Does One Size Really Fit All? We Debunk These 'Universal' Beauty Products
1 of 6GALLERY >> The beauty industry's darlings
2 of 6Oribe Dry Texturising Spray, £39.00, Space NK
Everyone loves Dry Texturising Spray. Every model, blogger and editor has about three cans on the go of the stuff, which promises to banish oily roots and add texture to the lengths. However, for really fine hair, you might find it doesn't shift as much grime in the roots as you'd like. In that case, turn to Philip Kinglsey's One More Day Dry Shampoo (£5.95 for 50ml, FeelUniqiue.com), a veritable hair hero for ladies too time pressed to wash everyday.
3 of 6Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, £20.00, Shu Uemura
While many makeup artists swear by this iconic curler, it's actually best designed for an Asian eye. If you're of another race, you might find the curling abilities of Kevyn Aucoin's The Eyelash Curler, (£17.00, Space NK) a little more eye opening.
4 of 6Lipstick Queen Lipstick in 'Medieval', £22.00, Space NK
This entry-level sheer-toned red lipstick is great for many women, but if you're of a cool complexion, or have blonde hair, you'll want a more orangey red, like Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Kiss Me Coral (£7.49, Boots). Warmer skin tones and very dark haired ladies can look to a more blue-toned red, like Charlotte Tilbury's K.I.S.S.I.N.G Fallen From The Lipstick Tree - Love Bite Lipstick, (£23.00).
5 of 6NARS Blusher in 'Orgasm', £22.50, NARS
The cheekily named 'Orgasm' blusher from NARS is enduringly popular thanks to the tones in it which warm up lots of complexions. But, fi you're very fair, try the (even cheekier named) 'Deep Throat' for a subtle glow of pink. Or, warmer skin tones can look to the deeper shade, 'Mata Hari' which will sculpt the face beautifully. (All £22.50, NARS)
6 of 6MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder, £20.50, MAC
Setting powder's a good shout to lock your makeup in place, but if you have very dry or mature skin, powder's not always your best friend. NYX's Dewy Finish Setting Spray (£8.00, NYX) will help stop makeup fading or dropping.
Cult classic products earn their status for a reason. They don't just shimmy their way to the top on pretty packaging - real beauty hero products gets that reputation by being exceeding all expectations, and not just for one type of consumer. If a product's going to be hailed as a must-have, it's got to work hard for women everywhere. Some products that makeup artists and beauty editors alike always fall back on are billed as a kind 'one size fits all' - a shade that magically tones with everyone, or a colour that can adapt to be universally flattering.
However, if you've ever been left feeling a little left out when the world's favourite blusher or bronzer and you just can't get along, you might not be in as small a majority as you think. If a product's announced as universal, it may very well suit the majority of skin tones, but hey, sometimes it's good to be different.
We've sized up a few of the beauty industry's darlings to see how they fare when it comes to be totally all-inclusive, and a few alternatives if one of those on the sidelines. Now, repeat after me, it's not you, it's me...