Haryana BSEH Secondary NSQF Beauty and Wellness key terms

The part of the economy that provides personal care services such as skin care, hair care, nail care and grooming, delivered in salons, spas or as independent services. It employs trained professionals and combines hygiene, technical skill and customer service.

A licensed workplace where beauty services such as haircuts, facials, manicures and threading are performed for paying clients. A salon must maintain clean work areas, sterilised tools and trained staff to protect client health.

The daily habits a person follows to keep the body clean and free from infection, such as bathing, washing hands, brushing teeth and wearing clean clothes. In a salon these habits protect both the worker and every client served.

Cleaning both hands with soap and running water for at least twenty seconds, including between fingers and under nails. It is the single most effective routine step for stopping germs spreading between clients and staff in a salon.

Keeping one's appearance neat and professional through clean hair, trimmed nails, fresh breath, tidy clothing and a well-maintained uniform. Good grooming builds client trust and reflects the standards of the salon where a beauty professional works.

The accepted polite behaviour expected at work, including punctuality, greeting clients warmly, listening without interrupting, respecting privacy and keeping phone use away from client areas. It shapes how clients judge the quality of a salon's service.

Giving full attention to a speaker, noting both the words and the feeling behind them, then confirming understanding by repeating or summarising what was heard. Beauty professionals use it to record exactly what a client wants.

The transfer of harmful germs from one person, tool or surface to another, often through unwashed hands or shared equipment. Preventing it requires clean towels, disinfected tools and washing hands between every client.

The overall practice of keeping the salon environment clean and safe, covering floors, workstations, washrooms, linen and waste. It reduces the number of germs and creates conditions where disease is unlikely to spread.

Treating tools and surfaces with a chemical agent that destroys most harmful germs on them, usually after cleaning off visible dirt. It is used for items such as scissors, combs and worktops that cannot be boiled or autoclaved.

A stronger process that destroys all micro-organisms, including bacterial spores, on an item, usually through an autoclave, hot air oven or approved chemical soak. It is required for tools that may contact blood or broken skin.

The correct sorting and removal of salon waste, separating general rubbish, recyclables, chemical waste and used sharps into marked containers. Safe disposal prevents injury and stops contaminated material harming people or the environment.

A rigid, puncture-resistant, clearly labelled box used to collect used blades, needles and other sharp items. It is filled only to the marked line, sealed and handed to an approved waste service rather than thrown in normal bins.

The automatic skill a professional develops after repeating a movement many times, such as holding scissors or applying a smooth polish stroke. It allows faster, steadier work while the mind focuses on the client's needs.

Dividing hair or a treatment area into controlled portions using clips or partings so each part can be worked on evenly. It improves accuracy in cutting, colouring and facial work and keeps the service organised.

To merge two lengths, colours or edges so no harsh line remains visible, as when softening a haircut's outline or shading makeup. Blending creates a natural, professional finish that clients notice immediately.

The natural condition of a person's skin, commonly described as normal, dry, oily, combination or sensitive. Identifying it correctly guides the choice of cleanser, toner, moisturiser and facial treatment.

Removing dirt, oil, sweat and makeup from the skin with a suitable product and gentle technique. It is the first step of every facial and of a daily home routine, preparing skin for later products.

Removing dead cells from the skin's surface using a scrub, brush or chemical product. Regular gentle exfoliation leaves skin smoother and brighter but must be avoided on broken, inflamed or very sensitive skin.

A product that adds or holds water in the skin, keeping it soft and reducing tightness or flaking. The right moisturiser depends on skin type, and it is applied after cleansing and toning.

A multi-step skin treatment that usually includes cleansing, exfoliation, massage, mask and moisturising, adapted to the client's skin type. It relaxes the client and improves skin condition without medical treatment.

Applying a small amount of a product to a hidden area such as behind the ear or inner elbow and waiting to see whether redness or itching appears. It is done before colouring, chemical treatments or new products to check for allergy.

A tinted base makeup applied over the face to even out skin tone and create a smooth surface for other products. The shade must match the client's natural skin colour and the neck line.

A thicker, pigmented product used to hide small blemishes, dark circles or redness after foundation. It is applied sparingly and blended at the edges so it does not look patchy.

The thickness and feel of individual hair strands, usually described as fine, medium or coarse, separate from curl pattern. Texture determines how hair responds to cutting, heat and styling products.

The visible part of a hair that grows above the scalp, made of keratin layers. Its condition affects shine and strength, and treatments such as oiling or conditioning work on this outer portion.

A cleansing product for hair and scalp that lifts oil, dirt and product build-up so it can be rinsed away with water. The choice of shampoo depends on hair type, scalp condition and any chemical services.

Drying and shaping damp hair with a hand-held dryer and brush to create volume, smoothness or a set style. Direction of airflow and brush tension control the final finish.

The angle at which hair is held away from the head while cutting, such as flat against the head or lifted to ninety degrees. Elevation controls where layers form and how much volume a cut gains.

A cosmetic treatment of the hands and nails that includes shaping, cuticle care, massage and polish. It requires clean tools, gentle pressure and attention to any nail or skin abnormality before starting.

A treatment of the feet and toenails covering soaking, exfoliation, nail shaping, cuticle care and massage. Extra care is needed with diabetic or injured clients, and basins must be disinfected between users.

The thin layer of skin at the base of a nail that seals the gap between skin and nail plate. It should be softened and gently pushed, never cut deeply, because damage can let infection enter.

An abrasive tool used to shape the free edge of a nail, usually worked in one direction to avoid splitting. Files are personal items and must be cleaned or replaced between clients.

A hair removal method in which a twisted cotton thread is rolled over the skin to lift hair out from the root. It is precise for eyebrows and the upper lip and needs firm, even tension to avoid pinching.

Removal of hair at or just below the skin surface, as with shaving, creams or threading, rather than removal of the whole root. Regrowth appears sooner than with epilation methods.

A short structured conversation before a service in which the professional asks about the client's wishes, history, allergies and lifestyle, then explains what can be done. It records agreement and reduces the risk of complaints.

A condition or circumstance that makes a treatment unsafe or unwise for a particular client, such as broken skin, allergy or recent cosmetic surgery. Spotting it during consultation means delaying or refusing the service.

Starting and running one's own business, taking on financial risk in return for independence and profit. A beauty entrepreneur needs a service skill plus costing, marketing, record-keeping and legal compliance.

The ability to use phones, computers and the internet confidently and safely for tasks such as booking appointments, taking digital payments, advertising services and keeping client records. It also covers protecting private data online.