29 Beauty 152 Who9s beautiful? Although there are some classical standards of who or what is considered beautiful linked to the concept of symmetry, harmony, and balance, <beauty is in the eye of the beholder =: everyone has their own idea of what <beauty= means, and the meaning of beautiful changes from country to country and from culture to culture. The British ideal body : Thin legs and arms, as well as a flat stomach is the ideal body in the UK. Women with full lips, a slim face, large eyes, and high cheekbones are considered more attractive, and men with rugged and masculine faces are seen as more good-looking. Oh, and tanning : the British are obsessed with it. Liverpool is the most tanned city, with over 60% of women applying self-tan at least five times a month. The American ideal body : The ideal female body according to American standards typically goes towards a toned , tanned body which is long and slim but hourglass . Modern Americans are attracted to a welldefined face, a small button nose and defined cheeks and jaw , with a broad upper body, including shoulders, biceps, and pectoral muscles; <v-shaped= seems to be a key term. Beauty enhancements : Although beauty cannot be bought, there are a lot of ways to change one9s physical aspect, from temporary improvements like make-up, hairdressing, beauty treatments, nail art, and fashion choices to permanent ones like tattoos and cosmetic surgery. Some interesting facts about the UK and the US : Women usually visit a hairdresser9s every 6-8 weeks for cuts, colouring, and treatments. Men often go every 4-6 weeks for trims and styling. Women wax their legs, underarms, and bikini areas every 4-6 weeks. Men increasingly wax their back, chest, and eyebrows, though less frequently. 83% of UK women wear make-up, favouring mascara and lipstick. 29% have tried trends like eyebrow defining. Men love grooming (beard oils, shaving creams), skincare (moisturisers, cleansers), haircare products (pomades, gels), and colognes. 1 READING WRITING Say if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones. T F 1 The idea of beauty is the same all over the world. 2 Liverpool is the right place to get tanned. 3 The American ideal man is quite muscular. 4 Women have their hair cut more often than men. 5 A lot of British women wear make-up. 6 Men do not like grooming products. 2 VOCABULARY GROUP WORK Split up into groups and challenge the other groups into writing the most words you know belonging to these categories in two minutes. " Make-up " Fashion " Hairdressing " Beauty treatments " Nail art 3 SPEAKING Speak about your habits in relation to fashion, hairdressing, and make-up. glossary beholder: osservatore broad: ampio button nose: naso piccolo e tondo cheekbone: zigomo flat stomach: pancia piatta hourglass: clessidra jaw: mandibola rugged: marcato tanning: abbronzatura toned: tonico to wax: fare la ceretta 172 Topic 8 " CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES