cosmetics
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cosmetics
Products and substances used to care for and beautify the body, especially the face, skin, and hair.
Im Badezimmer hat sie eine ganze Sammlung an Kosmetik.
She has a whole collection of cosmetics in the bathroom.
'Die Kosmetik' is a singular, uncountable term, similar to 'die Musik' (music). In English, the plural 'cosmetics' is usually used for products. In German, you say 'Kosmetik' even when you mean many different products.
Sie gibt viel Geld für Kosmetik aus.
She spends a lot of money on cosmetics.
The adjective for 'die Kosmetik' (cosmetics) is 'kosmetisch' (cosmetic). It is used to describe things that have to do with beauty care or are only superficial.
Sie hat eine kosmetische Behandlung gebucht.
She booked a cosmetic treatment.
The figurative meaning 'oberflächliche Verbesserung' (superficial improvement) can often be recognized by signal words like 'rein' (purely), 'bloß' (merely), or 'nur' (only). It is often used in political or economic contexts to criticize the fact that a problem is not really being solved.
Die neuen Regeln sind bloße Kosmetik und ändern nichts am Grundproblem.
The new rules are mere cosmetics and do nothing to change the underlying problem.
When it is about products, 'Kosmetik' (cosmetics) is often combined with verbs such as 'auftragen' (to apply), 'benutzen' (to use), or 'entfernen' (to remove). A distinction is also made between 'pflegende Kosmetik' (care cosmetics, e.g. creams) and 'dekorative Kosmetik' (decorative cosmetics, e.g. make-up).
Vor dem Schlafengehen sollte man die Kosmetik gründlich entfernen.
Before going to sleep, you should remove your cosmetics thoroughly.
When 'Kosmetik' (cosmetics) refers to the industry, it often appears with prepositions like 'in' or 'im Bereich' (in the field). Typical formulations are 'in der Kosmetik arbeiten' (to work in cosmetics) or 'eine Ausbildung im Bereich Kosmetik machen' (to do training in the field of cosmetics).
Er arbeitet seit zehn Jahren in der Kosmetik.
He has worked in cosmetics for ten years.
care
'die Pflege' and 'die Kosmetik' can both have to do with skin, hair, and appearance. 'die Pflege' is broader and emphasizes keeping the body clean and healthy. 'die Kosmetik' more often refers to products or treatments that care for the body and make it look more beautiful, especially the face, skin, or hair. In addition, 'Kosmetik' can also mean the industry or field. Learners may confuse the words because many cosmetic products also serve personal care. When health and regular personal care are the focus, 'Pflege' is a better fit. When it is about beauty products or treatments, 'Kosmetik' is more natural.
Maria kauft neue Kosmetik, weil sie ein sanftes Make-up für die Feier sucht.
Maria buys new cosmetics because she is looking for gentle makeup for the party.
Bei kaltem Wetter braucht die Haut besonders viel Pflege.
In cold weather, the skin needs especially a lot of care.