To all my fellow cosmetic junkies....

For a long time now, I have been tempted and intrigued by the mineral loose foundations offered by Bare Minerals.  I feel like I've read every review and every blog post related to them, and yet I still couldn't decide whether to buy some or not.

My main issue came with the fact the product is a powder, and my skin is notoriously dry and dehydrated.  In my experience these two things just don't go well together.  Having said that, I've read rave reviews by dry-skinned bloggers, and some people literally swear by this foundation.

Anyway, to cut a potentially long story a bit shorter, I decided to go into my local Debenhams yesterday and throw myself on the mercy of the girls on the Bare Minerals counter.

This finally killed my intrigue once and for all.  The foundation looked terrible on me.  It didn't help that the colour they matched was a bit too orange for me, but generally I found the powder to gather in my fine lines and sit on my skin, and the only way I can describe how I looked is 'haggard'.  My skin looked awful and this fuelled my suspicion that this foundation only works on two types of people - those with a greasier complexion or those with an already clear complexion who just want to look a bit more "make-up'd up".

And herein lies my message for the day to all my fellow cosmetic junkies who, like me, get a certain thrill from the temptation of new cosmetics that promise to make you beautiful.

Where possible, try before you buy.

This is a mantra I'm trying to live by and so far it has saved me a lot of money.  For example the Bare Minerals.  I'd have quite happily parted with £50 for their starter kit and been bitterly disappointed.  The same disappointment I got when I spent £45 on Giorgio Armani's designer foundation or £20 on Benefit's Erase Paste...

What makes it worse with these products is they are higher end, and if I'd have gone to a counter then the representative would have tried it on my face, I'd have found it didn't suit me, and I'd have walked away with my debit card intact.

I recognise there is a significant element of 'trial and error' with cosmetics, and that's why blogs and reviews are so sought after.  But if you've started to become aware, like me, that your obsession with seeking out cosmetic wonder products is starting to drain your bank balance then this is my friendly advice....

If you can get a sample, or get a counter artist to demonstrate it on your skin, then do it.  When they've tried it on you, make a note of the shade/product and WALK AWAY.  See how the product lasts on your skin, how it looks in daylight, how it settles.  Then if you like it, go back and buy it.  No harm done.  The key is to not be driven too much by excitement.  It is okay to wait for a wonder product.

Now all I have to do is listen to my own advice......