cosmetic vs cosmetics

cosmetic

noun
  • Any substances applied to enhance the external color or texture of the skin, e.g. lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner; makeup. 

  • An intangible influence that improves the overall perception of some thing or situation. 

  • A feature existing only on the surface. 

adj
  • External or superficial; pertaining only to the surface or appearance of something. 

  • Imparting or improving beauty, particularly the beauty of the complexion. 

cosmetics

noun
  • Preparations applied externally to change or enhance the beauty of skin, hair, nails, lips, and eyes. 

  • The study of such products. 

How often have the words cosmetic and cosmetics occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )