In the naturally curly world, we have a lot of our own lingo–so much so, that that a newbie natural may find herself looking for the Rosetta Stone of the natural hair world. Hopefully, we can help shed some light on a few terms that meant something else before you went natural. Here are 8 common terms, translated naturally curly style:
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8 Names That Mean Different Things For Naturals
Cones
Not the bright orange construction markers, or even the geometric shape. “Cones” is the abbreviated natural hair lingo for silicones, the styling and conditioning ingredient that many naturals and curly girls tend to avoid. Cones appear to improve the condition of the hair, creating a silky, shiny, lightweight microfilm around hair strands. Cones also help tame frizz, block humidity, and smooth rough cuticles. Why do cones get a bad rep? They build up and don’t always get effectively removed using the gentle cleansers we naturally curly girls lean toward. Ultimately, your decision to use or not use cones is up to you!
D.C.
If you see a naturally curly girl say “DC”, you can bet she isn’t talking about the nation’s capitol. “DC” means Deep Conditioner –which in the straight-haired world, is optional–but for us textured ladies, it is a must.
Poo
We’re not talking stinky stuff here. “Poo” is short for shampoo, and can stand alone, or be hyphenated in any number of ways. A pre-poo is a treatment done before shampooing the hair. It can also refer to Deva Curl’s Conditioning Cleanser. Confused yet?
Pineapple
No tropical fruits this time around. Pineapple or pineappling refers to the method elected by many naturally curly girls to preserve their tresses at night. All of the hair is gathered at the front of the head (which makes your head and hair take the shape of a pineapple”> with a scrunchie or scarf, which prevents curls, kinks, and coils from getting smooshed and fuzzy overnight.
LOC
Locs are another type of natural hair, but this time around LOC is an acronym for a method of layering products coined by Chicoro, which stands for Liquid/Leave-In, Oil, Cream. The LOC method ensures that the hair remains hydrated even after it is dry, by slowing the evaporation of water from the cortex via sealing it in with cream and oils.
Holy Grail
Not the cup or platter used by Jesus at the Last Supper, or the chart-topping hit by Jay-Z. For naturally curly girls, holy grails are products that put joy in our hearts and make our spirits sing. They’re the top of the top, must-have, I-hope-they-never-stop-making-this-or-change-the-formula products. Often purchased in bulk, holy grail products are touted for their effectiveness in a number of areas. Click here to see mine!
Slip
Leave your grandma’s undergarments out of this one. Slip refers to how slippery (I know, I hate using the root of the word in the definition, too”> a product is–often used to gauge how a product will perform when it comes to the task of detangling, or distributing product through the hair. Show me a natural that doesn’t like slip, and I’ll show you a liar.
Sale
For most people, a sale is an opportunity to save a few bucks on something you need or would like to have. For curly girls, sale = a green light to go absolutely berserk and stock up on holy grail products, or try new products everyone has been buzzing about. Sale means clear the shelves, and accept the crazy looks you get from everyone as you wait in line (or spare yourself the embarassment and order online”>. Sale means sacrificing your daily Starbucks run for a month in order to beef up your product stash. *insert flashing red siren emoji*
