HI Cosmetology flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Taper vs. fade

A taper leaves visible weight or a ridge at the neckline and sideburns. A fade removes weight gradually down to the skin, with a skin fade using a zero blade or razor.

Stationary guide

A section of hair cut first and used as the reference for all remaining sections, producing uniform length throughout the haircut.

Traveling guide

A guide that moves with each new section, following the length of the previously cut section so the haircut progresses along the head.

Elevation and weight

Elevation is the angle at which hair is held from the head. Zero degrees builds weight at the perimeter; 90 degrees creates uniform layers; 180 degrees creates long layers.

Clipper-over-comb

A barbering technique in which clippers ride along a comb to remove bulk and blend short hair, commonly used for fades and necklines.

Straight-razor angle

The blade is held at roughly 30 to 45 degrees to the skin with skin stretched taut, shaving with the grain before any across-the-grain pass.

Shaving contraindications

Do not shave over raised moles, warts, inflamed or broken skin, or recent chemical burns, because nicking these areas risks infection and spreading lesions.

Disinfection vs. sterilization

Disinfection destroys most microorganisms on nonporous implements using an EPA-registered hospital-grade product. Sterilization destroys all microbial life, including spores, typically by autoclave.

Blood spill procedure

Stop the service, put on gloves, clean the wound and surface, then apply an EPA-registered tuberculocidal disinfectant for the label contact time before disposing of contaminated materials.

Beard outline rule

The beard line is set by natural growth and facial structure, then shaped as squared, rounded, or tapered to complement the haircut and jawline.

Whorl and cowlick

A whorl is a circular growth pattern at the crown; a cowlick is a tuft growing in a different direction. Cutting against them causes gaps, so blend gradually.

Shear-over-comb

A blending technique using shears along a comb to soften transitions between lengths, often following clipper work in fades and tapered cuts.

Neck strip requirement

A disposable neck strip is placed between the cape and the client's skin for every service, and the cape is laundered or replaced between clients.

Relaxer incompatibility

A sodium hydroxide relaxer must not be applied over hair previously treated with a thio relaxer or perm without a strand test, because the combination can cause severe breakage.

Hair pH range

Hair and skin sit near pH 4.5 to 5.5. Alkaline products swell the cuticle and lift it; acidic products contract and smooth the cuticle.

Cortex function

The cortex makes up 80 to 90 percent of the hair fiber and contains melanin, moisture, and disulfide bonds, so it determines color, strength, and curl.

Disulfide bond

The strongest side bond in hair, giving shape and strength. Perms and relaxers break it chemically, and the neutralizer or hydroxide process reforms it in a new shape.

Hydrogen bond

A temporary side bond broken by water and reformed on drying, which is why wet-setting and blow-drying can change hair shape without chemicals.

Thioglycolate perm pH

Ammonium thioglycolate permanent waves work at pH 8.5 to 9.5, reducing disulfide bonds so the hair can be wrapped into a new curl pattern.

Neutralizer action

Hydrogen peroxide or sodium bromate rebuilds disulfide bonds after a perm, stopping the reduction and locking the new curl pattern into place.

Lanthionization

The permanent conversion of disulfide bonds to lanthionine bonds by hydroxide relaxers, straightening hair in a way that cannot be reversed by neutralization.

Law of color

Primary colors red, yellow, and blue combine into secondary colors orange, green, and violet. Complementary colors neutralize unwanted tones, such as blue canceling orange.

Hair color levels

A scale from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde) describing the lightness or darkness of hair, independent of the underlying pigment tone.

20 volume developer

A 6 percent hydrogen peroxide developer that lifts one to two levels while depositing color, suitable for most gray coverage and deposit-only formulas.

40 volume developer

A 12 percent hydrogen peroxide developer that lifts three to four levels, used only on resistant, healthy hair because of the risk of damage and scalp irritation.

Patch test timing

An aniline-derivative color patch or predisposition test is applied 24 to 48 hours before the service per manufacturer instructions, and the result is recorded.

Strand test purpose

A strand test on a small section predicts processing time, developer strength, and color result before the full service, reducing risk of damage or unwanted tone.

Skin layers

The epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous layer. The epidermis includes the stratum corneum, granulosum, spinosum, and germinativum, where new cells form.

Fitzpatrick scale

A six-type classification of skin response to ultraviolet light, used to judge suitability and risk for waxing, peels, and laser treatments.

Four massage movements

Effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), and friction (rubbing). Massage is avoided over inflammation, active acne, or freshly waxed skin.

Nail anatomy

The nail plate covers the nail bed; the eponychium is the cuticle; the lunula is the pale half-moon; the matrix produces the plate; the free edge extends past the fingertip.

Tuberculocidal claim

A label statement that a disinfectant kills the tuberculosis bacterium, which also indicates efficacy against many hard-to-kill pathogens and is required for hospital-grade products.

Plantar wart cause

Plantar warts are caused by human papillomavirus and spread through contact with contaminated surfaces, so implements and floors require disinfection.