The make-up of Britain: Northern women like to slap it on while Southern girls prefer the ‘natural look’ (with the exception of Essex)

A make-up map of Britain has revealed a North-South divide among the nation’s women.

While northerners are happy to slap on fake tan and false eyelashes, those in the South are more keen on a natural look.

The only exception – you might guess – was Essex, where girls shared the northern attitude of ‘more is more’.

 

Prime examples: Geordie Shore's Holly Hagan (left) and TOWIE's Amy Childs both like to wear a lot of make-up

Northern WAGs Coleen Rooney and Abbey Clancy are credited with helping fuel sales of fake tan and pink lip gloss.

Scottish women were also fans of tanning and bronzer, with the country’s chilly climes forcing many to reach for the bottle for a sun-kissed look.

Further south however, women were keener on products which give the effect of having perfect skin with concealers, tinted  moisturisers and pore-perfecting powders particularly popular in London, Exeter and Brighton.

A study by Debenhams found that women in the North buy on average a new pair of false eyelashes every fortnight, while women in the South spend three hours carefully choosing the correct foundation to match their skin tone.

HOW LONG TO CHOOSE PERFECT FOUNDATION? 3 HOURS IN THE SOUTH

• 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

But in Essex, Debenhams stores in Romford, Lakeside and Chelmsford reported women wearing three pairs of lashes at the same time and spending hours in store buying the perfect make-up.

The study also found that the red lipstick reigns supreme in the Midlands where women own an average of ten each. They’re also most likely to purchase lip-liners to match the lipstick.

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.

Northern women are aficionados of the ‘more is more’ style with fake tan, false eyelashes and pink lip-gloss the runaway bestsellers, Debenhams has found.

They buy, on average, a new pair of false eyelashes every fortnight and 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.

Northern celebrities, particularly the ever-groomed WAGs Coleen Rooney and Abbey Clancy - and the cast of MTV's Georgie Shore - are no exception.

Scottish lasses follow suit with their love of tanning and bronzer, perhaps making up for the colder weather.

In the South, women are devoted to skincare and minimal make-up. The average southerner spends an impressive three hours carefully choosing the correct skin tone match of foundation or tinted moisturiser.

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 make-up 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 the Midlands, a simple but effective red lipstick is the most popular product with the average woman owning 10 of them. The classic look sells best in Birmingham and Nottingham where women apply it with matching lip-liner.

Irish and Welsh girls like to emphasise their eyes. They reapply mascara around three times a day, like wide-eyed local girls Katherine Jenkins and Christine Bleakley.

 

Opposites: While northern girls can wear up to three pairs of fake eyelashes at once, southerners tend to prefer the minimalist look

Ruth Attridge, spokesperson for Debenhams says: 'British women’s love of lotions and potions has ensured that our beauty halls are busy all over the country.

'Our lipstick sales are up 19 per cent, mascara sales up 21 per cent and nail varnish up 21 per cent when compared with 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'.  

TOP FIVE BESTSELLING PRODUCTS BY REGION

Regional trend: Women in the Midlands own, on average, 10 lipsticks each

NORTH AND SCOTLAND

1. Fake tan
2. Bronzer
3. False eyelashes
4. Pink lip gloss
5. Mascara

ESSEX

1. Fake tan
2. False eyelashes
3. Lip gloss
4. Bronzer
5. Mascara

SOUTH

1. Tinted moisturiser
2. Concealer
3. Mascara
4. Powder
5. Pink lip gloss

WALES AND IRELAND

1. Mascara
2. Eyeliner
3. Foundation
4. Pink lip gloss
5. False eyelashes