Hello, fearless learners, and welcome back to Blackboard English. Today, I want to talk about makeup. If you’re going shopping for makeup, it can be very helpful to know common phrases and vocabulary that you might use. In this lesson, we’re going to learn useful phrases and words that you can use when you’re buying makeup in English.
I’m looking for…
Let’s start with some basic phrases. When you first go into a shop, you might be looking for, let’s say, foundation. So, you might say, “I’m looking for a new foundation.” Foundation is something you put on your face to cover up certain marks and make your skin even. There’s something else called concealer, which is for dark areas like under your eyes or dark spots that you might have. Concealer tends to be in a smaller bottle and is thicker than foundation.
Do you have…
Now, let’s say you find an eyeshadow that you really like. You could say to the shop assistant, “Do you have any eyeshadow in this colour?” They will then take you to the place where they have eyeshadow in the colour you want, whether it be in a cupboard, behind the counter, or in the back where the stock is kept.
Can you help me?
Next, you might say, “I’m interested in trying a new lipstick.” If you need help finding something specific or choosing a product, you can say, “Can you help me find the mascara section?” The shop assistant will then take you to the area in the store where you can find mascara.
If you’re not sure what shade of foundation you need, you can say, “I’m not sure what shade of foundation I need. Can you help me?” Shade refers to the tone or colour that matches your skin tone.
Recommendations
When you’re looking for a specific type of product, you might ask for recommendations. For example, you could say, “I’m looking for waterproof eyeliner. Do you have any recommendations?” Waterproof means that the product won’t smudge, run, or move around your face if you wash it.
Paying
When you’re ready to pay, you might use phrases like, “Can I pay with a credit card?” or “Do you have any sales or discounts?” You can also ask about loyalty cards, which are given by some stores to customers who make frequent purchases. You might say, “Can I get a loyalty program card?” Finally, when you’re leaving the store, you might say, “Thank you for your help. I’ll definitely be back,” or “Can I get a bag for my makeup?” The shop assistant will then ask if you would like a bag for your purchases.
By practicing all these phrases and vocabulary, you will start to feel confident and comfortable when you’re buying makeup. So, I want you to go through it and try to practice as much as you can. In no time, you’ll be very confident speaking when you’re in a store. Thank you so much, fearless learner, and I’ll see you in the next lesson. Bye for now.