Over the past few years, more and more people have shown an interest in taking proper care of their skin, according to reports, health and beauty products are expected to be the fastest-growing sector by 2022.
However, new research by Scandinavian health and beauty brand New Nordic shows that we struggle to pronounce several health terms properly after they surveyed people on the names of many health products and ingredients.
The research also revealed the three most mispronounced wellness ingredients, with Jojoba oil landing top spot, quinoa in second and turmeric being the third.
So how do we actually pronounce them?
Two-thirds of those asked thought jojoba oil is pronounced ‘jo-jo-bah’ but the ‘j’ is actually pronounced as an ‘h’, like in Spanish. This powerful ingredient helps nourish dry skin and balance oily areas.
Quinoa, which contains vitamin A, is not only a popular food but is also great for reducing hyperpigmentation. However, 60 per cent of those tested pronounce it wrong, thinking it is ‘kin-oh-a’ instead of ‘keen-waa’.
Shockingly, despite turmeric being a common ingredient both in skincare and in cooking, 58 per cent of Brits say ‘tew-mur-ik’, rather than its correct pronunciation of ‘tuh-muh-ruhk’ with a soft ‘r’ sound that is similar to an ‘uh’.
The key to hydrated skin, Hylauronic Acid is the ingredient of the moment included across nearly all facial products to give glowy healthy-looking skin.
Despite finding it on the back of almost every hydrating serum, it proves a tricky one to pronounce with just over half (53%) getting it wrong with many missing the silent ‘a’ at the beginning, thinking it’s ‘hy-low-ron-ik as-id’.
Other ingredients that were clear tongue-twisters for many Brits were common skincare serum ingredients such as Niacinamide, pronounced ‘nye-a-sin-a-myde’, Benzoic Acid, pronounced ‘ben-zo-ic-as-id’ and Salicylic Acid, pronounced ‘sal-i-sil-ik as-id’.
One ingredient that Brits didn’t stumble on too much is matcha, often used in teas, face creams and soothing masks.
The correct pronunciation of this popular super powder ground from green tea leave is ‘ma-chuch’ which 86 per cent got correct.
Here is a full list of the ingredients:
| INGREDIENT | WRONG PRONOUNCIATION | WRONG PRONOUNCIATION | CORRECT PRONOUNCIATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jojoba Oil | jo-jo-bah oil | go-go-bah oil | ho-ho-bah oil |
| Quinoa | kin-oh-a | kin-wah | keen-waa |
| Turmeric | Tur-mer-rik | tew-mur-rik | tuh-muh-ruhk |
| Hylauronic Acid | hy-lah-ron-ik as-id | hy-low-ron-ik as-id | hy-a-lur-onic as-id |
| Niacinamide | nee-a-sin-a-myde | nee-a-sin-a-mid | nye-a-sin-a-myde |
| Benzoic Acid | benz-ok as-id | ben-zoyk as-id | ben-zo-ic as-id |
| Salicylic Acid | sal-syl-ik as-id | sal-i-sylk as-id | sal-i-sil-ik as-id |
| Astaxanthin | ass-ta-san-thin as-id | asta-ex-an-thin as-id | asta-zan-thin |
| Benzoyl Peroxide | ben-zoyl per-ox-ide | ben-zee-oil per-ox-ide | ben-zoe-il peer-oks-ide |
| Glycerin | gl-eye-suh-rin | gli-ser-rin | gli-suh-ruhn |
| Shea Butter | sh-ay-a but-er | sh-ee but-er | she-a-but-er |
| Rhodiola | ro-ho-dee-oh-la | row-di-oh-la | roh-dee-oh-la |
| Alpha-Hydroxy Acid | al-pah hy-drox-y as-id | al-pha hy-drox-i as-id | al-pha-hy-drox-y as-id |
| Beta Carotene | bay-tah kay-roe-teen | bee-tah cah-roe-teen | beh-tah cah-roe-teen |
| Matcha | mat-ka | ma-sha | ma-chuh |
Table adapted from Daily Mail
