SAY WHAT?!!!

Entering the world of healthy black hair care can be an enlightening and fulfilling experience. There’s a plethora of pictures, stories, product reviews, and videos that can take you to the next level of hair growth. But as you begin your healthy hair journey you’ll realize the existence of a whole new language—a healthy hair language- that you were not privy to before your journey began.  

You might come across a comment like this, “After my BC I became a PJ. I thought I had a good regimen because I went from EL then NL and finally SL in only a year. I would DC regularly and CW twice a week. Then I reached a plateau.  I didn’t think I’d ever reach APL.”

Confused?! Not for long! After reading this post you’ll be able to translate comments like these as if you just finished Rosetta Stone.

Here’s a list of common hair growth jargon to help you keep up with veteran SOLH Sistas!

APL – Arm Pit Length
BC – Big Chop

BSL – Bra Strap Length

BSS – Beauty Supply Store

CW- Conditioner Wash

DC – Deep Condition

DIY – Do It Yourself

EL – Ear Length
EVCO – Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
LOTD - Look Of The Day

MBL – Mid back Length

NG – New Growth

NL – Neck Length
PJ – Product Junkie

SL - Shoulder Length
WSL – Waist Length Hair

Braid-Out/Twist-Out –braiding (3-strand) or twisting (2-strand) your hair in sections using a moisturizer, then unbraiding/untwisting it after at least an hour and wearing it as a style
Breakage – when the hair breaks along the hair shaft (no white bulb)

Cowashing - washing your hair with conditioner instead of shampoo
Deep conditioning – leaving conditioner on your hair for at least 20 minutes

Dusting – a trimming method that takes a small amount of hair off the ends
Low Manipulation -  styles that don’t require persistent combing or brushing
Over-lapping – applying relaxer to new growth and previously relaxed hair
Moisturizer/Leave-in – applying a water based product to your hair without washing it out
Prepoo – preparing your hair prior to applying shampoo
Protective Styling – styling your hair in a way that protects your ends
Regimen- your hair care plan that includes products you use, when you use them and how you use them

Seal– using an oil to lock the moisture in your hair
Shedding – when the entire hairstrand (with white bulb) detaches from the follicle and comes out

Stretching – extending the time between relaxers
Texlax – using a relaxer to loosen up the curl pattern in the hair without making it straight