après-shampooing
/a.pʁɛ.ʃɑ̃.pwɛ̃/
The French phrase for conditioner is après-shampooing.
The term refers to a hair care product used after shampooing to make the hair smooth and manageable.
What does it mean word for word?
après-shampooing is a compound noun composed of après (after) and shampooing (shampooing).
Which one should you use?
après-shampooing is the standard term. You may occasionally see conditionneur used, though it is often considered an anglicism in the context of hair care.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, the term le revitalisant is commonly used for conditioner.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine, so you use the masculine article un when referring to a single unit of the product, such as un après-shampooing.
How do you pronounce it?
/a.pʁɛ.ʃɑ̃.pwɛ̃/
Did you know?
- If you use the word conditionneur in France, a local might think you are talking about an air conditioner (climatiseur) or a chemical agent for industrial use.
- In Quebec, the term revitalisant is preferred over après-shampooing to avoid using an English loanword. This reflects a strong cultural and legal push in Quebec to protect the French language from anglicisms.
- In French, you do not 'apply' conditioner to the hair as much as you 'apply' it 'to the lengths' (sur les longueurs). This specific phrasing is the standard way to instruct hair care usage.
Examples in context
- J'ai besoin d'acheter un revitalisant pour mes cheveux.I need to buy a conditioner for my hair.
- Peux-tu me prêter ton après-shampooing ? J'ai oublié le mien.Can you lend me your conditioner? I forgot mine.
- J'ai oublié mon après-shampooing.I forgot my conditioner.
- Cet après-shampooing sent très bon.This conditioner smells very good.
- Il faut appliquer l'après-shampooing sur les longueurs.You must apply the conditioner to the lengths.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are in the bathroom preparing for a trip.
- NathanLéa, est-ce que tu as vu mon après-shampooing ?Léa, have you seen my conditioner?
- LéaIl est sur l'étagère du haut.It is on the top shelf.
- NathanMerci, je l'ai trouvé.Thanks, I found it.
- LéaN'oublie pas de bien le rincer.Don't forget to rinse it out well.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry après-shampooing, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
