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Makeup vs Cosmetics - What's the difference?

makeup | cosmetics |

As nouns the difference between makeup and cosmetics

is that makeup is an item's composition while cosmetics is preparations applied externally to change or enhance the beauty of skin, hair, nails, lips, and eyes.

makeup

English

Alternative forms

*

Noun

(en-noun)
  • (uncountable) An item's composition.
    • To understand how a nuclear reactor works, we must first look at its makeup .
  • (uncountable) Cosmetics; colorants and other substances applied to the skin to improve its appearance.
    • She is wearing a lot of makeup .
  • (Industry) Replacement; material used to make up for the amount that has been used up.
  • * 2005 , William C. Whitman, William M. Johnson, John A. Tomczyk, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology , page 1208:
    • When the water level drops, the float ball drops with it and opens the valve to the makeup water supply.

    Usage notes

    The alternative spelling make-up is favored by the Oxford Dictionary, and thus is often considered to be British, while makeup, being preferred by Merriam Webster's dictionary, is the generally accepted American spelling. In reference with Jean-Claude Corbeil/Ariane Archambault: Visual Dictionary, Look up a Word from a Picture, Find the Picture from a Word. (New York, USA / Oxford, UK, 1987)

    Hyponyms

    * See also

    References

    cosmetics

    English

    (wikipedia cosmetics)

    Noun

    (-)
  • Preparations applied externally to change or enhance the beauty of skin, hair, nails, lips, and eyes.
  • The study of such products.