by BR Kellie
There's one very big reason I love the written word - I don't have to figure out how to pronounce it. As recently as today, I had a conversation with a friend over the pronunciation of "regatta". Is is re-gat-ta or re-gar-tar? I still don't know. What I do know is that it's not a word I'm keen to say out loud anytime soon.
Working in the beauty industry means many a time I've had to question the pronunciation of a brand name, especially from brands whose names are in a language other than English. The last thing I want is to appear ignorant, which is why if I'm not sure of the pronunciation of a brand I will search the ends of the internet to find it and get it right. I'm not the only member of the Beauty Review crew to feel this way, which is how we came to create the Beauty Review Guide To Brand Names, which was first published in 2014.
Ten years on, many more brands with names we need to know how to pronounce have entered the market, so we've expanded out guide to ensure we makeup, haircare and skincare lovers don't put our pretty pedicured feet in our mouths whenever we talk beauty...
Aesop - ee-sop
A’kin - a-kin
Anna Sui - anna swee
Batiste - bat-eest
Briogeo - bree-oh-gee-oh
Bulgari - bull-gar-ree
Byredo - by-ray-doe
Caudalie - ko-da-lee
Cetaphil - see-tuh-full
Dr Hauschka - doc-tor howsh-kuh
Donna Karan - don-na ka-ren
Eylure - eye-lure
Gatineau Paris - gat-in-oh
Givenchy - zhee-von-she
Guerlain - gair-larn
Illamasqua -illa-mass-ka
Inika - in-ee-ka
Issey Miyake - iss-say mee-ya-kee
Kayali - kay-ali (like the boxer)
Kérastase Paris - kirra-stass
Kevyn Aucoin - kevin oh-kwan
Kiehl's - keels
Kjaer Weis - keer wice
Korres - core-ezz
Lancome - lon-com
L’Occitane - lox-ee-tan
La Mer - la mare
Narciso Rodriguez - nar-siss-h rod-ree-gess
Natio - nay-tee-oh
Oribe - or-bay
Ouai - way
Rimmel - rim-l
Sachajuan - sasha-hwan
Scholl - "shoal"
Shiseido - she-say-doh
Shu Uemera - shoe oo-eh-moor-ah
St. Tropez - san tro-pay
Stila - stee-la
Sukin - soo-kin
Thierry Mugler - tee-air-ree moo-glare
Versace - versarch-ay
Weleda - well-ay-dah
Yves Saint Laurent - eev-sahn-la-ron
One brand name whose pronunciation continues to elude me? Viseart. I've seen vise-art, vizz-ee-art, viz-art, but nothing set in stone. Be sure to hit the chat below if you know the answer! Speaking of the need to know...
Are there any brand names that you can't figure out? Have you been saying any of the above wrong? Or are you all over the pronunciation of the pretties? Get chatting below!
Love this and definitely guilty of mispronunciation :-)