Have you ever felt like your hair stylist was speaking a different language than you? With so many different terms buzzing in the salon, it is easy to find yourself wrapped up in confusion. What is the difference between a chunk and a streak?
How about a highlight and a lowlight
Well, the good news is you don't have to go to beauty school to talk like the pros. Here are some commonly used terms:
Hair Bleach: a hair lightener applied to the scalp. Bleach is used to achieve the ever-popular beach blonde hair color. Since bleach is the undercoat for a color, it is generally followed by a "toner." Bleach and toner may be priced separately, so be sure to clarify with your hairdresser before sitting in the chair.
Coloring Highlights or Streaks: pieces or strands of color (tint or bleach) generally lighter than your own hair. Some hairdressers use the term in reference to bleach, so don't forget to ask to avoid confusion. Highlights or streaks can be made using foil or a cap.
Coloring Low-lights: same as highlights, but darker than your own color and is made using tints rather than bleach.
Semi or Demi color (hair color that fades out): both are all over colors that will change the shade of your hair by darkening, not lightening. Demi's are slightly stronger and last a little longer (6 to 8 weeks). Semi's last about 6 weeks.
Splices, Slices, Chunks, or Pieces: all these terms are used to describe pieces of color that are created the same way as high or low lights, but these are larger sections of color rather than strands.
Tint or color (hair color that grows out): these terms are interchangeable. They refer to a permanent color applied directly onto your scalp and throughout all of your hair. You can achieve a variety of shades and the process is less harsh on your hair and scalp than bleach.
Hair Toner: a type of color generally applied over a bleach or highlight treatment to give your hair a "reflect" of ash, honey, beige, champagne, etc. This is great for refreshing your highlights if they get dull.
Now that you understand the hair coloring terms, here is an explanation of how the color is positioned on the head:
Full head hair coloring: strands spaced throughout all of your hair, normally what you have the first time you try professional hair coloring.
Half head hair coloring: if your hair is long, you may not need a "full head" every time you visit the salon A ?half head? is less expensive and the strands are placed everywhere except the nape area.
Crown and Parting hair coloring: this is when you need a quick set of highlights or an emergency touch-up between a full head or half head. The stands are placed as the name suggests.
