NAIL TERM GLOSSARY

Our nail term glossary is a resource provided to our customers which offers simple definitions for various terms used in reference to nail care.

Please feel free to peruse our glossary for any terms you wish to define.

H

TERM	DEFINITION
Habit Tic	Deformity of nails caused by habitual external trauma to the nail matrix. Although any nail can be affected, the thumbnails are often primary targets.
Haglund's Deformity	Haglund’s Deformity is an abnormality of the bone and soft tissues in the foot. An enlargement of the bony section of the heel triggers this condition.
Hair Follicle	Tunnel shaped structure in the outer most layer of the skin (epidermis), which contains hair and oil glands.
Hammertoe	Hammertoe is a deformed toe, that is bent because of a weakened muscle, usually caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes.
Hangnail(s)	A Hangnail is a torn piece of skin next to the nail.
Hapalonychia	Condition in which nails become soft, causing them to break easily.
Hardener	Substances that helps to speed up hardening, in case of nail art hardener refers to something that helps to accelerate the drying process.
Hardness	Measure of the resistance of a material to deformation or dent.
Haul	Buying a lot of things at once.
Hazardous Ingredient	Any material that may be capable of causing an unprotected person physical or health-related harm.
Helmer	Helmer is a small wardrobe used to store nail polishes in an organized way.
Hematoma	A hematoma is a bad bruise. It happens when an injury causes blood to collect and pool under the skin.
Hemorrhage	Release of blood from a ruptured blood vessel.
Hemp Seed Oil	Hemp Seed Oil is extracted from the Sativa plant, and is known to have several health benefits for skin, hair and nails.
Hepatitis C	Hepatitis C is a viral liver infection that causes liver inflammation and can lead to liver damage.
HG	Abbreviation for Holy Grail.
Highlight	In nail art, the highlight refers to the area that is painted in a more appealing way than the rest of the nail so as to grab attention.
HMIS (Hazardous Materials Identification System)	HMIS (Hazardous Materials Identification System) refers to rating system of hazardous ingredients on an 0-4 scale.
Holo	Abbreviation for Holographic
Holographic	Holographic nail paints are polishes that show rainbow like effects, that is different colors can be seen from different angles and depending on light conditions all seven colors of the rainbow can be seen.
Holy Grail	Something which is eagerly pursued or sought after
Honey	A sweet, viscous fluid made by honeybees. Honey is used in skin care products due to its healing and moisturizing properties.
Hormone	Chemicals made by the living body that controls and regulates the development, growth etc. of the body.
HTF	Short for Hard To Find
Humectant	Something that reduces the loss of moisture and increases moisture retention properties.
Hungry Polish And Glitter Food	Hungry Polish and Glitter Food refers to nail polish having a lot of glitter in it.
HVAC	Acronym for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning.
Hydrate	Hydrate means to take up water.
Hydrophilic	Any material that attracts water.
Hydrophobic	Any material that repels water.
Hydroxyl Ethyl Methacrylate (HEMA)	HEMA is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic odor. It is added to nail products to increase their adhesion capabilities.
Hyperhidrosis	Excessive sweating, which is not inherently connected to exercise or heat.
Hypoallergenic	Hypoallergenic refers to cosmetic products that claim fewer allergic reactions than other similar products.
Hyponychium	Hyponychium refers to skin just under the free edge of the nail.

GLOSSARY NAVIGATION