Hair talk: the finer points
How Swedes talk about hair beyond the basic cut — textures, colour work, going grey, bad haircuts, and the salon vocabulary you meet on the price list and in the chair.
- 1
en konsultation innan färgning
a consultation before colouring
Tip: Free, short, and expected for big colour changes.
- 2
ett allergitest
a patch test
Tip: 48 hours before a dye — salons insist.
- 3
en utväxtfärgning
a root touch-up
Tip: 'utväxt' = regrowth.
- 4
utväxten syns
the regrowth is showing
Tip: 'synas' = show/be visible.
- 5
balayage
balayage / hand-painted highlights
Tip: Used as-is; pronounced the French way, roughly.
- 6
en toning
a toner
Tip: Removes the brassiness after bleaching.
- 7
att bleka
to bleach
Tip: 'Blekning' = the treatment.
- 8
att låta det gråna
to go grey gracefully
Tip: 'gråna' = go grey; 'låta' = let.
- 9
att täcka det gråa
to cover the greys
Tip: 'täcka' = cover.
- 10
en keratinbehandling
a keratin treatment
Tip: 'behandling' = treatment.
- 11
en hårbottenmassage
a scalp massage
Tip: 'hårbotten' = scalp.
- 12
kluvna toppar
split ends
Tip: 'kluven' = split.
- 13
frissigt hår
frizzy hair
Tip: 'frissig' = frizzy.
- 14
en undercut
an undercut
Tip: Used as-is.
- 15
en fade
a fade
Tip: Barber term, used as-is: 'skin fade', 'low fade'.
- 16
en snaggning
a buzz cut
Tip: 'snagga' = buzz; 'snaggad' = buzzed.
- 17
en bob
a bob
Tip: 'Page' is the older Swedish word.
- 18
en knut
a bun
Tip: lit. 'a knot'; 'en messy bun' is said in English.
- 19
en hästsvans
a ponytail
Tip: lit. 'horse tail'.
- 20
en fläta
a plait / braid
Tip: 'fläta' is also the verb.
- 21
att låta det växa ut
to grow it out
Tip: 'växa ut' = grow out.
- 22
det jobbiga mellanstadiet
the awkward in-between stage
Tip: 'mellanstadiet' also = middle school, which is why it's funny.
- 23
en misslyckad klippning
a bad haircut
Tip: 'misslyckad' = failed.
- 24
de tog alldeles för mycket
they took way too much off
Tip: 'alldeles för' = way too.
- 25
det växer ut igen
it'll grow back
Tip: The consolation.
- 26
en klippkedja
a cheap chain salon
Tip: The 'drop-in for 299' places.
- 27
en stammisfrisör
a hairdresser you're loyal to
Tip: 'stammis' = regular; 'byta frisör' is a betrayal.
- 28
att boka om var sjätte vecka
to rebook every six weeks
Tip: 'var sjätte vecka' = every sixth week.
- 29
en frisörskola
a hairdresser's school (cheap cuts)
Tip: Students cut, teachers check, half price.
- 30
en hemfrisör
a mobile hairdresser who comes to you
Tip: Common for elderly clients.