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  3. Cosmetics, Beauty

à fleur de peau

English translation: that caress the skin

09:03 Jun 25, 2004
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Cosmetics, Beauty / consumer goods
French term or phrase: à fleur de peau
this expression is used three times in sub-headings of a marketing document, presenting a company's new products - perfume, watches and leather goods. The sub-headings are as follows:
La sensualité à fleur de peau
Le cuir à fleur de peau
Le temps à fleur de peau

Any ideas for an equivalent English expression that could be used in all three titles, in-keeping with the original idea in French and suitable for a marketing doc? I've just started on the translation so ideas may come to me as I go along, but it's an urgent job and your help would be much appreciated !!
Clair Pickworth
France
Local time: 08:16
English translation:that caress the skin
Explanation:
=
Selected response from:

Graham macLachlan
Local time: 08:16
Grading comment
Many thanks to you and to everyone who took the time to answer, I decided to go along with the "caress" idea - "a caress of..."
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3Comment - see previous Kudos qestion
antm
4 +1that caress the skin
Graham macLachlan
5see explanation
TesCor -
5flawless [several ideas]
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
4brittle, (sends a) frisson
John Peterson
4à fleur de peau
Michel A.
4"delicate"
Julia Gal
3 +1a soft touch of
meggy
3kissing your skin
apta
3in the raw/naked
CMJ_Trans (X)


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
à fleur de peau
kissing your skin


Explanation:
also "brushing your skin"

apta
Local time: 08:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
brittle, (sends a) frisson


Explanation:
As à fleur de peau means "touchy", "edgy" my first thoughts would be to use words like this, which maintain a sense of being highly charged but without sounding negative. Depends on the context (e.g. if tensions associated with "guilty pleasures" are involved).

HTH.

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Note added at 2004-06-25 09:24:43 (GMT)
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Delicate might also be a possibilty (e.g. brittle/delicate for sensuality).

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Note added at 2004-06-25 09:57:50 (GMT)
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Should be \"words like those above\"; don\'t know about à fleur de peau, but must be a case of \"fleurs du mal\" meeting \"peau de chagrin\" when I start writing things like \"words like this\"!

Maybe \"leather that\'s more than skin deep\" as a final offering for the leather goods bit of the text.

John Peterson
Local time: 07:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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19 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
à fleur de peau
à fleur de peau


Explanation:
if it's a marketing/advertising stuff (& moreover if the product is Fr.) I would have left the expression in Fr. it's very classy... :-)))

Michel A.
Local time: 02:16
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  CMJ_Trans (X): but no-one will understand it!
10 mins
  -> I totally disagree with you, here in the UK these words in Fr. are very commonly used in ads (especially in 'magazines')
agree  Kit Cree: good idea, especially if the product is french
16 mins
  -> Thanks
disagree  Graham macLachlan: only because Lancôme use it as a trade name; yeah check, because this is the best answer
27 mins
  -> Ooops if it's a legal concern then better to double-check with the client, but it might be ok in spite of Lancôme
neutral  RHELLER: will not be understood in the U.S.
3 hrs
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
in the raw/naked


Explanation:
a touch of
at your fingertips

all ideas to play with (or not, as the case may be)

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 08:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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34 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
à fleur de peau
Comment - see previous Kudos qestion


Explanation:
Check out the question posed a few weeks ago. It should provide help.
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/724349

antm
Local time: 07:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  HRiley: Good suggestion - the previous question has some interesting comments and ideas
1 hr
agree  Shog Imas
2 hrs
agree  Sophie Raimondo
7 hrs
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50 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
à fleur de peau
that caress the skin


Explanation:
=

Graham macLachlan
Local time: 08:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 3
Grading comment
Many thanks to you and to everyone who took the time to answer, I decided to go along with the "caress" idea - "a caress of..."

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
14 mins
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
à fleur de peau
see explanation


Explanation:
I asked the exact same question myself, a short while ago. See
www.proz.com/kudoz/724349?float=1

TesCor -
Canada
Local time: 02:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
à fleur de peau
"delicate"


Explanation:
delicate is the closest term I can think of to accurately convey the same meaning as the French and fit all three examples

Julia Gal
Local time: 08:16
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
à fleur de peau
flawless [several ideas]


Explanation:
Smooth sensuality
Smooth leather
Smooth timepieces= IDEA + SURFACE + NOT DEEP

SmoothScent Perfumes
SmoothTouch Leathers
SmoothPass Timepieces

Anyway, that's the way to work on it.....

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Note added at 4 hrs 40 mins (2004-06-25 13:43:42 GMT)
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The general idea of fleur de peau is that the thing being described is right at the surface of the skin...not deeply embedded

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Note added at 7 hrs 22 mins (2004-06-25 16:26:25 GMT)
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Another Idea..harsher and more modern

The Feeling Edge
The Touching Edge
The Timing Edge

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 hrs 23 mins (2004-06-25 16:27:29 GMT)
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Flawless Sensuality
Flawless Touch
Flawless Timekeeping

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in category: 27
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
à fleur de peau
a soft touch of


Explanation:
a soft touch of sensuality
a soft touch of leather
a soft touch of time
?

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Note added at 8 hrs 24 mins (2004-06-25 17:28:03 GMT)
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more than (just) a feeling of.... - might be a bit long


meggy
Local time: 07:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): This is the kind of thinking required in marketing..but I would use The instead of a
1 hr
  -> :-) thanks Jane... even though i have strong reservations about "soft touch of time".... not sure it means anything...
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