At Beautycon, Social Media Stars Redefine Beauty

Please refresh the page to get the latest updates.

Materials Daily News

Intermediate

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

insider

Noun

ɪnˈsaɪdər

a person who belongs to a certain organization or group and knows a lot about their activities

Some company insiders shared their view of the recent incident.

rethink

Verb

ˈriːθɪŋk

to think about something again in order to change it

We need to rethink our plan if we want to finish the project on time.

shift

Noun

ʃɪft

a change in the direction of something

There was a shift in the wind after sunset.

Recently there has been a shift in the market upwards.

A political shift in the U.S. could cause major changes in environmental policy.

awareness

Noun

əˈwɛrnɛs

understanding or knowledge about something

Rising temperatures in recent years have increased awareness of global warming.

A group of women launched a campaign to raise awareness for breast cancer.

November is Alzheimer's disease awareness month.

The campaign was intended to raise awareness of mental health issues.

By taking the course, the students will develop an awareness of how the Internet works.

well-being

Noun

wɛl ˈbiːɪŋ

the state of being healthy and happy

She cares for your well-being.

Exercise 2

Article

AI Generated Audio––:–– / ––:––

At Beautycon, Social Media Stars Redefine Beauty

For some people, makeup is not just about the latest lipstick product or eyeliner. It is about having power.

Just ask the people who attended Beautycon, a recent 2-day event in New York City. The attendees were able to see and test products from over 100 makeup and beauty care brands.

At Beautycon, the “stars” were not famous supermodels or designers, but everyday people who have used social media to change the makeup industry.

Millions of people use social media to follow the latest news about beauty care. These Instagram and YouTube users are creating new markets in the business and forcing industry insiders to rethink their ideas.

Mecca Iman, a social media user who loves using makeup, says that beauty and makeup are more than just looks. "It's deeper than that. It’s about how you feel."

Moj Mahdara, the head of Beautycon Media, said that beauty magazines no longer decide who is beautiful, or healthy-looking. "Now you have a generation of young people who are creators,” she said.

Industry experts argue that a recent shift in consumer awareness about health and wellness also has a big impact on the beauty industry.

One area of Beautycon, called "B-Well," dealt mainly with health and well-being, with companies selling vitamins and healthy treats.

"Beauty is both inside and out," said Mahdara.

She believes the industries dealing with health, well-being and beauty are coming together.

Exercise 3

Questions

Who were the stars at Beautycon?

Who is Moj Mahdara?

What did the "B-Well" area of Beautycon deal with?

Exercise 4

Discussion

What are your thoughts on Beautycon?

Would you be interested in attending this event? Why? Why not?

What do you make of the idea that makeup is about having power?

Would you agree that "beauty is both inside and out"? Why? Why not?

Do you see it as a good thing that beauty magazines "no longer decide who is beautiful"? Why? Why not?

Exercise 5

Further Discussion

Do you follow the latest news about beauty care on social media? Why? Why not?

What would you say are the most popular beauty care brands in your country? Please explain your answer.

Do you take vitamins on a daily basis? Why? Why not?

Why do you think many people are more concerned with their physical appearance than with their health and well-being?

In your opinion, does society place too much importance on physical beauty? Why do you think so?

Exercises for Further Self-Study

These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.

Exercise 6

Sentence Building

Write at least one sentence for each of the words in Exercise 1: Vocabulary. Begin by making sure you understand the definition of each word. Use the example sentences as a guide if you are unable to think of a sentence. Practice reading your sentences out loud.

Exercise 7

Summary

Make a brief summary of the article. Focus on the main topic and consider which pieces of information are most important. Make sure you include details such as what the article is about, who is mentioned in it, where and when the events took place, and also how and why they happened.

Parts of this lesson are based on:

An article by Voice of America.