for a soft, graduated, sun-kissed effect.
- Foiling vs. slicing
- Highlighting techniques: foils isolate sections to lighten; a slice takes a thin section for a bolder, more visible streak.
- Decolorizing / stages of lift
- Lightening exposes underlying warm pigment in order — black, brown, red, red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow, pale yellow.
- Diffuser attachment
- A blow-dryer attachment that spreads airflow to dry curly or wavy hair gently and preserve its natural texture.
- Thermal protectant
- A product applied before heat styling to shield the hair from damage by hot tools.
- Draping
- Placing a cape and towels to protect the client's clothing and skin; chemical services use a chemical/waterproof drape.
- Comedone
- A clogged hair follicle; open (blackhead) when exposed to air and darkened, closed (whitehead) when covered by skin.
- Papule vs. pustule
- A papule is a small raised inflamed lesion with no pus; a pustule is an inflamed lesion containing pus.
- Fitzpatrick scale
- A classification of skin into six types (I–VI) by its response to sun exposure, used to gauge UV sensitivity and pigmentation risk.
- Exfoliation
- Removing dead surface skin cells, physically (scrub, microdermabrasion) or chemically (AHAs), to reveal smoother skin.
- Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)
- Chemical exfoliants such as glycolic acid that loosen the bonds between dead surface cells; they increase sun sensitivity.
- Retinoids
- Vitamin-A derivatives used in skin care to speed cell turnover and improve texture; they increase sun sensitivity.
- Galvanic current
- A constant, direct current used in facials for desincrustation and to drive water-soluble products into the skin.
- Anaphoresis vs. cataphoresis
- Galvanic effects: anaphoresis (negative pole) softens and opens tissue; cataphoresis (positive pole) soothes and closes it.
- Desincrustation
- Use of galvanic current to emulsify and soften sebum and debris for a deep cleanse of clogged skin.
- High-frequency (Tesla) current
- A rapid oscillating current used in facials for its germicidal and warming effects, often after extractions.
- Effleurage
- A light, gentle, continuous stroking massage movement used to begin and end a facial massage.
- Petrissage
- A kneading massage movement that lifts, squeezes, and rolls the tissue to stimulate it.
- Microdermabrasion
- A physical exfoliation treatment that mechanically removes dead surface cells; contraindicated over active acne, rosacea, or broken skin.
- Couperose / rosacea signs
- Skin with redness and visible dilated capillaries; treat gently and avoid stimulating, heat-based services.
- Ceramides
- Lipids that help maintain the skin's barrier and retain moisture, common in moisturizers.
- Humectant
- An ingredient (e.g., glycerin, hyaluronic acid) that attracts and binds water to increase skin or hair moisture.
- ABCDE rule
- Warning signs of a suspicious mole — Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter over ~6 mm, Evolving — refer to a physician.
- Patch test (skin care)
- Applying a small amount of a product to test skin tolerance and screen for a reaction before a facial or chemical exfoliation.
- Stratum germinativum (basal layer)
- The deepest epidermal layer where new skin cells are produced and where melanocytes sit.
- Photoaging
- Premature skin aging (wrinkles, pigmentation, loss of elasticity) caused by chronic UV exposure.
- Nail plate
- The hard keratin surface of the nail that you see and shape.
- Nail matrix
- The tissue under the proximal nail fold that produces the cells forming the nail plate; damage here can permanently deform the nail.
- Nail bed
- The skin beneath the nail plate that supports and supplies it.
- Lunula
- The whitish half-moon shape at the base of the nail, the visible part of the matrix.
- Free edge
- The part of the nail plate that extends past the fingertip and is shaped during a manicure.
- Cuticle vs. eponychium
- The cuticle is dead tissue on the nail plate; the eponychium is the living skin sealing the matrix — push back, never cut into living tissue.
- Nail disorder vs. disease
- A disorder (ridges, brittleness, hangnails) from injury or imbalance may be serviced; a disease (infection) must be referred, not serviced.
- Onychomycosis
- A fungal infection of the nail (thick, yellowish, separating) — a disease that must be referred to a physician, not serviced.
- Paronychia
- A bacterial infection of the nail fold with redness, swelling, tenderness, and pus; infectious — do not service, refer.
- Onycholysis
- The lifting or separation of the nail plate from the nail bed, often from trauma, infection, or chemicals.
- Leukonychia
- White spots on the nail plate, usually caused by minor trauma to the matrix — harmless and serviceable.
- Hangnail (agnail)
- A torn piece of skin beside the nail; a disorder that can be gently trimmed and treated — not a reason to refuse service.
- Melanonychia (refer)
- A dark vertical pigmented band in the nail plate; because it can signal a serious condition, refer to a physician rather than service over it.
- Pterygium
- An abnormal forward growth of cuticle/skin clinging to the nail plate; loose dead skin may be removed, but living tissue is never cut.
- Base coat
- The first polish layer applied to improve adhesion and prevent the nail plate from staining.
- Top coat
- The final polish layer that adds shine, seals the color, and protects against chipping.
- Cuticle oil/cream
- A product that softens and conditions the cuticle and surrounding skin so dead tissue can be removed without trauma.
- Capping the free edge
- Brushing polish or product along the free edge's tip to seal it and help the finish last longer.
- Gel polish curing
- Gel nail polish hardens (cures) only when exposed to UV or LED light.
- Lifting (enhancements)
- Separation of a nail enhancement from the natural nail, usually from poor nail prep, contamination, or wrong product ratios.
- Filing direction
- File the free edge from corner to center in one direction to avoid weakening or splitting the nail; never use a sawing motion.
- Manicure vs. pedicure
- A manicure is a care service for the hands and nails; a pedicure is the equivalent service for the feet and toenails.
- Paraffin wax treatment
- A warm wax dip in a manicure/pedicure that traps heat and moisture to soften and hydrate the skin.
- Implement disinfection (nails)
- Multi-use metal tools (nippers, pushers) must be cleaned then immersed in an EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant for the full contact time before reuse.
- Single-use nail items
- Porous items like emery boards/files and orangewood sticks cannot be disinfected and must be discarded after one client.