The many natural and transitioning hair terms are incredibly helpful. The abbreviations and acronyms represent a host of products, styles, and tips for women with curly, kinky, wavy, and/or coily strands. These terms help us maneuver through a world of information concerning curly hair. We give you seven helpful natural and transitioning hair terms and their definitions.
We start our second installment of natural and transitioning hair terms by going back to the basics. The definition of this term, Natural Hair, may seem obvious. However, many people are unfamiliar with the term. That’s ok! There are many terms in the natural hair lexicon that are new to us all at some point. Natural Hair refers to hair that is in its natural state, hair that is not chemically processed to alter its texture. This includes relaxers to straighten the hair and perms to make hair curly.
The first time I saw this acronym I didn’t know what to make of it. You can usually deduce the meaning of an acronym from the way it is used but, at the time, AO was used in many forms: verb, noun, etc.; I saw “AO” everywhere. Later, I learned that AO is an acronym for a line of hair care products called Aubrey Organics. The AO product line contains all natural ingredients and produce incredible results.
This is probably one of my most favorite acronyms! The letters spell a pretty funny word that but the meaning is so awesome. BAA stands for Big Ass Afro! Many women (me included) wish they had a big ass afro to rock. We work with the hair we have to create the results we want. If Big Ass Afro is on your most desired hairstyle list then give it a try and rock it! You can get fantastic results by using second or third day hair to produce volume of epic proportions creating the afro you want.
The term “Bantu Knot” refers to a type of hairstyle in which the hair is divided into many subsections, each of which is twisted round until it forms a sort of knot. The result is a number of small “knots” of hair. Clean straight lines and beautifully wounds knots create a fascinating look. I sometimes wear Bantu Knots as a protective style during the day. You can also wear them overnight and untwist them in the morning to produce the Bantu Knot Out. The uncoiled knots produce lovely wavy/curly strands that look like they were created with a curling wand – except you didn’t!
Flat twist is a type of protective style similar to two strand twists and cornrows. In fact, the Flat Twist combines both these concepts perfectly. Starting with two strands of hair, twist end over end along your scalp (similar to cornrows) and you have a flat twist! I like to use flat twists to add an interesting detail to a low bun.
Many of us style our hair without knowing there is a term for it. I know I did, for years! Ha! It’s great to know there is a term for it! It’s helpful to have a way to describe this particular nightly hairstyle. This style is very helpful to wear at night because it helps to preserve your curls for the next day. This style is so easy and pretty that you can wear it during the day. Many wear this style exclusively at night but feel free to wear it whenever you want!
LOC…. this term is everywhere! It was such a mystery to me and I was so very excited to learn what it meant. Surf through any given website dedicated to curly hair and you will see this term. It is inevitable. People swear by it. But, what does it mean? L.O.C. stands for: Liquid, Oil, Cream. LOC is another layering method designed to preserve moisture and reduce breakage. There are many testimonials to the effectiveness of this method – me included.
There you have it, ladies! Seven more natural and transitioning terms, decoded. Have you tried any of these methods? Are you familiar with any of these terms? Do you have any tips? Please, share! We would love to read your thoughts.
Resources: thirstyroots.com, curlynikki.com