FEATURES
8 The Linguist Vol/60 No/2 2021
thelinguist.uberflip.com
Debbie Garrick takes us inside the varied, evolving and
growing field of cosmetics and skincare translation
T
he cosmetics industry is worth billions worldwide.
Germany, the UK and France are the biggest
consumers of cosmetics and personal care items
in Europe,
1
and with €79.8 billion in retail sales in 2019,
Europe is the largest cosmetics market in the world. So
when it comes to translation, the beauty industry is
worth investigating.
Most people imagine glossy adverts when they think
of cosmetics translation and this is one area of the field,
but there are many more. These include skincare, make-
up and body care; holistic therapies; and, in more recent
times, semi-permanent make-up and injectables. It's a
constantly evolving industry and there are many types of
company and product, each with its unique brand identity
– from famous luxury brands to smaller indie companies
and, over the last few years, quirky, eco-friendly brands.
Translation-wise this makes for a fascinating industry as
there are so many types of content. Companies need
product descriptions, user instructions and marketing
materials such as social media posts, print and video ads,
and websites. Where cosmetics translation stands apart
is in its blend of technical and creative content.
The technical side comes from the science behind the
products. There is a fine line to weave between science
and marketing: the research and science are what make
people believe the products are worth investing in, but
how you word that information is what makes the
product sell. Although you need to be technically
accurate, you aren't translating for a scientific audience,
so you need to make it relatable and appealing, while
packing a lot of information into a small space. As with
any marketing copy you need to know the brand well
and work with their tone of voice, image and target
market. A luxury cosmetics company is going to use very
different language to an eco-conscious company
producing shampoo bars and reusable wipes.
It's important to keep up with what's happening in
the industry, so you are aware of the latest trends,
neologisms and ingredients. Reading magazines and
signing up to online newsletters from my favourite
cosmetics companies in all three of my languages helps.
Popular ingredients in 2020 included hyaluronic acid,
retinol and ceramides, and more natural ingredients like
activated charcoal and matcha. Many are similar in my
source languages (French: acide hyaluronique; Spanish:
ácido hialurónico), but 'activated charcoal' is often
charbon actif in French – literally 'active charcoal', which
we don't really see in English.
ON BEAUTY
FACE FACTS
The cosmetics
industry is big
business and worth
nearly €80 billion
in Europe alone
IMAGES
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