VAINEST STUDENTS IN THE UK

Vain students are spending over £1,000 on beauty products a year, says cosmetics company Escentuals.com.

Despite being ranked 27th most vain University in the country and spending an average of £155 per year on beauty products (almost the same price as a groupon deal to Reykjavik) we aren’t doing too bad up here in Edinburgh. Believe it or not, Lancaster students, dubbed the vainest of all and topping the league tables, are said to be spending a whopping £1,109 a year on perfumes, makeup and skin care.

Lancaster students celebrating £3000 well spent…in Superdrug.

Students in York and Durham come close behind, with both Universities’ students spending just under a grand per year on beauty products. Though students from these Universities are splashing out on higher-end products, heading for brands such as Clarins and Dior, Escentuals.com found the most popular product across the board to be the Avene Eau Thermale Spring Water Spray, with students spending £14,382 on the product over the past year.

This fancy water spray is drying up student accounts across the country.

Looking good for lectures is thought to be costing students in the UK up to 20% of their yearly £5,500 student loans, despite the fact that students starting Uni this year are expected to leave with £53,000 debts.

Results show students are doing much of their spending online to fit in with hectic schedules. Here in Edinburgh the make-up counters of Harvey Nichols are awash with students spending hard earned loans on MAC and Clinique.

Spending £155 a year, we’re sure Edinburgh go-ers stick to Poundland for all their beauty needs.

Katie Carruthers, second year business student, admits to having spent over £40 on beauty products over the past month, that’s almost one third of our average statistic. Frances Aitken, another vain second year at the University of Edinburgh agrees that Escentual’s figure of £155 may be unsettlingly underestimated. She confesses to spending £24 a month on fake eyelashes alone- that’s a massive £288 a year.

The Student lifestyle is not what it used to be, ripped jeans and dark roots are often intentional, and are frequently matched with a £20 foundation. At least we can take comfort in the fact that there are vainer Universities out there.

Ultimately, surviving on baked beans and instant noodles at the end of the month is well worth it, just as long as you’re not running out of mascara.