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  3. Cosmetics, Beauty

bien dans leur vie

English translation: to feel good about oneself

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:être bien dans sa peau
English translation:to feel good about oneself
Entered by: Hermeneutica

16:47 Dec 3, 2002
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Cosmetics, Beauty / cosmetics
French term or phrase: bien dans leur vie
Hi,

could someone suggest something punchy for this expression? This is the sentence in question, intro to a magazine article about men's cosmetics.

Les hommes bien dans leur vie prennent désormais soin de leur apparence.

The problem I see and which is making me feel a little hobbled is that it is a woman writing for/about men, and I am a woman too, and I want to make sure that this does not end up sounding patronizing or condescending or too bland ... or reflecting too much what a woman's definition of a man "bien dans sa vie" might be.

Thanks very much in advance for your suggestions, esp. to any gentlemen who might take the time! :)

Dee
Hermeneutica
Switzerland
Local time: 13:53
men who feel good about themselves
Explanation:
just another suggestion, but I would use this one!!!!!!
Selected response from:

Jennifer White
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:53
Grading comment
Thank you very much to all for this great brainstormin session! I proposed all the options left after the initial weeding out to my editor, and she [and her husband] chose this one ... the sentence was finally rendered as:

"Nowadays, men who feel good about themselves choose to take care of their appearance"

Special thanks also to Cathérine for providing the proper French language context for the expression.
Dee
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5enjoy life
lahogan
5 +4men without hang-ups ...
Bourth (X)
5 +4Men on the go OR Men leading the good life want to look good
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
5 +4"I feeeeel good, I knew that I would" men
Jonathan Morris
4 +4Men who know how to live...
Libero_Lang_Lab
3 +4leading a lively life, feeling good in their shoes, looking life in the face
Francis MARC
4 +3men who live life to the full...
Clair Pickworth
4 +3pleased with their appearance
Paulette Racine Walden
4 +1men who do care about (all aspects/facets) of their life/lives
Steffen Walter
5men who feel good about themselves
Jennifer White
4successful men
swisstell
3 +1happy men want to look nice
Jonathan Morris
4all-is-well men or life-is-good men
cjohnstone
3 +1men in their prime
jerrie
3 +1For the laid-back gentleman who...
Moret
3 +1Not "men" but "males" (or "the male")
Noel Castelino
4Men in love with life
Simon Oliver
4men comfortable with who they are
Anna Taylor
4 -1up and go men
cjohnstone
2 +1Une remarque sur le français déjà :
Catherine GUILLIAUMET
3 -1modern men (or 21st century men)
cjohnstone
1fortunate
C.A.Joseph


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
enjoy life


Explanation:
men that enjoy life

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 16:54:24 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

even better: who enjoy

lahogan
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
Grading comment
Weeding out ... not related enough

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Libero_Lang_Lab: this is the best option on display
20 mins
agree  Jonathan Morris
40 mins
agree  Joanne Parker: Men who enjoy life
1 hr
agree  luskie
4 hrs
agree  Louise Dupont (X)
10 hrs
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Weeding out ... not related enough

6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
successful men


Explanation:
is a suggestion

swisstell
Italy
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Too 80's. Def of success, mostly money, not the issue here
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)
The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Too 80's. Def of success, mostly money, not the issue here

7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
leading a lively life, feeling good in their shoes, looking life in the face


Explanation:
just suggestions

Francis MARC
Lithuania
Local time: 14:53
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): Francis, feeling good in their shoes???
1 hr
  -> bien dans ses baskets, en somme
agree  cjohnstone: les baskets en anglais j'ai oublié..sorry it's just for friendly fun, now and again it can't hurt
1 hr
agree  Louise Dupont (X)
10 hrs
agree  Ioana Bostan
13 hrs
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
men who do care about (all aspects/facets) of their life/lives


Explanation:
Slightly different nuancing but might still fulfil the intended purpose...

Regards from a 'gentleman' (as *you* put it),

Steffen ;-))

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 17:04:10 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another, more conventional, option along the lines of previous answerers:

- men who feel at home with themselves/their lives
(might be too far-fetched and not idiomatic enough though)
- men who *take care* of themselves/their lives

Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Louise Dupont (X)
10 hrs
  -> Merci :-)
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
up and go men


Explanation:
another one

cjohnstone
France
Local time: 13:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Weeding up ... did you mean "get up and go"?

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Libero_Lang_Lab: you're thinking of get-up-and-go, but i don't think it works here
6 mins
  -> no I just meant "happy with it, but if you reacted i am probably wrong
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Weeding up ... did you mean "get up and go"?

34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
fortunate


Explanation:

happy + lucky + well-off: fortunate
Just a suggestion...

C.A.Joseph
France
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
Grading comment
Weeding out ... not related to context
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Weeding out ... not related to context

43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
men without hang-ups ...


Explanation:
... to switch things round.

Or Men without complexes ...

Or men at ease with themselves ...

I prefer the first.



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 17:36:15 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Personally I think the slogan is a load of *@#~&µù!!!. But then I consider myself to not have hangups yet haven\'t the slightest inclination to wear makeup. Or perfume or deodorant or aftershave, or use conditioner!


Bourth (X)
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 47

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): It is make up, it's creams for dry skin etc.
33 mins
agree  cjohnstone: Jane you are a bit harsh here...if I may
53 mins
agree  Moret: I like "men at ease with themselves"
1 hr
  -> Ngmc?
agree  Libero_Lang_Lab: I think it's a good option. make-up can sometimes be seen spelt as one word
2 hrs
agree  luskie: yes, at ease!
4 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Men on the go OR Men leading the good life want to look good


Explanation:
Men leading the good life comes closest to the ridiculous bien dans leur vie


Men on the go care about their appearance.

forget the desormais as in the French...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 18:39:13 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

re my neutral above: I mean to say It is NOT make-up

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 20:36:55 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Looking Cool: For Men Who Have It All

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 27

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  cjohnstone: a bit long ?
31 mins
  -> It's not longer than the French
agree  Moret: I agree Jane, but I think these guys already think they look good !
34 mins
  -> What do you mean?? You can lead the good life, know it and think you look like hell and so want to improve it. That's the whole point. :)
agree  Clair Pickworth: men on the go is nice
1 hr
neutral  Libero_Lang_Lab: men on the go suggests business types rather than suave, cool dudes who like to look good
2 hrs
agree  Noel Castelino: Agree also with "...want to look good" which I 'lifted' in my brief Moret avatar.
2 hrs
agree  Louise Dupont (X)
9 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
happy men want to look nice


Explanation:
HTH

Jonathan Morris
Native speaker of: English
Grading comment
Weeding out ... does not fit tone at all

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Libero_Lang_Lab: or: nice men want to look happy
1 hr
  -> either way, I've reduced 13 words to 6 - a massive saving in efficiency
agree  Noel Castelino: Good. I don't know why I didn't see this before.
4 hrs
  -> probably because it's so short
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Weeding out ... does not fit tone at all

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
all-is-well men or life-is-good men


Explanation:
another go (two sorry) as we all seem to get very excited about this, geat fun actually so never mind points let's have fun togehter and try and help

cjohnstone
France
Local time: 13:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Getting closer...thanks for persistence!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Libero_Lang_Lab: well, I'm glad your having fun... you certainly know how to live it up
1 hr
  -> not sur I get the joke
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Getting closer...thanks for persistence!

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
men in their prime


Explanation:
or men in the prime of their life...

take (a) pride in their appearance

Just another one.

jerrie
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
on peut être "bien dans ses baskettes" à tout âge ... merci!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  cjohnstone: before or after their prime they may care ...
4 mins
  -> or if they want to stay in their prime...before, during and after! Thanks
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: on peut être "bien dans ses baskettes" à tout âge ... merci!

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
For the laid-back gentleman who...


Explanation:
Or "laid-back man..." if you don't want that little sting in the tail. But I do think you have to turn the sentence differently, and render "hommes" in the singular.

-- Moret (formerly Ngmc).I can't get in as Ngmc so I've created one closer to home (copying one of our more eminent memhers here).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 18:58:41 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I meant of course that you\'d have to link it up with the next sentence if there is one.

\"Les hommes bien dans leur vie prennent désormais soin de leur apparence.\" would become something like this:

\"For the laid-back gentleman who also wants to look good...\"

The \"also\" is vaguely related to \"desormais\". \"Also\" = \"en plus\" = \"moreover from now on\" = \"desormais\". :-)))

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 19:05:21 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Men who feel good like to look good.

This is a spin-off from Socrates\'s contribution.

Moret

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): that could have other meanings! :)
6 mins
  -> Well it all adds up...
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
modern men (or 21st century men)


Explanation:
come to think of it...!! no kidding, just a bit of fun on this one

cjohnstone
France
Local time: 13:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Not bad, but a special subset is being aimed at ...

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Jonathan Morris: 22nd century, surely?
2 hrs
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Not bad, but a special subset is being aimed at ...

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +4
"I feeeeel good, I knew that I would" men


Explanation:
HTH

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 18:59:23 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\'world on a string, oysters at my feet\' men

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-12-03 21:13:57 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

could also be:

men who enjoy rubbing cream all over themselves are concerned about the fact that they\'re covered in cream.

Jonathan Morris
Native speaker of: English
Grading comment
Absolutely right, but it don't help me none!! :))

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Libero_Lang_Lab: you're a sex machine
1 hr
  -> Yes, it appears I'm on the scene
agree  Noel Castelino: Could you work in something about the "feel-good factor" or is that too far-fetched ?
1 hr
  -> How about 'P-p-p-people try to get us down, j-j-j-just because we g-g-g-get around' men?
agree  luskie: ;:)))
2 hrs
  -> !
agree  Nancy Bonnefond: Best one yet!!!! :-)
22 hrs
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Absolutely right, but it don't help me none!! :))

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
men who live life to the full...


Explanation:
just another suggestion though I guess it may be a bit far removed from the original; "bien dans leur vie" is like "bien dans leur peau" - meaning they feel good about life, enjoy it (as suggested above, who have a happy and fulfilled life so why not "who live life to the full"?

Clair Pickworth
France
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Libero_Lang_Lab: that's goooood, reeeeeeeeal goooood
48 mins
  -> well thanks, you've made my night !
agree  Yolanda Broad
51 mins
  -> thanks
agree  cmwilliams (X)
1 hr
  -> thanks
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
pleased with their appearance


Explanation:
That's what I could find in reading about it.

Paulette Racine Walden
Local time: 07:53
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
Weeding out...too one-sided, prods. add to their appeareance

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): That doesn't make sense: Men who are pleased with their appearance are now caring for it??
18 mins
  -> You are never too pleased or happy when you care. Thanks!
neutral  Libero_Lang_Lab: I think that what is meant is: for men who care about their appearance
39 mins
  -> Thank You!
agree  Bourth (X): Do women who wear makeup do so because they think they're ugly? If so, the marketing people need a whole new slant on their work ...
1 hr
  -> They don't think they are ugly, but a lot of them feel it is a plus, Thhank You!
agree  Noel Castelino: No, the job of the marketing people is to make them feel ugly and wear more make-up: Ngmc aka Moret
2 hrs
  -> It is a plus for a lot of women. Thank You!
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The asker has declined this answer
Comment: Weeding out...too one-sided, prods. add to their appeareance

3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
Men who know how to live...


Explanation:
Men who love life, love XYZ

Libero_Lang_Lab
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:53
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): Dan, if you use alfred39's translation, how do you deal with the rest of the sentence??
25 mins
  -> I wasn't agreeing with the translation - just offering to clarify what she herself was suggesting
agree  luskie: with love life
1 hr
agree  Bourth (X): Men with love life want to wear makeup?
1 hr
agree  Jonathan Morris: like it! if memory serves me there was a non-alcoholic lager in the UK in the 1970s/80s whose slogan was Enjoy LIfe! Enjoy XYZ! it was a dismal failure but that's by the by.
3 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Not "men" but "males" (or "the male")


Explanation:
Sorry, I can't seem to get in as "Moret" now (password problem or something) so I can't add this as a note to my earlier post.

I just think you might get a different spin with "males": "the laid-back male", "males who feel good" etc...

Noel Castelino
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bourth (X): Yes (you'll be calling yourself "Marc" next).
1 hr
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
men who feel good about themselves


Explanation:
just another suggestion, but I would use this one!!!!!!

Jennifer White
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you very much to all for this great brainstormin session! I proposed all the options left after the initial weeding out to my editor, and she [and her husband] chose this one ... the sentence was finally rendered as:

"Nowadays, men who feel good about themselves choose to take care of their appearance"

Special thanks also to Cathérine for providing the proper French language context for the expression.
Dee
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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Men in love with life


Explanation:
:)

or ...Men on a roll ...

or, in another register,

Cool guys ...

Simon Oliver
France
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 day 2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
men comfortable with who they are


Explanation:
, meaning, by extention, with their sexuality and won't feel threatened by the implication that slathering their faces with lavish fragrant creams won't make them "gay".

Anna Taylor
US Minor Outlying Isl.
Local time: 06:53
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1 day 5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Une remarque sur le français déjà :


Explanation:
Bien dans sa vie/leur vie, même chez les publicites, n'est pas franchement français. Ca doit une "retraduction". Car l'expression "bien dans sa vie", est en général utilisée dans le sens négatif : "pas bien dans sa vie".
En fait, c'est "bien dans sa/leur tête/peau" qu'il faut comprendre en français. C'est ça l'idée. Alors pour l'anglais, les enfants ... vous vous débrouillez ! Quoique, ne pourrait mélanger 2 expressions, avec un jeu de mots pour les produits de beauté - mais passera- t-il en anglais je ne sais pas, à vous de voir : Males at ease with their skins (mélange de 'at ease with themselves" et de "I got you under my skin' [Thanks Frankie and Ella :-)]+ l'idée de peau à traiter). Suis pas anglophone, mais c'est juste une idée

Catherine GUILLIAUMET
Local time: 13:53
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Geneviève von Levetzow
236 days
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