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.

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TERM	DEFINITION
Salicylic Acid	Salicylic Acid is a beta hydroxy acid. It helps in shedding and exfoliating dead cells from the top layer of skin.
Salon Decor/Design	Salon Design refers to the way the salon is designed including the furniture, accessories and innovative space planning to give it a unique look.
Sanitation	To clean tools, implements or any surface thoroughly with sanitizer, chemicals etc. so as to remove harmful micro organisms.
Sanitize	To clean tools, implements or any surface thoroughly with sanitizer, chemicals etc. so as to remove harmful micro organisms.
Sanitizable	Any tool, implement or any surface that can be cleaned and sanitized.
Sanitizer	Any substance that can be used to kill and clean micro-organisms from any surface or tool.
Satin	Nail finish that is in between the shiny and matte look.
Scattered Holographic	Nail paint with larger and scattered holographic particles.
Scraper	Thin plastic sheet used to scrap excess nail paint from a stamping plate.
Scrubs	Scrubs are exfoliating and moisturizing cosmetic products that are used to gently remove the top layer of the skin.
Sculpt	Creating nail extensions without a tip is termed as sculpting. Instead of tip, form is used, acrylic powder and liquid is used on form to create the extension.
Sculptured Nails	Creating nail extensions without a tip is termed as sculpting. Instead of tip, form is used, acrylic powder and liquid is used on form to create the extension.
Sealing Edges	Sealing edge is the term used to file a nail with a glass file, to shape and smoothen it.
Seaweed	Seaweed is a form of algae rich in nutrients. It is used in anti-aging and anti-acne cosmetic products.
Sector Sculpting	Sector sculpting refers to sculpting nails only where it is required to create the right balance.
Self-Leveling	Some acrylic products level themselves on their own and are referred as self-leveling.
Sensitization	The oversensitive reaction of a person to an allergic substance because of repeated contact.
Sensitizer	Substance that causes allergic reaction.
Shader Brush	Nail brush with rectangular head.
Shading	Shading the nail refers to creating depth by using darker nail paints.
Shatter	Shatter finish or crackle is a type of nail polish that you add on top of another, and it creates a cracked look as it dries.
Shattered Glass	Nail art in which the nail finish looks like a shattered glass.
Shea Butter	Shea Butter is a fat extracted from shea tree nuts because of its moisturizing properties it is used in creams, lotions and hair conditioners.
Sheer	Finish that is meant to be semi-transparent or transparent.
Shimmer	Colored nail polish with small particles that shine.
Shreds	Large multicolored glittery particles that are used on nails.
Shrinkage	When the topcoat draws or shrinks back the polish from the edges.
Side Load	Nail brush with more polish/paint than water.
Sidewall	Soft skin around the sides of the natural nail plate.
Silicon Carbide	Silicon carbide contains silicon and carbon, and because of its hardness it is used as an abrasive.
Silk Protein/Silk Peptide	Silk protein is produced by silkworms, and because of its moisturizing properties it is used in cosmetic products.
Silk Wrap	Silk wraps increase strength and durability of nails, they are trimmed to fit nail size and affixed to nail with adhesive.
Ski Jump Nails	Nails with upturned edge.
Skin Absorption	Chemicals that are easily absorbed by the skin.
Skin Cancer	An abnormal growth of skin cells.
Skin Care	Daily practices and procedures including cleansing, moisturizing, etc., carried out to enhance and improve the appearance of the skin.
Skin Ulcer	Ulcer is a sore or wound on the skin, and they are to be taken care of while manicuring or pedicuring.
Skittle or Skittlette	Nail art with different colors on all nails.
Smile Line	Half circle on the nail or the point where nail bed ends and free edge starts.
Soak-Off Gels	Gels that can be easily removed by acetone.
Sole Proprietor	Refers to a person who owns the unincorporated business.
Solehorn	A dead thin rigid tissue at the bottom of the nail plate.
Solidification	When liquid turns into solid.
Solute	Substance that dissolves in a solvent.
Solvent	Something that can dissolve other substances.
Soy	Soya beans are legumes rich in proteins and vitamins. They are used in anti-aging and anti-wrinkle creams.
Spa	A salon providing multiple services and treatments such as massaging, skin care, hair care, pedicure and manicure.
Special Needs Client	Clients having special medical conditions and because of that condition require special care such as diabetic patients who need extra care while pedicuring.
Specific Gravity	Ratio between the density of an object, and any other substance.
Spectraflair	Spectraflair are colorants that create the illusion of multiple rainbow prisms and sometimes are used in polishes.
Splinter Hemorrhage	Splinter hemorrhage thin red blood lines under the nails, caused due to injury or trauma.
Spoon Nails	A nail disease leading to thin nails that further results in flat or concave shaped nails.
Spun Sugar	A nail art where nail polish is spread horizontally to look like the baking spun sugar technique.
Squoval	Filing the nail so as to have a square shape with round edges/corners.
Stamper	Tool that is used to stamp designs on a nail.
Stamping	Nail art characterized by stamping pre-designed images on the nail using a stamper.
Stamping Marble	Creating a marble look on the nail using the stamping nail art technique.
Stamping Plates	Pre-designed metal plates that are used in stamping nail art technique.
Stamping Polish	Nail polish that is used for stamping nail art, usually it is much thicker than the regular nail polish.
Stash	Collection of nail related items such as nail polishes, gels etc.
State Board	The state department which looks after the regulation of the cosmetology industry.
Steamer	Equipment or machinery used to steam the face or scalp.
Stencils	Thin sheet of material with a specific nail design which is used for nail airbrushing.
Sterilization	Sterilization is a process that kills and cleans micro-organisms from any surface or tool.
Sterilizer	Any substance or method that sterilizes something.
Stiletto Nails	Nail art of using form to create pointed tips and then carving out an artificial nail with acrylics.
Stippling	Creating areas of light and shadow on nails using loaded brush.
Stratum	The term refers to layers of something, here in reference to nails - layer of tissues.
Stratum Corneum	The outer layer of the skin.
Stratum Germinativum	The deepest layer of the skin.
Stratum Granulosum	A thin layer of cells in the skin.
Stratum Lucidum	A thin clear layer of dead skin cells in the skin.
Stratum Mucosum	Part of skin made with several layers of cells.
Strength	Capacity of a substance to withstand pressure.
Striper Brush	Long brushes with few hairs, used for creating straight lines on nails.
Stripette Brush	Long brushes with a few hairs, striper brushes are used for creating straight lines on nails.
Striping Tape	Thin dark colored tape used for creating straight lines.
Stylus Dots	Dots made on nails using specially designed instruments.
Subungual	Situated under a fingernail or toenail.
Subungual Hematoma	Subungual hematoma refers to blood under a nail usually caused due to injury or trauma.
Suede	Suede polishes are nail polishes that are neither too matte nor too shimmer. It is a nail color that is between matte and shimmer.
Sunsetting	It means to phase or terminate something out.
Surfactant	Substance that increases the spreading and wetting properties of a liquid when added to it.
Swap	When two individuals exchange things such as exchanging nail paints.
Swaplifter	An individual who makes a contract to trade goods with another entity but never keeps up with their end of the deal.
Swatch	Swatch refers to application of nail paints on swatch stick or wheel for photograph.
Swatch Stick	Just like the swatch wheel, the swatch stick is a stick with a single fake nail, it is used for displaying nail polishes and nail art.
Swatch Wheel	A plastic wheel with fake nails, used for displaying nail polishes and nail art.

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