Glossary · Ozentya since 2011

Afro hair glossary: natural hair terms explained

Natural hair has its own vocabulary. Here is each term explained in one or two sentences, with the Ozentya guide that helps you put it into practice.

By Pascal Chaubo, founder of Ozentya · 45 definitions · Version française

0-9

3C, 4A, 4B, 4C: Hair typing by curl shape: 3C for tight corkscrew curls, 4A for very tight coils, 4B for a Z-shaped pattern, 4C for very tight coils with strong shrinkage. Read the guide

A

Afro hair: Common term for textured hair of African descent, from tight curls to kinky coils, and for the full, natural hairstyle. Read the guide
Alopecia: Medical term for hair loss, partial or widespread, temporary or lasting. It is diagnosed by a doctor or dermatologist. Read the guide

B

Bantu knots: Small knots coiled on themselves, worn as a style or used to dry and stretch hair without heat. Read the guide
Big chop: Cutting off all relaxed or damaged lengths at once to keep only natural hair. Read the guide
Braid-out: Style obtained by undoing braids put in on damp hair and left to dry: it gives defined waves. Read the guide
Breakage: Hair snapping along its length, unlike shedding where the whole hair falls out with its root. Broken pieces are short and have no bulb. Read the guide

C

Clarifying: Washing with a stronger shampoo to remove product build-up (butters, oils, gels, edge control), from time to time and followed by a mask. Read the guide
Co-wash: Washing hair with a cleansing conditioner instead of shampoo. It can suit very dry hair between shampoos. Read the guide
Conditioner: Product applied to the lengths after shampoo to soften, ease detangling and smooth the cuticle. Rinsed out after a few minutes, unless leave-in. Read the guide
Cuticle: Outer layer of the hair, made of scales. How open it is determines porosity. Read the guide

D

Dandruff: Small flakes from the scalp, common and usually harmless. An anti-dandruff shampoo helps limit them. Read the guide
Density: Number of hairs on the scalp, not to be confused with the thickness of each strand. Read the guide
Detangling: Separating tangled hair. On coily hair, it is done on wet, conditioned hair, in sections, from the ends up to the roots. Read the guide
Diffuser: Blow-dryer attachment that spreads the airflow to dry curls gently. Best used on lukewarm. Read the guide

E

Edge control: Styling gel or paste that lays and holds the edges. Use in moderation, without brushing the hairline hard. Read the guide
Edges: Fine, short hairs along the hairline at the temples and forehead, often the most fragile. Read the guide
Elasticity: Ability of a wet strand to stretch and return to its shape. It shows the balance between moisture and protein. Read the guide

F

Fairy knots: Tiny tight knots formed when a curl wraps around itself, mostly at the ends. Trim them rather than pulling them. Read the guide

H

Heat damage: Lasting change of the curl pattern caused by heat: hair no longer returns to its natural shape after washing. Read the guide
Heat protectant: Product applied before blow-drying, silk press or flat iron to limit the impact of heat on the fibre. Read the guide

K

Keratin: Main protein of hair, also found in hydrolysed form in products designed to coat damaged hair. Read the guide
Kinky hair: Hair with very tight coils, often typed 4B or 4C, naturally drier and more fragile at each bend of the fibre. Read the guide

L

Length retention: Keeping the length you grow by limiting breakage. On coily hair, this is often what makes the difference. Read the guide
LOC / LCO method: Order of products to moisturise then seal: Liquid, Oil, Cream, or Liquid, Cream, Oil. Read the guide
Locs: Sections of hair that have matted and fused permanently, naturally or cultivated (dreadlocks, microlocs, sisterlocks). Read the guide

M

Moisture: Water brought to the hair, which keeps it soft and elastic. Creams and oils do not bring it: they seal it in. Read the guide

P

Porosity: How easily hair absorbs and holds water: low, medium or high. It guides the choice of product textures. Read the guide
Pre-poo: Treatment applied before shampoo (oil or conditioner) to protect the lengths from drying and ease detangling. Read the guide
Protective style: Style that tucks the ends away and limits manipulation: twists, braids, cornrows, low buns, wigs. It must be light and never pull. Read the guide

R

Relaxer: Chemical treatment that breaks the curl structure to straighten hair permanently. It weakens the fibre and can irritate the scalp. Read the guide
Retwist: Maintaining loc roots by twisting in the new growth. Too tight or too frequent, it weakens the roots. Read the guide

S

Scalp: Skin of the head where hair grows. A clean scalp, neither too dry nor too oily, is the base of any routine. Read the guide
Sealing: Applying a cream, oil or butter on moisturised hair to slow the evaporation of water. Read the guide
Search and destroy: At-home trimming method: inspect hair strand by strand and cut only damaged ends and knots. Read the guide
Shed hair: Hairs that fall naturally at the end of their cycle and stay trapped in the curls until detangling. They are long and often have a small white bulb. Read the guide
Shedding: Loss of whole hairs with their root. Losing about 50 to 100 hairs a day is generally considered normal. Read the guide
Shrinkage: When curly hair looks much shorter dry than its real length. A sign of healthy curls. Read the guide
Split ends: Hair ends that split in two or more. No product permanently fuses them back: they are trimmed. Read the guide
Sulfates: Strong cleansing agents found in many shampoos. Sulfate-free formulas are often more comfortable for dry coily hair. Read the guide

T

Traction alopecia: Hair loss caused by repeated tension on the roots (braids, weaves, tight buns), mostly at the temples and hairline. Removing the tension early is the first step. Read the guide
Transitioning: Period of growing out natural hair after stopping relaxers, before cutting the relaxed lengths. Read the guide
Twist-out: Style obtained by undoing two-strand twists put in on damp hair and left to dry: defined, stretched curls. Read the guide
Two-strand twists: Style twisting two sections of hair together, worn as a protective style or used to stretch hair. Read the guide

W

Wash day: The full wash routine: shampoo, mask, detangling, moisture and styling, often once a week or every ten days. Read the guide

These definitions are hair-care and cosmetic guidance: they do not replace the opinion of a doctor or dermatologist. See also our FAQ and hair care blog.