Spill the Gloss: What Your Stylist is Actually Saying

Ever found yourself nodding along during a salon visit, pretending to know what a “root smudge” or “babylight” is? You’re not alone! At Ginger & Spice, we love keeping our clients in the loop — so we’ve created a quick, no-fuss glossary to decode the most popular hair terms you’ll hear in the chair.

• Ash Blonde – A cool, silvery-blonde tone that neutralises brassiness and yellow tones.
• Babylights – Super-fine highlights that mimic the natural hair colour of young children.
• Balayage – A freehand painting technique that creates soft, natural-looking highlights with a sunlit effect.
• Beach Waves – Loose, tousled waves styled to mimic a relaxed, ocean-breeze effect. 
• Blunt Cut – A haircut with sharp, straight-across ends for a bold and clean finish.
• Bronde – A balanced blend of brown and blonde tones that creates a natural, sun-kissed look. 
  
• Choppy Layers – Uneven or texturised layers for a relaxed, tousled look. 
  
• Colour Correction – A process used to fix unwanted tones or patchy colour results. 
  
• Cream Blonde – A soft, neutral-blonde shade with warm undertones (not too ashy or golden). 
  
• Curtain Bangs – Face-framing fringe parted in the middle, resembling draped curtains, flattering most face shapes. 
  
• Double Process – A two-step colouring service, usually bleach followed by toner or vivid colour. 
  
• Dusting – A technique for trimming just the ends of hair to remove damage without losing length. 
  
• Face Framing – Lighter or styled pieces around the face to accentuate features and soften the look. 
  
• Foils – A technique where sections of hair are wrapped in foil with lightener or colour to create dimension and targeted highlights or lowlights. 
  
• Glass Hair – Hair that’s ultra-smooth, shiny, and sleek, like polished glass. 
  
• Global Colour – A single, all-over hair colour applied from roots to ends for a uniform result. 
  
• Golden Blonde – A rich, sun-kissed blonde shade with warm, golden undertones. 
  
• Hair Botox – A deep-conditioning, anti-frizz treatment that smooths and strengthens hair without harsh chemicals. Read more.
  
• Highlights – Lighter strands of hair created by lifting colour from select sections to add brightness and contrast. 
  
• Layered Lob – A long bob with layers for extra shape and movement. 
  
• Lowlights – Darker sections of colour added to hair to create depth and contrast, often complementing highlights. 
  
• Money Piece – Bold, face-framing highlights that add brightness and contrast around the hairline. 
  
• Mushroom Brown – A cool-toned brown with hints of grey and taupe, perfect for brunettes who want a trendy, muted look. 
  
• Nanoplasty – A chemical smoothing treatment that uses nanotechnology to straighten and repair hair with a more natural, low-damage formula. Read more.
  
• Platinum – An ultra-light blonde shade that removes nearly all warmth for a cool, icy finish. 
  
• Pre-Toning – The step before applying toner, often done to neutralise unwanted pigments after bleaching. 
  
• Reverse Balayage – Adding darker tones back into previously lightened hair for depth and dimension. 
  
• Root Smudge – A slightly deeper, more diffused root colour blended into the highlights to create a seamless, lived-in look. 
  
• Root Tap – A subtle blend of colour at the root to soften the contrast between natural regrowth and lightened ends. 
  
• Scalp Bleach – A full-head bleach application starting at the roots, often used for platinum or vivid colours. 
  
• Shadow Root – A darker root colour blended into lighter ends to create depth and reduce maintenance. 
  
• Slicing – A highlighting method where colour is applied in thin, uniform sections for a defined result. 
  
• Spice Club – Our loyalty program offering exclusive benefits and perks! 
  
• Split-Dye – A two-tone hair colour where each side of the head is dyed a different colour. 
  
• Stretch Root – A colouring method that blends roots into the rest of the hair for a low-maintenance grow-out. 
  
• Texturising – Cutting or styling techniques that add movement and reduce bulk. 
  
• Tip-out – A method of lightening or colouring just the ends or tips of the hair for added brightness and texture. 
  
• Toner – A demi or semi-permanent colour applied after lightening to refine tone, neutralise brassiness, or enhance desired shades. 
  
• Underlights – A hidden layer of colour underneath the top layers of hair, often bold or vibrant. 
  
• Wet Look – A sleek, shiny styling finish that makes the hair look freshly damp. 
  
• Wispy Fringe – A soft, feathered fringe (bangs) that blends into the hair. 
  
• Wolf Cut – A shaggy, layered haircut combining a mullet and shag, popular on TikTok. 

Whether you're booking your next transformation or just brushing up on your hair lingo, we hope this glossary helps you feel more confident and in-the-know.

And remember — no question is too small at Ginger & Spice. We’re here to talk tones, trims, and all things hair with you, anytime! 

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