patine
/pa.tin/
The English phrase hair toner is translated into French as patine.
The term refers to a chemical treatment used to adjust the tone of hair and remove unwanted brassy or yellow colors. In a professional salon context, patine refers specifically to the process of toning hair to neutralize unwanted tones.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun patine is feminine, so you use the feminine article une when referring to the treatment (e.g., une patine).
How do you pronounce it?
/pa.tin/
Did you know?
- In French, the word patine is a homonym, as it can also refer to the blade of an ice skate.
- The French term patine comes from the same root as the English word 'patina', which refers to the green film that forms on old copper or bronze.
- If you ask for a 'toner' in a French pharmacy instead of a patine in a salon, you might be given a skin astringent.
Examples in context
- Je vais faire une patine pour enlever les reflets jaunes.I am going to get a toner to remove the yellow tones.
- Cette patine va raviver votre blond.This toner will brighten your blonde.
- Le coiffeur a appliqué une patine sur mes cheveux.The hairdresser applied a toner to my hair.
Example conversation
At a hair salon, Emma is discussing her hair color with Hugo.
- HugoEmma, tes cheveux ont l'air un peu jaunes.Emma, your hair looks a bit yellow.
- EmmaC'est vrai, j'ai besoin d'une patine.It's true, I need a toner.
- HugoUne patine règlerait le problème facilement.A toner would fix the problem easily.
- EmmaTu as raison, je vais prendre rendez-vous.You're right, I'm going to make an appointment.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry patine, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries patine, CC BY-SA 4.0.
