Portuguese For the Hair Salon
As far as hair (cabelo) goes, it can get complicated. It seems that most women in Brazil who don’t naturally have straight hair seek out ways they can straighten it, which probably has to do with how beauty is portrayed in the Brazilian media. In terms of the different types, there’s liso (straight), cacheado (wavy/curly) and crespo (frizzy/really curly).
What are the Portuguese words used at a hair salon? How do you say what type of haircut you want in Brazilian Portuguese? These are all very important questions if you plan on visiting a hairdresser in Brazil. So I’ve compiled this extremely thorough list of Portuguese hair vocabulary. If there is anything that I’ve missed, I invite you to please comment below! Thanks, and I hope this list is helpful!
Brazilian Portuguese Hair Vocab
salão de cabeleireiro – hair salon
o cabelereiro – hairdresser
a cadeira do salão – the hairdresser’s chair
a pia – the sink
estilista – stylist
a prancha (or chapinha) – hair straightener
pentear – to comb
o pente – comb
escovar – to brush
a escova – brush
enxaguar – to rinse
enxugar, secar – to dry
a toalha – towel
lavar – to wash
“lavar os cabelos” – to wash one’s hair
cabelo molhado – wet hair
piranha (or grampo) – hair clip (piranha literally means piranha (as in the carnivorous fish)… and be careful because the word “piranha” is also Portuguese slang for “prostitute”)
a presilha – hair clip (the smaller kind)
a goma or elastico or laço – hair tie
desgrenhado – disheveled (hair)
o secador de cabelos (or you can just say “0 secador“) – hair dryer
franja – bangs
franja de lado – bangs to the side
cabelo comprido or cabelo longo or cabelo grande – long hair
cabelo curto – short hair
as mechas, luzes – highlights
“pintar os cabelos” – to dye ones hair (literally means “to paint the hair”)
a tinta or tintura – hair dye
trançar – to braid
as tranças or as trançinhas – braids (Brazilians like to make words into diminutives – hence saying “trançinhas”)
cabelo trançado – braided hair
o rabo de cavalo – ponytail
coque – bun
o xampu – shampoo
o condicionador (or creme) – conditioner
creme sem enxágue – leave-in conditioner
cabelo estilo moicano – mohawk
o gel – gel
cortar – to cut
o corte – hair cut
aparar – to trim
aparar as pontas – to trim the ends (of the hair)
as pontas – the ends
ponta dupla – split end
escova japonesa or relaxamento – permanent chemical hair straightening (often achieved with a Keratin in Brazil)
queratina – keratin
aplique, postiça or alongamento – hair extensions
o fio de cabelo – a strand of hair
cabelo bonito – nice hair, pretty hair
cabelo feio – ugly hair
fazer uma escada – to make “layers” in the hair
um corte repicado – a layered haircut (there are a few different ways to say this in Portuguese)
um corte reto – a straight / even haircut
o volume – volume
cabelo volumoso – voluminous hair
cabelos danificados – damaged hair
simetria – symmetry
a técnica – technique
cabelos lisos – smooth hair
cabelos ondulados – wavy hair
ondas – waves
cabelos cacheados – curly hair
cachinhos – curls
cabelos crespos – frizzy hair
crescer – to grow
“meu cabelo cresce muito rapido” – ”my hair grows very fast”
a raiz – the roots
cabelo hidratado – hydrated hair
hidratação – hydration
cabelos saudáveis – healthy hair
cabelos secos – dry hair
cabelos oleosos – oily hair
alisante – a smoothing product
amenizar – to ease, soften
passar um produto – to apply a (hair) product
controlar – to control
cabelo rebelde – rebellious hair
“os fios são grossos” – ”the strands are thick”
cabelo grosso – thick hair
cabelo fino – thin hair
usar o cabelo solto – to wear your hair down
usar o cabelo preso – to wear your hair up
puxar o cabelo – to pull (someone’s) hair
levar puxão de cabelo – to have your hair pulled
caspa – dandruff
água morna – warm water
água quente – hot water
água fria – cold water
embolar – to tangle
o brilho – shine
protejer – to protect
cabeludo – hairy, an adjective for someone with lots of hair
uma juba – a lion’s mane, also an adjective for someone with lots of hair
o cheiro – the smell
cabelo cheiroso – hair that smells good
“você penteia (or “reparte”) seu cabelo pra que lado?” – “what side do you part your hair on?”
o cor – the color
fios brancos – gray hairs
loiro/a – blond
moreno/a – brunette
cabelo castanha – brown hair
ruivo/a – redhead
Portuguese Vocabulary: Facial Hair
pelos faciais – facial hair
bigode – mustache
barba – beard
costeleta – sideburns
cavanhaque – goatee
barbear – to shave
barbeador – razor
aparador de pelos – hair clipper
loção pós-barba – aftershave
creme de barbear – shaving cream
sobrancelhas – eyebrows
monocelha – monobrow
cílios – eyelashes
depilação – hair removal (waxing, depilatory creams, etc)
pinça – tweezers
ALSO SEE:
- Portuguese Beauty Salon Vocabulary
- Portuguese Spa Vocabulary
- Portuguese Makeup Vocabulary
- Women Getting Their Hair Stolen in Brazil
About Laurena
Cool blog Laurena! Thanks!
While living in São Paulo,my hairdresser taught me the term ‘mega hair’ another name for extentions.
rsrs, adorei!