London: Ladies can't resist temptation, even during recession. A survey in Britain has revealed that a British woman carries an average of 57 pound-worth of cosmetics in her purse.
According to the survey, women are spending some 1.1 billion pounds a month on make-up -- those between the ages of 16 and 24 carry 69 pound-worth of make-up while those between 25 and 34 have on average 71 pounds of cosmetics.
After this age, women's spending on make-up drops off steadily with the over-55s carrying less than 35 pounds of product, found the survey of 1,000 by cosmetics firm Avon.
Mascara was overwhelmingly the most popular item with 62 per cent of women saying it was an essential purchase while 38 per cent considered lipstick a "must-have buy". Foundation came a close third with 37 per cent of women saying they had to have it.
Professor Cary Cooper, who teaches psychology at Lancaster University, said women were probably spending on make-up to help cheer themselves up amid the current economic turmoil.
"During the recession, many people will feel low because of financial difficulties and may be worried about their job or a partner's job.
"Many people buy luxuries in a time like this to make them feel better whether that is chocolate or make-up. Women who feel low want to look better they go for a haircut, have their nails done or buy new make up. It's a common phenomenon.
"It may make them feel better at the time but it's what psychologists call a temporary palliative -- it doesn't solve the problem but helps them to feel better in the short term," he told The Daily Telegraph.