English Conversation - AT THE BEAUTY PARLOUR

AT THE BEAUTY PARLOUR

Reena has to go to a party and she decides to have her hair done up. She telephones Susan’s parlour.

Mrs.Verma Do you have a day off to-day, Reena?

Reena Yes mamma. I am going to a party this evening with Ranjan. I think I’ll have my hair done to-day.

Mrs.Verma Yes. I think you do need to have your hair trimmed as well.

Renna (Telephoning the beauty shop). Hello, is that Susan’s par parlour? Good morning. I want to make an appointment for a trim, shampoo and set, please.

Beauty Parlour All right, Madam. Would you like to have your hair trimmed by a particular operator?

Reena Is Lucy free at 11o’clock?

Beauty Parlour Yes, Madam. I’ll put you down for 11o’clock. What name did you say it was?
Reena Reena Verma
Beauty Parlour Right, Madam. We’ll expect you at 11o’clock this morning?

Reena leaves the house and takes her hairspray with her. She arrives at Susan’s beauty shop.

Reena (To the receptionisit). Excuse me, I have an appointment for a trim, shampoo and set.

Receptionist Good morning. Your name please?


Reena Reena Verma.

Receptionist That’s right. We have but you down in our appointment book. Please take a seat for a moment, I’ll ring for Lucy.

The receptionist calls Lucy.

Lucy Hello, Reena. Nice to see you after a long time. Where have you been?

Reena I’ve been busy at the office. Lucy first please trims my hair a bit. They have grown very shabby and the ends are splitting.

Lucy Come along.(Reena sits before the mirror). Would you like to have a short cut?
Reena No. I’d like to leave my hair long. Just cut off the ends which are splitting and shape the hair at the back a bit.

Lucy All right. You have such lovely straight hair. Long hair worn open is in vogue these days. Your hair is soft and doesn’t fluff out. Just the right kind of hair to suit the current fashion trend. There that’s done. Now the shampoo boy will give you a shampoo.

The shampoo boy leads Reena to the sink and washes her hair out and wraps her head in towel and brings her back to Lucy.

Reena It is so much easier to have one’s hair shampooed professionally. It takes me so long to wash my hair at home.

Lucy I’ll have to use the big rollers on your hair. Do you want the ends turned out or turned in?
Reena Turned inwards, please.

Lucy Now I’ll put you under the dryer for forty-five minutes. Here are some magazines. If it gets too hot, just pull at this plug and the air will cool off. Are you comfortable? Would you like some coffee or tea?

Reena No, thank you. Can I take these ear covers off?

Lucy I think it is better that you keep them on. Or else, the hot air will burn your ears.
After forty-five minutes, Lucy takes Reena out from under
the dryer and takes out the pins and rollers.

Reena Did you apply a setting lotion?

Lucy No. Your hair doesn’t require it. Would you like a lot of back combing?

Reena No. Please don’t back-comb my hair at all. My hair fall when I comb them out later.

Lucy I’ll have to do a little bit of back coming anyway to style it. But only a little bit. This much won’t hurt you hair. A little back-combing is essential for soft hair like yours to give them some “body”. See that’s done. (holding a mirror behind Reena’s head) Do you like it?

Reena That’s lovely. Thank you.

Lucy Would you like a pedicure or a manicure?

Reena No, thank you. Not to-day. (Reena puts tip of Rs.5 on the table). Bye Bye, Lucy. See you next time.next time.

Lucy Thank you Reena. Please come again.

Reena pays for the work done on her and walks out of the
shop.

(B) VOCABULARY

massage dye
streak facial
beautician steaming

Phrases

face back cleaning girl
waxing and threading cut in steps


Meanings

Trim to cut a little bit so as to make tidy
Shampoo & set the hair is washed with a shampoo (liquid soap lotion) & then arranged in a desired style or shape
Operator a hairdresser
Shabby untidy
Split to break into two at the end.
Vogue fashion
Fluff to shake up into a mass.
Dryer a machine which blows hot air and is used to dry hair.
Back-combing the act of combing the hair backwards so as to create a jumble
Pedicure cleaning the hands and finger nails and massing them.
Manicure cleaning the feet and toe and finger nails, shaping and painting them. Manicure and pedicure are done by the cleaning girl.

(C) Study the following responses

1. What are the services usually offered by a hair dresser’s shop and a beauty shop?
Responses : A ladies hairdressing saloon usually offers the facilities of washing. Cutting setting, drying and styling the hair. Pedicures and manicures are also done. Hair are dyed (coloured) and streaked (dyed in strips). At a beauty shop, all the above mentioned services are provided and, in addition, there is a beautician. The beautician is a lady who works on a person’s skin, applies lotions on the face to relax and smoothen wrinkles and tone up the muscles. She can remove facial and bodily hair by using a wax or by using a thread (waxing and threading), etc.

(D) Make suitable responses:

1. Do you like women to have long hair dressed into “juras” or buns or do you think women look nicer with short hair? Why?
Responses
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2. Going to beauty shops and having one’s hair dressed by professionals is a luxury. Comment.
Responses __________________________________________
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