Shadowing Practice: HOW TO MAKE LOTION BARS - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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i'm going to show you how to take a rich
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and creamy good lotion and turn
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that into a bar it's going to be great it's going to renew your faith in lotion bars
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and hopefully it's going to make for some great gifts this season
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so let's make lotion bars for our first lotion bar recipe
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oh yes this is going to be one of three we're starting off by making a classic lotion bar
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well lotion bar in quotations considering you'll only need free ingredients it's completely all natural and it's perfect for beginners.
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In a large heatproof container measure out 50 grams of cocoa butter.
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Yes you can use other butters but I specifically chose to use cocoa butter because it's widely available, easy to recognize and you can tell if it's high quality or not.
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If it doesn't smell like chocolate, chuck it in the bin.
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But the main reason is for its firm and smooth texture.
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The harder the butter you use, the less wax you'll need to make a solid bar
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and that's how you get that really melty buttery smooth lotion bar that doesn't feel like rubbing chalk on your skin
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next up we have 16 grams of beeswax again you can use any wax here
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and candelilla is a great vegan alternative but beeswax works well here
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because it's a soft wax that gives our body butter bars a little flexibility
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so that they're solid but not rock hard and lastly to bring everything together will need 33 grams of oil.
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Now I'm actually using extra virgin olive oil because it's a great moisturizer and you're likely to already have it at home,
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but insert your favorite oil here, it really doesn't matter.
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The trick to making the perfect body butter bars is all about finding the right balance between solids and liquids.
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Natural ingredients are more temperamental, so low and slow is the game when it comes to heating.
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I'd recommend either using a double boiler
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or bain marie like you see here to avoid overheating allow the butter
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and wax to melt stirring occasionally to help it along after
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about 20 minutes you should have a completely liquid mixture next up molds i'd encourage you to use silicone molds
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that are really flexible and
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that way you won't have a hard time taking out your body butter bars now
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because there's no preservative these bars will work best in small
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single use molds out of this 100 gram mixture I was able to get 4 .25 bars.
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Refrigerate overnight although I did leave these in for about 24 hours
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and when you're done they should pop out of the moulds easily.
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Now let's see if these free ingredient bars are up to scratch.
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You know what these are like the final form of every online DIY skincare recipe
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that promises you the perfect product with just free ingredients.
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Are they perfect?
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No. But they are pretty good.
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You see the way it just glides across your skin with no resistance and it leaves that trail of moisture?
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That is exactly what you want in a lotion bar.
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You know, I just can't get mad at something like this.
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It's so easy to make, it's free ingredients, completely all natural.
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It smells amazing, thanks for the cocoa butter that we used.
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But it does have some obvious flaws.
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The first and most obvious is that these aren't lotion bars.
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I honestly don't know why they keep being called that, but they have no hydrating capabilities and they can't come in contact with water.
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And I hate to admit it, but they are on the greasier side.
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What I would describe these as being are like solid body butters.
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So if you love the rich decadence of a good body butter, these little body butter bars will be your new obsession.
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And because they're so easy to make
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and completely natural they'll make for the perfect gift
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if you're a beginner or just starting to get into making your own skincare
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but for those of you who want something a little more refined
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and a little less greasy let's make real lotion bars next up we have the ultra creamy often imitated
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but never quite replicated true lotion bar in another heatproof bowl
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start by adding 52 .5 grams of shea butter that's right we're moving on to cocoa butter's creamier cousin.
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Unrefined shea butter has an off -white malleable texture that's soft enough to squeeze just with your fingertips.
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It will give our lotion bar a soft, rich texture that melts on the skin.
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To that, you can optionally add a little bit of cocoa butter.
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And here's where things start to get really interesting because we're using 22 .5 grams of an emulsifying wax.
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Emulsifying waxes have hydrophobic and hydrophilic qualities that bind oils and water together.
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So when the bar is used on wet skin it forms a creamy emulsion that helps extra moisture absorb into your skin.
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This is not the same as beeswax and no you can't substitute it with bees, soy or any other type of wax.
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After adding the non -negotiable emulsifying wax you'll need 12 grams of a regular wax.
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I'm using candelilla wax which will give our lotion bars a firmer smooth set
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but you can substitute this one with any regular wax
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and then we'll need oh um this is kind of embarrassing i actually forgot the next ingredient Fortunately,
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futuremeatholealise .com has already written out the whole recipe, including measurements, tips on ingredients, and even links to where I buy them.
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Wow!
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But anyway, do click the free recipe link in the description box below for more information.
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Now that we're all up to date on ingredients, we'll need 22 .5 grams of almond oil, followed by 18 grams of fractionated coconut oil.
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This gives just the right balance of moisturizing but light emollients but you can use your favorite vegetable oils instead.
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Like before, melt your ingredients over a low gentle heat, stirring occasionally.
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Seeing as it will take a while, you can use this time to measure out 7 .5 grams of arrowroot powder.
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This is a fine pillowy white powder that will absorb excess oil
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and cut down on that greasy texture that you can get with lotion bars.
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Keep whisking to make sure that the powder is fully dissolved and no lumps remain.
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Cornstarch, yes the very same that thickens sauces, will also work, so use whichever you have available.
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Turn off the heat and allow the malter mixture to cool, but make sure that it is still liquid.
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Add in your preservative.
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I'm using optifent, but it might be called something different depending on where you are.
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Again check the recipe link in the description below for more
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information on the exact INCI of this preservative once the preservative
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is mixed in immediately transfer to your molds don't dilly
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or dally here as the mixture will start to set on the sides of the container
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so be careful these lotion bars can be used multiple times
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so you're not limited to bite -sized molds again refrigerate for at least 12 hours
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and just like that you'll have made real lotion bars now let's see if they were worth those extra steps.
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Now this is a lotion bar.
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Just the skin feel alone is a huge step up from the previous recipe.
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Now bars are always going to be richer and thicker than traditional lotions
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but the emulsifying wax and preservative allows you to use this in water
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and that really speeds up the absorption time as well as cutting down on the oiliness.
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But a word of warning, do make sure that these are completely dry before you store them.
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Don't be one of those people who just leaves your lotion
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bar on the side of a sink in a pool of water.
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You know who you are.
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As good as these lotion bars are, I still think we can do more with the bar form.
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So let's take this even further.
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Now after two recipes, you're probably thinking, how much better can lotion bars get?
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A lot.
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A lot better.
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For these hair and skin conditioner bars, that's right, we're making conditioner, we're retiring the shea and cocoa butter.
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This is all about the delectable mango butter.
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It has the softest texture of all three butters.
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It's non -greasy and crumbles under the slightest pressure.
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We'll also need 70 grams of BTMS.
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BTMS is a conditioning emulsifying wax that helps with slip and gives these bars that silky feeling on the hair.
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I'm using BTMS 50 but you can also use BTMS 25.
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Next up we'll need 36 grams of a fatty alcohol that will help stabilize the bars and thicken it.
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This, combined with 6 grams of steric acid, these white powdery flakes you see here, replaces the wax that we used in the previous recipes,
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as we don't want anything that will cause buildup or is hard to remove from our hair.
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Now let's get on to the real star of these conditioning bars, avocado oil.
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But this isn't just any avocado oil, I'm using ultra -rich, unrefined, organic avocado oil.
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Look at the colour on this oil, you can almost see the nutrients.
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Like before, place this on a low heat until melted.
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Unlike with basic lotion bars, this conditioner bar provides moisture to your hair without weighing it down or leaving it greasy.
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The choice of butter, oil, BTMS, settled alcohol and steric acid are key to getting the right texture, so don't skip them.
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Now there are a couple secret ingredients to take these conditioner bars to the ultimate level.
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Cationic guagam is a natural thickener, similar to xanthum gum, but it's anti -static and perfect for reducing frizz and defining coils.
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Panphenol powder is vitamin B5 that boosts your hair's moisture levels.
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I normally use this in liquid form in case you're a little bit confused, but in bars the powder works best.
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In a separate bowl, combine the guagam and panphenol with 14 grams of vegetable glycerin.
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It might take a minute, but eventually you'll get a smooth paste that you can pour into your still liquid but off the heat conditioner base.
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Whisk to ensure that all the powders are fully incorporated.
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When the conditioner base has cooled a little, it can be warm but definitely not hot.
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We'll add in our preservative and antioxidant.
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Here I'm using Optifan again and Vitamin E oil.
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This should protect the bars from moulding or turning rancid for a minimum of 3 months.
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But again, check holalease .com for more information.
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A totally optional and yet highly recommended step is to add some essential oils for fragrance.
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These can also double up as herbal treatments, such as using lavender and tea tree oil, which can help with dandruff and hair retention.
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Now, if you want multiple use bars, use a larger mold to set your conditioner.
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I got about two and a half bars out of this recipe.
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Refrigerate overnight and voila, you have just made the ultimate conditioner bar.
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Congratulations.
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You know the funny thing?
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I have been to places that have shampoo and no conditioner.
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You know who you are.
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And yet, I can't think of a single scenario where I would wash my hair without conditioner.
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So this little conditioning bar is so convenient.
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Pop one in your gym bag or travel bag
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or just wherever there's some doubt that your destination will have the right amenities.
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And the best part is, you can actually use this as a regular lotion bar.
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It is truly an all -in -one hair and skincare lotion bar.
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I don't I don't know if you guys can tell but I'm actually really impressed with this one.
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It's just such a great conditioner in its own right.
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You've got that buttery smooth and silky BTMS that will condition your hair
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but then we also have the natural oils and butters
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which helps with moisture and then finally to top all of
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that off we have the vitamin b5 and guar gum and that really helps with anti -frizz as well as hydration.
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I've shown you how to make body butter bars, real lotion bars, as well as conditioner bars.
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From beginner all the way to pro.
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All within one video.
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That is just way too much goodness for one tutorial.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “HOW TO MAKE LOTION BARS”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: bar, lotion, butter, oil, gram. This video has 153 sentences and 2062 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:38. The speaker talks at a natural 177 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 75% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lotion noun | /ˈloʊʃən/ | A low- to medium-viscosity topical preparation intended for application to unbroken skin. |
| gram noun | /ˈɡɹæm/ | A unit of mass equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram. Symbol: g. |
| conditioner noun | /kənˈdɪʃənə/ | Anything that improves the condition of something. |
| ingredient noun | /ɪnˈɡɹiːdi.ənt/ | One of the substances present in a mixture, especially food. |
| preservative noun | /prɪˈzəːvətɪv/ | Any agent, natural or artificial, that acts to preserve, especially when added to food. |
| cocoa noun | /ˈkəʊ.kəʊ/ | The dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made. |
| mold noun | /moʊld/ | A natural substance in the form of a furry or woolly growth of tiny fungi that appears when organic material lies for a long time exposed to (usually warm and… |
| texture noun | /ˈtɛkst͡ʃə(ɹ)/ | The feel or shape of a surface or substance; the smoothness, roughness, softness, etc. of something. |
| emulsify verb | /ɪˈmʊlsɪfaɪ/ | To make into an emulsion. |
| greasy adjective | /ˈɡɹi.si/ | Having a slippery surface; having a surface covered with grease. |
| moisture noun | /ˈmɔɪs.t͡ʃɚ/ | That which moistens or makes damp or wet; exuding fluid; liquid in small quantity. |
| creamy adjective | /ˈkɹiːmi/ | Containing cream. |
| melt verb | /mɛlt/ | To change (or to be changed) from a solid state to a liquid state, usually by a gradual heat. |
| mixture noun | /ˈmɪkst͡ʃɚ/ | The act of mixing. |
| avocado noun | /ˌɑvəˈkɑdoʊ/ | The large, usually yellowish-green or black, savory fruit of the avocado tree. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| double up verb | /ˈdʌb.əl ʌp/ | To double the quantity, amount or duration of something |
| get on to verb | To contact (someone) in order to raise or discuss a certain matter. | |
| speed up verb | /spiːdˈʌp/ | To accelerate; to increase speed. |
| start off verb | To begin. | |
| take out verb | To remove. | |
| turn off verb | To power down, to switch off, to put out of operation, to deactivate (an appliance, light, mechanism, functionality etc.). | |
| written out adjective | deleted or excluded from a narrative work or record. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has already written · have made · has cooled |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being called · might be called · is mixed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | wax which will · people who just · oil, which can |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 54 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: lotion /ˈloʊʃən/, conditioner /kənˈdɪʃənə/, shea /ʃi/, fractionate /ˈfɹæk.ʃəneɪt/, hydration /haɪˈdɹeɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: conditioner /kənˈdɪʃənə/, ingredient /ɪnˈɡɹiːdi.ənt/, preservative /prɪˈzəːvətɪv/, emulsify /ɪˈmʊlsɪfaɪ/, avocado /ˌɑvəˈkɑdoʊ/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like lotion, gram, conditioner.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.