OK Cosmetology key terms

The first step in any decontamination routine: using soap or detergent and water to physically remove dirt, oil, and visible debris from tools, hands, and surfaces before a disinfectant is applied.

A level of decontamination that lowers the number of germs on a surface to what public health standards consider safe. It is used for items that touch only intact skin, such as capes and linens.

Treating hard, nonporous implements and surfaces with an EPA-registered product, mixed and timed exactly as the label says, to destroy most bacteria, fungi, and some viruses. It does not kill bacterial spores.

The complete destruction of all microbial life, including bacterial spores, usually by steam under pressure in an autoclave. It is required for items that may contact blood or broken skin.

Treating every client's blood and body fluids as potentially infectious and wearing gloves and other barriers for each one, rather than trying to guess who carries a disease.

Disease-causing organisms carried in blood, such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV, that can be transmitted through cuts, needlesticks, or splashes to the eyes and mouth.

A standardized document from a product manufacturer listing a chemical's hazards, safe handling, first aid, and spill response, which must be kept where employees can reach it.

The transfer of germs from one client or object to another by hands, tools, linens, or contaminated product, which handwashing and single-use items are designed to prevent.

A condition that makes a service unsafe for a client, such as broken skin, an active infection, or a known allergy. The professional must postpone or refuse the service and refer out.

Dividing the head into consistent, manageable areas with clips before cutting, coloring, or styling, so that each subsection is worked evenly and no strand is missed.

The angle at which a section of hair is held away from the head while cutting. It determines how much length is added and whether the result is layered, graduated, or one length.

A haircut made with no elevation, with all hair combed to a single guideline, producing a solid perimeter with weight at the ends and no layers.

Removing bulk, weight, or density from a finished shape with point cutting, notching, or thinning shears to soften lines and add movement without shortening the overall length.

The first strand or section of hair that is cut, which sets the length and shape that every following section follows. Also called a guide.

A hydrogen peroxide liquid mixed with permanent color or lightener to open the cuticle and supply oxygen for color development. Its volume, from 10-volume to 40-volume, sets the lifting strength.

Applying a small amount of mixed color, lightener, or relaxer to the skin, often behind the ear, 24 to 48 hours before service to detect an allergic reaction.

The acidic product, often a shampoo, applied after a relaxer is rinsed out to stop chemical processing, restore the hair's normal pH, and rebuild disulfide bonds into the new shape.

A strong alkaline cream that straightens tightly curled hair by breaking disulfide bonds in the cortex. Thio relaxers use ammonium thioglycolate; hydroxide relaxers use sodium hydroxide or similar agents.

The rule that pigments mix predictably: blue, red, and yellow are primary colors, combining neighbors gives secondary colors, and opposite colors on the color wheel neutralize each other.

Processing a small sample of the client's hair, or a hidden section, before the full service to see how the color or relaxer performs and how long it needs.

The hard, slightly translucent keratin shield that sits on the nail bed and covers the fingertip. Its free edge is filed, and its surface condition can reveal health problems.

The pink tissue beneath the nail plate, rich in nerves and blood vessels, that the plate rests on. Damage or separation here can allow infection to develop.

The living skin at the base of the nail that overlaps the matrix and seals the area against infection. It should be softened and pushed back gently, never cut.

A contagious fungal infection of the nail that causes thickening, yellowing, and crumbling. It is a contraindication: the service is refused and the client is referred to a physician.

A six-category rating of skin based on how easily it burns and tans, used to judge sun sensitivity and to choose safe product strengths and treatment intensity.

Removing dead cells from the skin's surface with mechanical scrubs or with acids such as glycolic and salicylic. Overuse thins the barrier and causes redness and sensitivity.

An ingredient that attracts water from the air or deeper skin layers into the upper layers, helping the skin hold moisture. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid are common examples.

A scale from 0 to 14 that measures acidity and alkalinity, with 7 neutral. Hair and skin prefer about 4.5 to 5.5; high pH swells the cuticle and low pH smooths it.

The outer layer of the hair shaft, formed of overlapping transparent scales that protect the cortex. Chemical services lift it, and the hair must be returned to its normal pH to close it again.

The thick middle layer of the hair, made of long cells and the pigment melanin. It provides strength, elasticity, and color, and it is where chemical texture and color changes occur.

The ability of hair to stretch and spring back to its original length without breaking. Good elasticity signals healthy protein bonds and predicts how hair will tolerate a chemical service.

The skin plus its appendages, including hair, nails, sweat glands, and oil glands. It is the body's first defense against infection, injury, and water loss.

The state agency that licenses cosmetologists, barbers, and salons, inspects establishments, adopts rules, and can fine, suspend, or revoke a license for violations.

The set of services a particular license legally allows. Doing work outside that list, even with training, is a violation that can lead to discipline.

A confidential file of each client's services, products used, patch tests, and any reactions, kept as the rules require to protect health and resolve disputes.

Explaining a service's benefits, risks, and alternatives and getting the client's clear agreement before starting, so the client chooses knowingly and the agreement is documented.