CurlTalk Lingo & Abbreviations

Sometimes over at NaturallyCurly.com's CurlTalk we like to speak in our own language. For a newbie it can be pretty frustrating. But IMHO (in my honest opinion) it's better than typing out all those product names.

Here's a list you can bookmark and refer back to:

2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 4b, 4c = curl types

2nd Day Hair = Hair that looks good enough the day after styling that it can just be misted with water or have a little product added try to revive and refresh its style.

ABUHO= Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil

ACV = Apple Cider Vinegar

AOHR= Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose

AOMM = Aubrey Organics Magic Mandarin Jelly

AOWC = Aubrey Organics White Camilla

APL = arm pit length

AVG= Aloe vera Gel

B&A = Batia & Aleeza gel

BAA = Big-ass afro

BB=Blended Beauty

BBBB = Burt's Bees Body Butter

BRHG= Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee

BSL = bra strap length

BTW = By the way.

c = Coarse texture

Canopy = the top layer of hair, which is exposed to the elements the most, and is prone to frizzing

CCB = Donna Marie Coco Curl Butter

CCSS = Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Solution

CG = Curly Girl routine or "Curly Girl," the book by Lorraine Massey

CHBC = Donna Marie Cocoa Hemp Buttercream

CJ= Curl Junkie

CK = CHS (Curly Hair Solutions) Curl Keeper

clarify = remove build-up from the hair via ACV, lemon juice, or shampooing

Clumping = strands of hair clumping together to form bigger, chunkier curls

CO = conditioner or "conditioner=only" as in not using shampoo

CO wash = conditioner washing

CON = Cream of Nature

Condish = conditioner

Crunch = the hard, crunchy feeling left by some gels when they dry, which can sometimes be scrunched out.

CV= Chagrin Valley

DH = Dear or darling husband

DM = Sometimes used to preface Donna Marie products

DT = deep (conditioning) treatment

DW = Dairy Whip from Flower Moon Soaps

Elucence MBC = Moisture Balancing Conditioner

EOs = essential oils

ETA = Edited to add

EVOO = extra virgin olive oil

f = fine texture

FOTE= Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera gel

FSG=Flax Seed Gel

GDLI = Giovanni Direct Leave=In

GF= Garnier Fructis

GioDLI= Giovanni Direct Leave In

Giovanni DLI/ GDL= Giovanni Direct Leave-In

GVP = Generic Value Products (found at Sally's)

guano = getting off topic on a thread

HCC = Jessicurl Hair Cleansing Cream

HE = Herbal Essences

HEBE = Herbal Essence Body Envy

HESMU = Herbal Essence Set Me Up

HETT = Herbal Essence Totally Twisted

HG = "Holy Grail"

HIH = Devacurl Heaven in Hair

HJ = Donna Marie Honey Jelly

HO = Humble opinion

HTH = Hope that helps

i, ii, iii = Fia's hair-typing system descriptors for volume

IIRC= If I recall correctly

IMHO = In my humble opinion

IRL= In real life

ISO = in search of

ITA = In total agreement or I totally agree

JC C&S=Jane Carter Condition and Sculpt

JC N&S= Jane Carter Nourish and Shine

JC=Jessicurl OR Jane Carter

Jessicurl CCSS= Confident Coils Styling Solution

Jessicurl RR= Rockin' Ringlets

KBB = Karen's Body Beautiful (SS = Super Silky, LL = Luscious Locks)

KCCC = Kinky Curly Curling Custard

KCKT = Kinky Curly Knot Today

KWIM = Know what I mean?

KY = KY Jelly, the personal lubricant

L&T = Donna Marie Lock and Twist

LOL = Laughing out loud

LOOB= L'oreal Out of Bed (not to be confused with KY jelly)

LOOC = Lustrasilk Olive Oil Cholesterol

LOTD = Lily of the Desert (aloe vera gel)

LVPNG = L'oreal Vive Pro Nutri Gloss (usually refers to the one for medium to long curly hair)

m = medium texture

M&H = Milk & Honey (as in Suave Milk & Honey conditioner)

MGA= Max Green Alchemy

MHC = My Honey Child

MO = My opinion.

Nexxus POTAR = Phyto Organics The Arts Emphasis Redefining Gel

NG= Nature's Gate

OC = Devacurl One Condition

ORS = Organic Root Stimulator

Ouidad CC = Climate Control Gel

Ouidad CQ = Curl Quencher

PHHB = Panyhose head band

pineapple = gathering hair gently on top of head with a scrunchie to preserve curls for 2nd day hair

Pixiecurl diffuser method= leaving diffuser OFF, using the bowl to scrunch hair up to root, turn ON for 30 seconds=1 minute, turn OFF, and then repeat on next section of hair. Minimizes frizz and reduces the amount of disturbance on the rest of your hair while diffusing.

PJ = Product Junkie (addicted to trying the next new, possibly better hair product) plop = method of wrapping wet hair in t-shirt / microfiber towel Plop/plunk= Method for putting your wet hair into a towel to encourage curls (video on jessicurl's website)

PM= Paul Mitchell or Private Message 'poo = shampoo

PVP = A polymer found in most gels

QCCC = Innersence Quite Calm Curling Cream 'quats = polyquaternium polymers found in styling products

RR = Jessicurl Rocking Ringlets Styling Potion

Sally's = Sally Beauty Supply

SAO = Sweet almond oil

Scrunch = encourage curl or apply product by gently squeezing/pushing hair upward from end toward root.

SheaM= Shea Moisture Leave In

Shrinkage = shortening of length due to curl tightness

SIF = Devacurl Set It Free

SL = shoulder length

SLS = Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (surfactant found in most shampoos)

SO = significant other

SOTC = scrunch out the crunch

TE = Terressentials

The Mother Ship = Devachan Salon in NYC (Lorraine Massey's)

TIA = thanks in advance

TIGI = TIGI is the brand name. They make the Bed Head and Catwalk lines.

TIGI MM = TIGI Moisture Maniac

TJ = Trader Joe's

TR= Thermal reconditioning

TS = Jessicurl Too Shea conditioner

TTO = tea tree oil

TWA = Teeny weeny afro

Understory = hair under the top exposed layer

WDT= Jessicurl's Weekly Deep Treatment

WSP=Wet Set Pudding which is by Curls by Sisters Smith (CBSS or CSS)