10 hair buzzwords you need to know before seeing your hair stylist

Booked in for a haircut, blowdry or a complete hair overhaul? These are the buzzwords you need to know for helping you find your perfect hairstyle...

What’s hot in hair? From strobing to wobs, heavy metal to twisting, short to long, Afro hair to updos, these are the techniques, tricks and tips from the pros for ensuring you leave your stylist’s chair with a new style that you'll absolutely love...

Short hair

1. Wob: def. a wavy variation of the ‘lob’ or ‘long bob.’

Hair inspiration: Jessica Alba.

First came the ‘bob,’ then came the ‘lob’ and now comes the ‘wob’ - a short hairstyle characterised by its effortless, relaxed finish and collarbone-sweeping length. If you’re tempted to go for the chop and looking for something low maintenance that’s flattering for a wide range of face shapes - this could be your perfect hairstyle upgrade. If you want to kick it up a notch though, the next buzzword is worth taking particular note of...

2. Sexture: def. texture with a dose of sex appeal.

Hair inspiration: Sienna Miller, Kate Mara.

For an instant dose of attitude to an even shorter hairstyle like Kate Mara's pixie crop, clever product and cut selection could hold the key. “Ask your stylist for a textured soft, shorter style that keeps it feminine with length through the ears and round the back of the neck. This will stop the overall image looking hard or boyish and give you the flexibility to mix up the styling,” says top hair stylist, Get The Gloss Expert and British Hairdresser of the Year Nominee 2015, Jamie Stevens. “It is a super easy style. Apply a volume spray throughout the hair such as Matrix Total Results Wonder Boost Root Lifter, £10.25, and blast your hair to give it a textured feel. Finish with a soft clay - I would recommend Matrix Style Link Shape Switcher Molding Paste, £10.99.”

For extra wave and tousle for a slightly longer style like Sienna's below, use a small to medium barrel curling tong (such as the ghd Curve Creative Curl Wand, £120) to roughly curl the mid-lengths to ends for a nonchalant, beachy finish.

MORE GLOSS: The 12 best short hairstyles ever

Long hair

3. Strobing: def. the hair equivalent of makeup’s latest big trend - adding carefully positioned highlights to parts of the hair to simulate the look of sunkissed colour.”

Hair inspiration: Gisele Bϋndchen.

“Gisele’s colour always has a beautiful soft summer glow, which is the perfect way to describe strobing,” says Jamie. “Strobing is when bright highlights are placed using a freehand technique in areas of the hair where the sunlight naturally hits to create a beautifully illuminated effect. Enhancing the natural summer ‘glow’ creates a radiant colour that glistens/shimmers with every movement.”

MORE GLOSS: Is strobing the new contouring?

4. Undone: def. nonchalant, air-dried looking hair that appears effortless and cool. Zero bounce and zero height at the roots are trademarks of the style.

Hair inspiration: Olivia Palermo.

Blowdries have been given a makeover of their own as of late with perfect being traded in for a dose of the imperfect instead. “A big look for us right now is the downward blow-out – a really flattering ‘un-done’ technique that creates a relaxed, pretty style, giving great hair without looking too polished,” says Serge Normant, Creative Director, Serge Normant at John Frieda Salons New York. Dubbed the new ‘anti’-blowdry, the style is all about loose layered ends, movement and flatter roots. Feeling inspired? The ‘Low Blow’ at John Frieda salons, from £30 is the best in town for achieving hair’s modern new look.

MORE GLOSS: Mane mistakes - 5 ways you’re secretly wrecking your hair...

5. Fringe: def. hair’s hottest forehead-skimming accessory that can make (or break) a new cut...

Hair inspiration: The Duchess of Cambridge.

Inspired by the Duchess’s new style? A hair switch up doesn’t come easier or more impactful than adding a touch of fringing to your go-to ‘do. “Ask your stylist to find out what face shape you have to discover what fringe shape/style will suit you,” recommends Jamie. “Peek-a-boo fringes are really fun as you can flip them from side to side or wear them central which will frame the face.”

Afro hair

6. Sponging: def. a haircare technique for reducing frizz involving taking a sponge and ‘firmly rubbing the hair in consistent circular motions” with it, says top hair stylist and Get The Gloss Expert Errol Douglas.

Hair inspiration: Lupita Nyong’o.

“This is a foolproof way to really get the best out of the curl in natural Afro hair,” says Errol. “It gives definition and reduces that halo of frizz,” he recommends - a technique that’s definitely worth mentioning to your stylist during your consultation.

7. Twisting: def. the act of twisting two small sections of hair together in the same direction to create definition and curl.

Hair inspiration: Zoe Kravitz.

“Using the technique in the natural direction of the hair while in sections and still damp, will separate a long length of natural Afro hair and ensure curls are defined, smooth and polished,” advises Errol.

MORE GLOSS: The best ways to style afro and curly hair with Johnnie Sapong

8. Razoring: def. the use of a razor to cut hair and create softness and shape to a finished style.

Hair inspiration: Jennifer Hudson.

“Don't panic, this term doesn't mean bold undercuts, but is actually the best way to create soft edges on ALL types of cuts on Afro hair: softer fringes, layers and trims,” says Errol. “All highly polished, beautiful Afro cuts, natural or relaxed, that rock a red carpet will probably have used this technique.”

Updos

9. Braid: def. a plait, but this season, not as we know it. Think less soft, more structured.

Hair inspiration: Next season’s Proenza Schouler runways.

“We’re moving away from boho, romantic, soft braids to neat, structured, streamlined braids,” says Jamie Stevens. “We have seen them all over the catwalks from cornrows at Valentino, neat twists at Public School and single plaits at Proenza Schouler.

“To achieve the neat structured braid, it’s all about keeping those flyaway hairs to a minimum, so work in a smoothing product to tame any flyaways and make the hair easier to work with. Quick tip: when your braids are completed, get an old blusher brush and spray the bristles with Matrix Style Fixer, £9.99, and smooth it over the hair,” he recommends.

10. Metal: def. Or rather, heavy metal. Injecting your accessories with a dose of alloy is the on trend finishing touch to your style of choice.

Hair inspiration: The Dolce & Gabbana catwalks.

“Metal is going to be a huge trend in hair next year,” says Jamie. “Whether it be hair clips or clasps or loose flexible silver wire to entwine into braids, there is something about metal accessories that make your hairstyle look so on trend and strong. My all-time favourite metal accessories are the embellished print flowers that you can add into the hair. It’s a great way of turning a simple ponytail look into something really quite beautiful.”

Follow us @getthegloss and Ayesha @Ayesha_Muttu.

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