#245 Requesting a Shampoo at a Hair Salon｜French Daily Life Phrases

At a hair salon, in addition to services such as haircuts and coloring, you will often need to communicate your preferences regarding shampoo timing and comfort.

If you can express your preferences in French—such as water temperature or pressure—you will be able to receive the service more comfortably and with greater peace of mind.

In this section, I will explain useful French expressions for requesting a shampoo at a hair salon, following the natural flow of conversation, along with key grammatical points.

Dialogue

A

Bonjour, j’aimerais faire un shampoing, s’il vous plaît.
（Hello, I would like to have a shampoo, please.）

B

Bien sûr. Vous préférez avant ou après la coupe ?
（Of course. Would you prefer it before or after the haircut?）

A

Avant, s’il vous plaît.
（Before, please.）

B

Très bien. La pression de l’eau vous convient ?
（Very well. Is the water pressure comfortable for you?）

A

Oui, c’est parfait.
（Yes, it is perfect.）

1. Requesting a Shampoo

First, you need to express politely that you would like to have a shampoo.

The form “aimerais” is the present conditional of the verb “aimer” (to like). Compared to the present tense “je veux” (I want), which can sound somewhat direct, “j’aimerais” is more appropriate in service situations because it sounds softer and more polite.

The expression “faire un shampoing” literally means “to do a shampoo,” but in a salon context, it is understood as “to have one’s hair washed by a professional.”

The verb “faire” generally means “to do” or “to make,” but in service contexts, it can also imply “to have something done by someone else.”

Adding “s’il vous plaît” at the end makes the request more polite and natural. While “J’aimerais …” is already courteous, this addition further softens the tone.

2. Confirming the Timing of the Shampoo

At some salons, you may be asked whether you prefer the shampoo before or after the haircut.

The verb “préférer” means “to prefer,” and it is commonly used when asking someone about their preference in a polite manner.

The expression “avant ou après la coupe” means “before or after the haircut.”

Both “avant” and “après” are prepositions used to indicate time or sequence, and they are placed before a noun to form expressions such as:

In salon conversations, where multiple services such as cutting, coloring, and styling are involved, I recommend becoming familiar with the structure “avant / après + noun,” as it is very useful for describing order and timing.

3. Confirming the Water Pressure

During the shampoo, you may be asked about the water pressure.

The verb “convenir à” means “to suit” or “to be suitable for.” It is used to describe whether something fits or is appropriate for someone.

In this sentence, the subject is “La pression de l’eau” (the water pressure), while “vous” represents the indirect object (“to you”).

If you want to express your preference, you can use simple phrases such as:

Even short phrases like these allow you to communicate your preferences clearly and make your experience more comfortable.

Summary