| backwash | basin and chair assembly for shampooing and rinsing clients' hair |
| barber | men's hairdresser |
| chair | a specially designed chair in which clients sit; the size of a salon business may be expressed in terms of the number of chairs it has |
| commission | percentage of salon income generated by a stylist which is paid back as a productivity bonus |
| franchise | a larger hairdressing business which provides self-employed salon owners with a corporate trading identity and other business services, in exchange for a franchise fee |
| freelance | self-employed stylist |
| improver | newly qualified stylist; may be first, second or third year |
| junior stylist | partly or newly qualified salon operative |
| mobiler | mobile hairdresser with no business premises |
| perm | permanent wave |
| productive hours | working time during which income is generated |
| 'rent a chair' | the practice of allowing self-employed, independent operatives to work within an established salon and to benefit from the services and amenities offered therein (in exchange for a monthly 'rent' payment) |
| stylist | fully qualified and experienced hairdresser |
| trainee | unqualified salon operative working towards a vocational hairdressing qualification |
| trichologist | expert in the structure, functions and diseases of hair |
| unisex salon | outlet which offers both men's and ladies' hair styling |
