Debenhams has reported that the North/South divide is ringing true for beauty hall tills across the country, with Northern lasses snapping up the longest of lashes and glossiest of lips and Southern ladies opting for a more natural look, with the exception of Essex.
Research into regional beauty buying habits by one of the UK’s largest retailers, Debenhams has revealed that different areas of the country favour a varying amount of slap.
Northern women are aficionados of the ‘more is more’ style with fake tan, false lashes and pink lip-gloss the runaway bestsellers. Northern celebrities, particularly the ever-groomed WAGs Coleen Rooney and Abbey Clancy are no exception.
Scottish lasses follow suit with their love of tanning and bronzer, perhaps making up for the chillier climes.
Back down South, women are devoted to creating perfect skin. Cult product YSL’s Touche Éclat, flattering tinted moisturisers and pore-perfecting powders fly off the shelves in London, Exeter and Brighton.
Bucking the trend comes the county of Essex. Instead of echoing the simpler slap of their Southern sisters, Essex girls align themselves firmly with the Geordies and Scousers.
Their devotion to a full face of makeup means Debenhams stores in Lakeside, Romford and Chelmsford have reported local girls wearing three pairs of lashes at the same time and spending hours in store getting ready for a Saturday night out.
In contrast, the simple but effective red lipstick reigns supreme in the Midlands – the classic look sells best in Birmingham and Nottingham. The Midlands women also know how to apply it with matching lip-liners also featuring regularly in their shopping baskets.
Irish (and Welsh) eyes are smiling thanks to a love of mascara and eyeliner. Mascara is the enduring favourite of the Celtic regions as best demonstrated by Welsh songstress Katherine Jenkins and Irish television presenter Christine Bleakley.
Research from Debenhams also showed that:
– Northern women buy on average a new pair of false eyelashes every fortnight
– Midlands women own on average ten red lipsticks
– Irish women tend to reapply mascara three times a day
– British women are most likely to apply fake tan on a Thursday evening, leaving enough time for the colour to develop before Friday and Saturday nights out
– Southern women spend three hours carefully choosing the correct skin tone match of foundation / tinted moisturiser
Ruth Attridge, spokesperson for Debenhams said: “British women’s love of lotions and potions has ensured that our beauty halls are busy all over country.
“Our lipstick sales are up 19 per cent, mascara sales up 21 per cent and nail varnish up 21 per cent when compared to last year.
“This beauty research helps us manage where we send our stock and when.
“Shipments of fake tan will be winging their way up North to satisfy the Thursday rush while we’ll also make sure Londoners don’t miss out on their Touche Éclat fix.
“However, when it comes to starting the Saturday night getting-ready ritual in store, The Only Way really is Essex”.
Via EPR Network
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