The department store make up game

As every woman knows, braving cosmetic counters in a department store can be a intimidating experience.

From the overwhelming array of brands, colours and products to the challenge of running the gauntlet of glamazon sales girls, all eager to push as many products as they can in your direction, it can be daunting.

And if that’s not enough, every last detail of the layout — from the design of the counter to the location of the lipsticks — is deliberately constructed to make you part with even more of your cash. No wonder one study found that women buy two to three times more make-up than they need.

Retail expert Alan O’Neill, of Kara Change Management, who helps make-over department stores, says: ‘The beauty brands are really hot on science. Nothing is left to chance. Everything is meticulously designed to within an inch of the last lipstick.’

But if you go shopping armed with some inside knowledge of the tricks of the trade, buying beauty products need never be so scary — or costly — again. Here, Tanith Carey reveals the marketing ploys that make you fill your make-up bag with the products you don’t always need.

Read more here.