cosmetologist 的词源

“化妆品专家”这个词最早出现在1925年的美国英语中，主要用于州法令中对这一职业的规范。它是由cosmetology（美容学）和-ist（专家）组合而成。在此之前，人们更常用cosmetician（化妆师）这个词，最早可追溯到1914年。

The manufacturers of cosmetics have a new friend in the shape of a New Yorker, who calls himself a complexionist and prescribes a mixture of sulphur and glycerine to be rubbed on the face every night and washed off in the morning with ammonia. An elephant might not suffer from this treatment, but a human being who attempts it may reckon on about a year of repentance for every week of rubbing. The regular physicians might do a worse thing than expose the shameful ignorance of this "complexionist." [Ladies' Home Journal, August 1888]

化妆品制造商们在纽约找到了一位新朋友，他自称为“肤色专家”，并开出了一种奇特的配方：每晚用硫磺和甘油混合物涂抹在脸上，早晨再用氨水洗掉。或许大象不会因此受到伤害，但人类如果尝试这种方法，可能会为每周的涂抹付出一年的悔恨。普通医生如果能揭露这个“肤色专家”的无知，或许也算是做了一件好事。[《女士家庭杂志》，1888年8月]