And that bill is set to soar as it doesn't even include any cash spent on cosmetic surgery or dentistry, according to a survey by New Woman magazine.

A total of 48 per cent of women admit they'd never walk out their front door without make-up and 70 per cent would jump at the chance of a nip or a tuck if only they had the money.

"You wake up looking like the morning after the night before, but a quick rummage in your make-up bag and suddenly you're Kate Moss. Just buying make-up and anticipating putting it on makes women feel good.

In fact they're willing to give up nights out (40 per cent), food (37 per cent), a car (10 per cent), a holiday (eight per cent) or even a date with Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt (37 per cent) to keep their make-up bags well stocked.

With a bewildering array of cosmetic brands to choose from, women have an average of 86 different items stashed away - and 87 per cent admit they sometimes buy make-up they never end up wearing.

But 81 per cent of women wear make-up every day, 15 per cent wear make-up when socialising and three per cent for special occasions. Only one per cent of women never wear make-up.

Women spend an average of 52 minutes a day putting on make-up and refreshing it and 71 per cent say they find the whole act of applying make-up mentally therapeutic and stress relieving.

Only six per cent of British women say they feel confident when their face is scrubbed bare of make-up and one in 10 wants to hide away completely.

However, 81 per cent are not too fussed about their partner seeing them without make-up - despite the fact 52 per cent of women think their man is naturally better looking than they are.

That's why 35 per cent of women say they intend to have cosmetic surgery - either now (13 per cent) or in the future (22 per cent) - and 35 per cent say they will possibly have it. Only 29 per cent rule it out.

The majority of women think their eyes are their best facial feature (78 per cent)- however, only 32 per cent are happy with their mouth, 11 per cent with their face-shape, 10 per cent with their teeth, nine per cent with their bone structure and and five per cent with their nose. Five per cent of women are unhappy with all their features. Only 18 per cent of women are happy with their skin - 44 per cent say it's prone to spots, 32 per cent claim it's blotchy and others say their skin is too freckly or too dry.

Most women think 32 is the peak age of female beauty and men are at their best at 34. They think a woman's looks begin to fade at 46 and a man's at 55 - almost a decade older.

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