2023-03-20 The price of looking and feeling good 美容舒心的成本

英国普通家庭每年用于美容和美发的支出占家庭预算的2%。这其中包括洗漱用品、化妆品和相关电器的花销。相比之下，受女性欢迎的护理包括去美发店吹发，而男性则尤其会花钱做按摩和面部护理。本期 “随身英语” 聊一聊美容舒心所需的成本。

词汇：beauty 美容

How much do you spend on looking after yourself each month? We all like to look and feel good, so it’s nice to spend money on ourselves sometimes! You might spend your hard-earned cash on visiting the hairdresser, a gym membership or pampering yourself with a massage.

When it comes to hair and beauty, the average UK household spends just under 2% of their budget, according to personal finance experts, Nimble Fins. That’s about £38 a month if you have an annual salary of £30,000. Areas that were looked at in their survey included toiletries, cosmetics, and related electrical appliances, like hairdryers.

However, it seems that some people spend much more than that. The booking app for all things aesthetic, Pamperbook, carried out a survey in 2022 of 900 UK salons and freelancers. The results found that female clients who use the app spend, on average, £1,000 per month. The survey showed that the most popular treatments were lashes and lip fillers, while customers frequently visited hair salons for a blow dry.

But it’s not only women who spend money on beauty. Though men and women visit spas more or less equally, according to the International Spa Association, or ISPA, men spend more on treatments. A national survey in 2019 found that male participants spend more on massages and facials per year than women – £501 to £445. Garrett Mersberger, head of the ISPA, said: “Men are more aware that it’s not just a thing I go to to get pampered. It’s an actual lifestyle choice with benefits to my body, my wellness.”

Whether you tend to spend money on these things or not, it can certainly feel good to treat yourself every now and then!

词汇表

look after 护理，善待
hairdresser 理发师
gym membership 健身房会员
pamper 精心护理
massage 按摩
toiletries 洗漱用品
cosmetics 化妆品
electrical appliance 电器
hairdryer 吹风机
aesthetic 美的
salon 美容院，美发店
client 客户，顾客
lash 睫毛
lip filler 丰唇
blow dry 吹发
spa 水疗中心
treatment 护理
facial 面部护理
lifestyle choice 生活方式的选择
wellness 健康
treat 犒劳

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What percentage of the average UK household budget is spent on hair and beauty?

2. What were the most common treatments for women in the 2022 Pamperbook survey?

3. True or False? Men visit spas more than women.

4. How much do women spend on massages and facials per year on average?

5. True or False? Garrett Mersberger believes that men go to spas to get pampered.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. My back was aching a lot, but the therapist _______ the pain away.

looked after              blow dry               pampered            massaged

2. I’ve asked for new _______ for my birthday. I want to wear more make-up.     

aesthetic                  lifestyle                 wellness               cosmetics

3. I’m going to the shop to buy some _______. Do you need anything?

toiletries                   clients                   facials                   spas

4. The _______ I see is so lovely. I can talk to her about anything.  

hairdresser              salon                     treatment              treat

5. My _______ is expensive, but I go there every day, so it’s worth it.

lip fillers                   lashes                    beauty                  gym membership

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。 

1. What percentage of the average UK household budget is spent on hair and beauty?
When it comes to hair and beauty, the average UK household spends just under 2% of their budget.

2. What were the most common treatments for women in the 2022 Pamperbook survey?
The survey showed that the most popular treatments were lashes and lip fillers.

3. True or False? Men visit spas more than women.
False. Men and women visit spas more or less equally, according to the International Spa Association.

4. How much do women spend on massages and facials per year on average?
£445. A national survey in 2019 found that male participants spend more on massages and facials per year than women, £501 to £445. 

5. True or False? Garrett Mersberger believes that men go to spas to get pampered.
False. Garrett Mersberger, head of the ISPA, said:”Men are more aware that it’s not just a thing I go to to get pampered. It’s an actual lifestyle choice with benefits to my body, my wellness.”

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. My back was aching a lot, but the therapist massaged the pain away.

2. I’ve asked for new cosmetics for my birthday. I want to wear more make-up.    

3. I’m going to the shop to buy some toiletries. Do you need anything?

4. The hairdresser I see is so lovely. I can talk to her about anything. 

5. My gym membership is expensive, but I go there every day, so it’s worth it.