#72 Responding to Customer Inquiries｜French for Business Communication
Izumi French Garden
#113 Specifying a Hairstyle at the Hair Salon｜French Daily-Life Phrases
Izumi
When visiting a hair salon abroad, it can be difficult to achieve the desired result if your preferences are not communicated clearly.
When describing a hairstyle in French, it is helpful to explain your wishes in order—from length, volume, and shape to color brightness and the overall look you want.
In this article, I explain useful French expressions for telling the stylist how much you would like to have cut and what kind of style you prefer.
Contents
Dialogue
Bonjour, j’ai un rendez-vous pour 14h.
（Hello, I have an appointment for 2 p.m.）
Installez-vous, s’il vous plaît. Quelle coupe souhaitez-vous aujourd’hui ?
（Please have a seat. What kind of haircut would you like today?）
J’aimerais garder la longueur, mais rafraîchir les pointes.
（I would like to keep the length, but refresh the ends.）
Voulez-vous que je dégrade un peu les côtés ?
（Would you like me to thin out the sides a little?）
Oui, pourquoi pas. Et je voudrais aussi éclaircir légèrement l’ensemble.
（Yes, that sounds good. I would also like to lighten the overall color slightly.）
D’accord. Préférez-vous un blond naturel ou quelque chose de plus lumineux ?
（Certainly. Do you prefer a natural blonde or something brighter?）
Plutôt quelque chose de naturel, s’il vous plaît.
（Something natural, please.）
Très bien, je m’en occupe.
（Very well, I will take care of it.）
1. Basic Expressions Upon Arrival
When you arrive at the salon, start by mentioning your appointment.
- J’ai un rendez-vous pour 14h.
（I have an appointment for 2 p.m.）
The term rendez-vous (appointment) is widely used—not only at hair salons but also at dentists, clinics, banks, and other places.
If you do not have an appointment, you can say:
- Je n’ai pas de rendez-vous. Est-ce possible d’attendre ?
（I do not have an appointment. Would it be possible to wait?）
2. Expressing the Desired Hair Length
When explaining your preferred style, begin with how much you would like to have cut.
- J’aimerais garder la longueur, mais rafraîchir les pointes.
（I would like to keep the length, but tidy up the ends.）
Here, “garder la longueur” means “to keep the length,” and rafraîchir les pointes means “to trim the ends lightly.”
If you want to specify the length more precisely or request a conservative cut, you may say:
- Je voudrais couper environ trois centimètres.
（I would like about three centimeters cut.） - Pas trop court, s’il vous plaît.
（Not too short, please.）
3. Describing Volume and Shape
If you want to adjust the volume or shape of your hair, you can use phrases like:
- Voulez-vous que je dégrade un peu les côtés ?
（Would you like me to layer the sides a little?）
The verb dégrader is common in hair salons and means “to add layers” or “to make the hair lighter.”
Another frequently used term is effiler, meaning “to thin out the hair.”
4. Indicating Your Hair Color Preferences
Hair color greatly influences your overall appearance.
- Je voudrais éclaircir légèrement l’ensemble.
（I would like to lighten the whole hair slightly.）
The verb éclaircir means “to lighten,” while l’ensemble refers to “the entire hair.”
It is a convenient expression when you want an overall brighter tone.
Other useful phrases include:
- Je voudrais un ton plus clair / plus foncé.
（I would like a lighter / darker tone.） - Un blond naturel, s’il vous plaît.
（A natural blonde, please.）
5. Describing the Desired Final Style
Communicating the overall impression you want is also important.
- Plutôt quelque chose de naturel, s’il vous plaît.
（Something natural, please.）
Common adjectives for describing style include naturel (natural) and discret (subtle, understated).
- Je préfère quelque chose de discret.
（I prefer something subtle.） - Je voudrais garder un effet naturel.
（I would like to maintain a natural look.）
Sharing your intended style with the stylist helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures a satisfactory result.
Summary
- J’aimerais garder la longueur.
→ A basic expression for saying you want to keep the length. - Rafraîchir les pointes / dégrader les côtés.
→ Useful for adjustments such as trimming the ends or lightening the sides. - Je voudrais éclaircir / foncer la couleur.
→ Expressing changes in brightness or tone. - Plutôt quelque chose de naturel.
→ A standard phrase for requesting a natural-looking finish.
