Creamy crack
Chemical relaxers. The term was coined with the thought that the use of relaxers is addictive for those women who strive for a permanently straight hair texture.
Coily
The texture characteristic of natural Type 4 hair, whereby the configuration of the strand resembles a small-diameter ink pen spring.[66]
Coils
A hairstyle achieved by taking small sections of wet or very damp hair and smoothing, while rotating the sections, one by one, from root to tip. Tiny styling combs or a finger are typically used.
Big chop
Cutting one's chemically straightened hair to let it grow in its natural texture.
Finger coiling
Twirling a clumped section of hair around your finger to create a curl or coil.
Scrunching
Gathering clumped sections of hair in your palm and gently pushing your closed hand up towards your scalp to get section to curl or coil.
Bantu knot
Hairstyle that consists of twisted hair rolled up into small buns.
Transition
Period of time when one is transitioning from straightening their hair with heat/and or chemical products to wearing hair in its natural state.
Protective hairstyle
Hairstyle that protects natural hair from the elements. Includes braids, extensions, wigs, and weaves. See Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice (film).
TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro)
Short Afro haircut. See Viola Davis in the film Suicide Squad.
Twists
Double strands of hair wrapped around each other.
Twist out
Hairstyle where twists are unraveled. See Corinne Bailey Rae.
Frohawk
Hairdressing similar to the mohawk hairstyle.
Shrinkage
Because natural hair is typically has different types of curls and textures, in its natural state it appears shorter than it would straightened.
Co-wash
Washing one's hair with conditioner instead of shampoo.
Wash and go
wash one's hair and going on about one's day. This means there is no drying or styling involved and the application of product is minimal (usually a moisturizer or anti-frizz serum). The wash and go is also sometimes referred to as the "shake and go" which further emphasizes the lack of actual styling involved. The goal of a wash and go is to define natural curls.[67]
Braids
Hairstyle where hair is braided with extensions or with natural hair.
Braid out
Braids are unraveled.
Dreadlocks
Matted or sculpted ropes of hair.
Senegalese twists
Also known as rope twists where synthetic hair is used and twisted in with the natural hair.
Afro
A hairstyle created by combing the hair away from the scalp, allowing the hair to extend out from the head in a large, rounded:shape, much like a cloud or ball.
Kinky hair
A woman with kinky hair: her hair has tight coils.
Kinky hair is hair with tight curls, tight coils, or no defined curls.
Tightly curled hair, tightly coiled hair or hair without defined curls.
Box braids
A form of protective styling done through braiding synthetic hair along with real hair. This promotes hair growth and protects hair from breakage and other damaging factors.
Cornrows
A style of braiding/plaiting hair into narrow strips to form geometric patterns on the scalp. A form of protective styling.
Protective style
Any coiffure configuration that keeps hair ends safely tucked away. These hairdos require very little daily upkeep and help strands stay moisturized.[68]

Hair porosity

Natural hair can have low, high, or medium porosity. Low porosity hair cuticles are very tightly closed and don't absorb water or product easily. High porosity hair cuticles are very open and absorb water and product easily. Medium porosity is more balance and absorbs water, product, and moisture easily. In order to best treat naturally curly hair, celebrity hairstylist Andre Walker created a hair typing system. This categorizes hair into four categories based on how tight curls are coiled.

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