AL Cosmetology key terms

Using an EPA-registered product to destroy most disease-causing organisms on hard, nonporous surfaces and implements. It does not kill bacterial spores, so it is not the same as sterilization.

Complete destruction of all microbial life, including bacterial spores, usually by autoclave or dry heat. It is required for items that penetrate skin or contact blood.

Basic cleaning that removes dirt, oil, and visible debris from tools, hands, and surfaces. It lowers the number of germs but does not necessarily kill them.

A product approved by the Environmental Protection Agency whose label lists the pathogens it kills and the required contact time. Hospital-grade versions are standard in salons.

The number of minutes an implement must remain fully submerged in or wet with a disinfectant for the product to work as its label claims.

Disease-causing microorganisms carried in blood and body fluids, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. They are managed with gloves, handwashing, and Standard Precautions.

Treating all blood, body fluids, and potentially infectious material as if it were infectious, regardless of a client's known health status. Includes gloves, handwashing, and safe sharps handling.

A manufacturer document listing a product's hazards, safe handling, first aid, and disposal instructions. Salons must keep SDSs accessible for every professional product on site.

The federal agency that sets and enforces workplace safety rules, including the Hazard Communication Standard requiring chemical labeling and accessible Safety Data Sheets.

The state agency that licenses cosmetologists and salons, writes sanitation and practice rules, conducts inspections, and disciplines licensees in Alabama.

The specific services and procedures a licensee is legally permitted to perform under state law. Performing services outside that boundary can lead to fines or license discipline.

A 0 to 14 scale measuring acidity or alkalinity, with 7 neutral, below 7 acidic, and above 7 alkaline. Hair and skin are happiest near pH 4.5 to 5.5.

Having a pH above 7. Alkaline solutions swell and lift the hair cuticle, allowing chemicals such as relaxers and lighteners to penetrate the cortex.

The middle and thickest layer of the hair shaft, containing melanin and the bonds that provide strength, elasticity, and curl. Chemical color and texture changes happen here.

The tough, overlapping outer layer of the hair that shields the cortex. It lifts in alkaline solutions and should be smoothed closed after chemical services.

Natural pigment stored in the cortex that gives hair its color. Eumelanin produces brown and black tones, while pheomelanin produces red and yellow tones.

The active growth phase of the hair cycle, when follicle cells divide and build new hair. Most scalp hairs are in this phase at any given time.

The flow of electrons through a conductor. Salon equipment and styling tools run on direct current or alternating current to produce heat, light, or movement.

A molecule with a water-loving head and an oil-loving tail that lifts oil and debris from hair so it rinses away. It is the main cleansing agent in shampoo.

An oily substance released by the sebaceous glands of the scalp that lubricates hair and skin. Excess sebum contributes to an oily scalp and product buildup.

A product applied after shampooing that smooths the cuticle, adds moisture or protein, and reduces static, friction, and tangling.

The angle at which hair is held away from the head while cutting. Zero degrees creates a one-length line, while 90 degrees creates layers.

The first cut of a section that sets the length and shape the rest of the haircut follows. It may stay in one place or travel through the section.

An alkaline product, hydroxide-based or thio-based, that breaks disulfide bonds to straighten curly or wavy hair. It requires a neutralizer to rebuild the bonds afterward.

A product, typically an acid-balanced hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate solution, applied after a relaxer or permanent wave to rebuild disulfide bonds and restore normal pH.

A strong chemical link between sulfur atoms in the keratin of hair. It gives hair its curl pattern and is broken by relaxers and permanent waves, then reformed during neutralization.

A hydrogen peroxide solution mixed with hair color to develop the color and lighten natural pigment. Its volume strength determines how much lifting occurs.

A number from 1 for black to 10 for palest blonde that describes how light or dark a hair color appears, separate from its warm or cool tone.

A deposit-only color applied after lightening to cancel unwanted warmth or add a specific tone without lifting the hair any further.

The color directly opposite another on the color wheel. It is used to neutralize unwanted tones, such as blue to cancel orange.

A small amount of product, usually color or lightener, applied to the skin 24 to 48 hours before a service to check for an allergic reaction.

Removing dead cells from the skin surface with mechanical scrubbing or chemical agents, leaving skin smoother and more receptive to treatment products.

A condition that makes a service unsafe or inadvisable, such as broken skin, infection, or recent cosmetic work. The service should be declined, postponed, or referred out.

The hard, visible keratin structure covering the nail bed. Its free edge is filed and its surface is prepped before polish or enhancement products are applied.

The tissue at the base of the nail where cells form and harden into the nail plate. Injury to it can permanently distort how the nail grows.

A fungal infection of the nail that causes thickening, discoloration, and lifting from the nail bed. It is contagious, so service should be refused or the client referred out.

A confidential form holding a client's contact details, service history, products used, and patch test results. It supports safe service and is kept per state rules.