Beauty Salon Vocabulary

Beauty salon vocabulary can be just as confusing as hairdressing vocabulary for non-native speakers – and even more important to get right! From waxing and eyebrow threading to tanning, pedicures and make up, there are many treatments with specific beauty vocabulary.

Visiting a beauty salon or spa is often seen as a relaxing and enjoyable activity. Some people find a beauty salon visit a necessary part of their grooming routine, while others view it simply as a leisure activity.

 

When visiting the beauty salon, it is useful to know special phrases for beauty treatments. It’s also essential to know the names of the beauty products and equipment used by the experts, so that you’re prepared for your visit to the spa. Read on for the most important English words related to the beauty industry.

Visiting the beauty salon – useful words and phrases

Achieving the perfect result from your visit to the beauty salon can be easier said than done when trying to communicate as a non-native English speaker! Hopefully this article will explain some common beauty salon language.

We have collected some of the most common beauty salon vocabulary and phrases to help you when you visit a beauty salon, spa, tanning salon or nail shop in an English-speaking country.

Our beauty vocabulary should help you communicate with your beauty technician or cosmetologist, so they know you want a spray tan not a leg wax!

 

Jobs in a beauty salon

Do you want to work in a beauty salon or spa? Here are some of the beauty industry jobs you could consider, which are ideal for adding to your beauty vocabulary list. If you are visiting a beauty salon or nail salon, these are the professionals you will need to talk to about your beauty treatment:

Beauty therapist / beautician – specialist in a wide range of beauty treatments

Cosmetologist – expert in cosmetic procedures, including hair, skin and nails

Massage therapist – the person who performs the massage (a ‘masseuse’ is a female massage therapist and ‘masseur’ is a male massage therapist)

Nail technician – qualified expert in nail care and nail art

Manicurist – specialist in nails, hand care and fingernail care (the manicurist will often perform other procedures in the salon)

Pedicurist – specialist in feet grooming and toenail care

Stylist / hairdresser / barber – these are hair care and hair styling professionals you will find at a hairdressing salon

Vocabulary for visiting the beauty salon

Facial – a treatment for skin on the face to improve tone, appearance and texture

Facial peel – an exfoliating treatment for the face (usually using glycolic acid), which removes the top skin cells to reveal fresh skin beneath (this is supposed to reduce fine lines)

Face mask / face pack – thick nourishing substance applied to skin and left for a length of time, intended to draw out toxins, sooth and nourish skin

Face scrub / body scrub – exfoliating substance applied to skin, intended to remove dead skin cells and brighten the skin

Eyebrow threading – hair removal for eyebrows using cotton thread (this technique creates a strong, neat eyebrow line by removing hair below and above the brow. The technique originated in India and is now a popular beauty treatment in most salons)

Eyelash tinting – colours/dyes the eyelashes

Eyebrow tinting – colours/dyes the eyelashes

Eyelash perming  – curls the eyelashes

Eyelash lifting – lifts the eyelashes and creates a curl

LVL lashes – an eyelash treatment that focuses on increasing lift, volume and length of the eyelashes

False eyelashes – artificial eyelashes which are stuck to your eyelids with special glue (these can come in a set or can be individual lashes)

Ear piercing  – creates hole in the ears to enable you to wear earrings

Waxing – a system of hair removal, where warm wax is poured onto the skin and then ripped off taking the hair with it (and hopefully leaving the skin!)

Sugaring – a system of hair removal developed in the ancient Middle East that works in the same way as waxing but uses heated sugar, water and lemon juice instead of wax

Laser hair removal – hair removal system that uses lasers to destroy hair follicles. The easiest hair to remove is dark hair on light skin. Repeated visits will be necessary for long-lasting results. Because laser hair removal destroys the hair follicles, this treatment can potentially remove hair permanently.

Electrolysis – hair removal system that inserts a probe into a single hair shaft to destroy it. This system is a permanent method of hair removal.

Waxing vocabulary

• Because waxing and sugaring removes hair at the root, these hair removal treatments last for up to 6 weeks.

Hot waxing – special wax treatments for delicate areas, which uses an oil treatment before to prepare the skin before waxing

Full leg wax / Half leg wax / Three-quarter leg wax – hair removal for legs

Bikini wax – hair removal for bikini zone (pubic hair area)

Brazilian wax – type of bikini wax that leaves a small amount of hair

Hollywood wax – type of bikini wax that removes all hair

Arm / Eyebrow / Upper lip / Chin / Underarm wax – hair removal for various body parts

 

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures 

Unlike make-up or beauty treatments, some cosmetic treatments use injections:

Botox – a medical treatment whereby the practitioner injects Botox (botulinum toxin) into the skin. The substance reduces the movement of the muscle beneath the skin and therefore softens the appearance of movement-induced wrinkles, such as forehead wrinkles

Fillers – a medical treatment that beauty salons sometimes offer, which injects a dermal filler under the skin to plump up skin and fill out wrinkles.

Both Botox and fillers are non-surgical cosmetic procedures, sometimes called a ‘non-surgical facelift’.

• Although we have included Botox and fillers treatments in our beauty salon vocabulary guide, you must always make sure the salon has properly qualified and experienced staff to administer Botox or fillers. These are sensitive medical procedures with potential health risks and are always best left to specialist cosmetic doctors/surgeons.

 

Alternative therapies

In addition to cosmetic procedures in a beauty salon, you might also find other alternative therapies offered by some beauty practitioners. These are called complementary or alternative medicines (CAMs).

Some alternative therapies include:

• Acupuncture – ancient Chinese medical practice in which fine needles are inserted into specific points of the body (‘acupuncture points’)
• Homeopathy – holistic treatment using diluted substances
• Aromatherapy – using the scent of aromatic oils to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing
• Reflexology – ‘zone therapy’ – applying pressure to specific points on the hands and feet
• Hydrotherapy – using water for pain relief and treatment
• Osteotherapy – treating health issues by massaging and manipulating a person’s muscles and joints
• Reiki – energy healing through the palms
• T’ai Chi – alternative exercise using smooth and controlled movements, sometimes used with stroke survivors to aid motor control and balance
• Colonic irrigation / colonic hydrotherapy – flushing waste material out of the bowel using water

Read more about alternative therapies on our heath and medical vocabulary page.

Massage vocabulary

Massage – a treatment where the practitioner rubs your skin in firm, sweeping movements to relax the muscles, usually using oils. There are many types of massage, from full-body massage to massages that focus on specific body parts.

Beauty salon vocabulary includes types of massage, as these treatments are often offered at beauty salons. We have listed some popular massage techniques below:

Swedish massage –  a full body massage, which focuses on the whole body. Swedish massage is a standard massage, using broad strokes and smaller movements combined to relax the whole body.

Deep tissue massage – a therapeutic massage using more pressure than Swedish massage. This targets the deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue and is often used to deal with tight muscles.

Sports massage – Designed to prevent and treat injuries and enhance athletic performance. Sports massage uses faster strokes than Swedish massage and can target specific muscles and body parts in relation to a sport.

Hot stone massage – smooth, warm stones (usually made from basalt) are placed on specific parts of the body during the massage to help loosen muscle tension

Aromatherapy massage – Swedish massage using essential oils. Popular oils include rose, lavender, ylang ylang and chamomile. The oils used have different properties and can help with various health issues, from insomnia to anxiety.

Reflexology – massage for the feet and hands. Pressure is applied to ‘reflex areas’ of the hands and feet, which are thought to be connected via energy pathways to other your body parts and internal organs.

Makeup and cosmetics vocabulary

General make up vocabulary can be useful when shopping for products. It can also come in handy for discussing make up treatments at the make up counter in a department store or when having make up applied in a beauty salon.

To add to our beauty salon vocabulary list, here are some useful words when shopping for items for your make up bag:

Lipstick – a stick of colour for applying to the lips (often red or pink)

Lip liner – a crayon or pencil to outline the lip shape

Lip gloss – a stick or pot of gloss to make lips shiny (can be coloured or clear)

Mascara – colour for the eyelashes, applied with a wand (usually black or brown colour)

Eyebrow pencil  – a crayon or pensil for colouring the eyebrows

Kohl liner – a pencil for creating dark smudge effect arond the eyes

Eye liner – a pencil or pen for outlining the eyes

Eye shadow – colour for the eye lids (usually pressed powder)

Blusher – pink colour for cheeks, which is usually a pressed powder or cream  (often added to the ‘apples’ of your cheeks – i.e. the fullest part)

Contour – colour for cheeks in a darker shade than blusher (often used for adding shade beneath cheek bones)

Highlighter – lighter colour for adding highlights (often used above cheek bones)

Bronzer – bronzing powder for adding a tanned, sun-kissed look

Primer – liquid make up that creates a smooth base and prepares the skin for foundation

Foundation – liquid or powder skin-coloured make up for evening the complexion  and creating a ‘base’ for the rest of the make up

Cover up – cream or stick for covering up imperfections in the skin (usually used just before or just after foundation)

BB cream – beauty balm / blemish balm, an all-in-one product that acts as primer and light foundation

Tinted moisturiser – a moisturiser / face cream with a subtle colour (often used instead of foundation for a lighter look)

Powder compact – face powder in a small flip-top pot (a ‘compact’), often used for touch-ups during the day

Loose Powder – face powder used after applying make up to ‘set’ and finish the look (loose powder is usually applied using a large brush)

Make up brushes – special brushes for applying make up

Methods of makeup application:

(verb) to apply make up

(verb) to put on make up

• to apply
• to smooth in/over
• to rub in
• to massage in
• to add
• to dab
• to dot

Trivia: Make up is sometimes called ‘slap’ in the UK (a slang expression)

Make up vocabulary examples:

• ‘You can apply make up using your fingers or with a special make up brush’
• ‘I put on my make at the mirror’ / ‘I put my make up on using the mirror’
• ‘Use the mirror to apply your make up’
• ‘Outline your lips with the lip liner then fill them in with lipstick using the lip brush’
• ‘Add blush to the apples of your cheeks and then add contour below the cheekbones and a sweep of highlighter above’
• ‘Can you wait a minute while I put my slap on?’ (‘slap’ is a British slang word for make up)

 

Beauty vocabulary for tanning salons

Tanning vocabulary is an important area of beauty to learn if you want to get a golden glow during your beauty salon visit. Here are some words related to tanning:

Solarium – a room equipped with a sun bed

Sun tan – skin that has gone brown from the sun

Fake tan / artificial tan – a tan from a bottle

to get a tan (verb)

to catch some rays (verb)

Tanning bed / Sun bed – a special bed that helps users acquire a suntan

Spray tan – a type of artificial tan that is applied with a spray (this can be applied manually with a spray gun ir by a machine)

Stand up tanning booth – a tanning booth where you stand up for your tan

Tanning oil – an oil that moisturises the skin and helps to accelerate the tanning process

Tan line – a pale line on the skin where clothes have stopped the skin from tanning

UV rays – ultra violet rays from the sun

UVA – a type of ultra violet ray that causes a sun tan

UVB – a type of ultra violet ray that causes sunburn

Sunburn – red, painful skin that has been damaged by exposure to the sun (bad sunburn can cause blisters)

sunbathing (to sunbathe) – the act of lying out in the sun

tanned – bronzed skin

sunkissed – tanned

a deep tan – a very dark tan

sun-worshipper – a person who loves the sun

Beauty vocabulary for nail shops and nail salons

Nail salon vocabulary includes words and phrase related to nail care treatments in addition to manicure vocabulary when getting your nails shaped and polished. Useful manicure and nail salon vocabulary includes:

Manicure – a treatment for finger nails (also usually includes beauty treatment for hands, such as cuticle shaping and massage)

Pedicure – a treatment for toe nails (also usually includes beauty treatment for feet, such as hard skin removal and exfoliation)

Paraffin wax treatment – a moisturising treatment for hands or feet involving soaking skin in a combination of paraffin and oils (often before a manicure or pedicure)

French manicure – a type of nail polish treatment that gives a pink/peach nail and white tips

False nails – artificial nails, applied with a special glue

Acrylic nails – a type of artificial nail using acrylic (this is the traditional artificial nail treatment, where plastic tips are placed over your own nails, blended in and acrylic placed over the top)

Gel nails – a type of artificial nail using gel (this is a more modern artificial nail treatment, where a thin, flexible and lightweight gel solution is placed over your own nails for appearance and protection)

Nail extensions – artificial lengthening of nails (usually acrylic or gel nail extensions)

Nail file / Emery board – a file that is used to shape the nails by gently rubbing across the ends

Shape and polish – a finishing treatment for the nails, including shaping with an emery board and colouring with your choice of nail varnish

Nail polish / nail varnish – colour for nails

Nail art – decorations that sit on the nail, such as patterns or crystals

Beauty salon vocabulary in practice – examples

Phrases you may want to use at the beauty salon:

Could I book a treatment, please?

Can I book a manicure, please?

I’d like to get my nails done

Alex normally does my nails (use the name of your favourite manicurist)

I’d like a natural shape / rounded shape / square tip

I would like to book a sun bed session for next Monday

What type of tanning beds do you have here?

Do you have stand up tanning booths at this salon?

Which tanning oil would you recommend?

I’d like to get my ears pierced

Could I get my eyebrows threaded, please?

Can I get a leg wax?

How much do you charge for a full leg wax?

Do you do bikini waxes?

I’d like to get my eyelashes tinted and permed

What type of facial peels do you offer?

Which men’s grooming products do you recommend?

 

Do you sell face masks / body scrubs?

Are your products certified?

Have the products been tested on animals?

Does your salon offer Botox treatments?

I’d like to get a gel nail manicure

How much is a classic pedicure with exfoliation treatment?

Can I get a manicure with Swarovski crystals?

Share your thoughts on beauty salon vocabulary

Do you go to the beauty salon regularly?

What other nail salon vocabulary can you think of?

Would you (or have you) ever got a wax treatment at a salon – or do you think waxing is a painfully crazy idea?

What are your make up essentials? Have we missed any important make up off our list?

Can you think of more useful beauty salon vocabulary or important English words for visiting a spa?

When visiting the beauty salon, do you have a favourite treatment or procedure?

Are there any beauty expressions you are unsure of? Let us know in the comments!