A survey of British men has found that one in ten men admit to secretly using make-up, with men from Newcastle being the most likely to wear make-up; closely followed by men from Essex.

More than 1,800 men were surveyed by designer secret sales website HushHush.com to investigate men’s attitudes towards make-up and toiletries, as well as the number of British males who admit to wearing make-up.

When asked ‘Do you ever secretly wear make-up?’ 11% of respondents admitted that they did. When asked how often they did so, the majority, 52%, of these respondents said they did so ‘regularly’; while 21% admitted that they wore it ‘every day’.

These respondents were then asked to highlight which make-up products they used. The top five products used by those who said they secretly wore make-up were:

1. Concealer – 71% (of make-up-wearing respondents stating they used it)
2. Lip gloss – 64%
3. Eyeliner – 49%
4. Mascara – 31%
5. Bronzer – 18%

More than a third of the men taking part (37%), said they used fake tanning products; with the majority of these, (68%) preferring to use at-home products. The remainder said they preferred to go to spray-tanning salons and 14% of men also said that they regularly used tanning beds.

The survey then asked respondents who secretly wore make-up which town or city in the UK they lived in, revealing that Northerners are more likely to wear make-up than their Southern counterparts; with just three of the top ten towns and cities being located in the south.

The towns or cities in which men were most likely to secretly wear make-up were revealed as:

1. Newcastle
2. Essex
3. Liverpool
4. Leeds
5. Edinburgh
6. Manchester
7. Exeter
8. Nottingham
9. Cardiff
10. Middlesbrough

Mark Pearson, founder of HushHush.com, said: “With men in the public eye wearing make-up, including X Factor winner James Arthur, it appears to be becoming more acceptable. Despite this, the majority of men who wear make-up feel that they have to do so in secret, although in reality, people around them are bound to have noticed but, in true British style, are probably too polite to bring it up!”

Words by Katy Pearson

A new survey has revealed British women keep hold of their make-up products for SIX YEARS after they have gone off.

Escentual.com, leading online beauty retailer, discovered that many Brits are holding onto their make-up far past the use-by date, exposing them to toxins and bacteria, which lead to unnecessary breakouts and risk eye infections.

Eyeshadow came up trumps for the most hoarded item at the bottom of make-up bags with women keeping hold of them for nearly seven years, which is nearly six years too long. It is also one of the worst culprits for spreading infections as it is applied close to the eye.

Next worst was lipstick and liquid foundation, which are kept for 4¾ years, and over 3½ years respectively, which is more than three years longer than they should be kept.

Mascara is one of the worst culprits for spreading eye infections and was seen to be kept nearly two years past its use by date, and eyeliner is kept 3 years too long on average.

The most frequently replenished beauty products were face powder, blusher and bronzer but even they were kept a year longer than they should be according to the survey.

Emma Leslie, Beauty Editor at Escentual.com commented on the results: We’re all guilty of clinging on to lip and eye colours in the hope they come back into fashion but make-up can easily become a breeding ground for bacteria like Satphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis.

“Beauty products that surround the eye hold the greatest risk of infection and can cause bacterial conjunctivitis and blepharitis, an inflammation of the eyelid. So it’s alarming to learn that British women are holding onto eyeshadow years past the expiration date.

She added: “Liquid foundation, blusher, bronzer, concealer and face powder past expiration dates can clog up pores with bacteria, which can cause irritations, break-outs and rashes.”

In the most extreme cases 6% of women admitted keeping eyeshadow for more than 14 years, 17% admitted to owning mascara 7-8 years old and 7% of respondents confessed to having eyeliner more than 14 years old.

Women have an average of 3-6 lipsticks at one time, and lipsticks are kept for an average of 4 years and 8 months which is more than 3 years past the expiry date. These can be a breeding ground of cold sores, especially if women have ever shared their lipstick, and 12% of women claim they’ve kept their lippy for 7-8 years and 5% for 10-12 years. Even with face powder, the least hoarded beauty item, a substantial 12% admitted to holding onto the product for 6-7 years.

Words by Katy Pearson

My top tip for avoiding over-packing your suitcase is to select a few well-chosen, best loved pieces that work well together. Stick to a simple colour palette that allows you to mix-and-match items for a multitude of outfits.

Holiday Must-Haves

It’s wise to travel in a comfortable pair of skinny jeans. Choose a neutral shade you can wear throughout the holiday paired with an array of bright, print or neutral tops. I love Warehouse for its great selection of denim in a variety of colours for all shapes and sizes.

A pair of black or beige shorts that you feel comfortable in are a necessity for wearing in the day with vests, shirts or jackets. For a relaxed, yet stylish daytime look pair with flat, strappy sandals. For the evening, transform the outfit by accessorising with bright heels for a sexy night-owl look.

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Spring and summer are the seasons to lose the heavy foundation and blusher and embrace a more natural look. It’s important to ensure that your skin is in top notch condition as you minimise the amount of makeup you are using.

Fortunately, there are plenty of tips, tricks and products to have you glowing on the inside and out.

Your first step to clear, bright skin is to make time once a week for an exfoliating treatment. However, regularly and thoroughly you may cleanse, pores become trapped with dirt and oil causing blackheads or blemishes.

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This Spring, make-up is all about embracing your natural beauty and welcoming a pretty palette of pastel shades, peachy hues and flirty pinks...

Complexion Perfection

Moving from winter to spring can be a shock to the skin as the sunshine starts to peep through the clouds. Ensure your complexion exudes perfection with a fresh and bright glow, using Estee Lauder Nutritious Vita-Mineral Loose Powder Foundation SPF 15, £25.50 (House of Fraser). Begin by lightly sweeping the foundation over your cheeks, forehead, nose and chin for a sheer and satin-matt finish. Nourishing vitamins A, C, E and pomegranate will protect your skin, while delivering a youthful and radiant complexion.

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