The average woman will spend more than €21,000 in her lifetime - on her face, a study has revealed.

Researchers took into account everything from moisturiser, foundation and mascara to lipstick, blusher and face wipes. They calculated the average yearly bill as an eye-popping €332.06 - meaning that over a typical lifetime of 64.6 years from the ages of 18 to 82 and a half, she will shell out €21,451.03. Head of cosmetics at Superdrug, who carried out the survey, Sarah Sharp said: ''It sounds like a lot of money, but actually over the course of almost 65 years we're sure most women would agree it is money well spent. ''This isn't about spending hundreds of pounds on designer creams and it's the day to day products that we all use to avoid bad skin, spots, blemishes and dark circles beneath your eyes. ''This research really shows saving a few pounds off your regular beauty shop can add up to make a big difference over time. The figures show the average woman will spend €11,320.88 putting her make-up on in a lifetime. But the average ladies' skincare routine is almost as important as her cosmetics, as she spends a total of €156.81 a year, and €10,130.14 a lifetime, on products such as cleanser and toner, moisturisers, eye creams, face masks and wipes. Face wipes are the most purchased product, with women buying an average of five packs every year (or 323 packs over her adult lifetime). The figures show women spend a total of €175.25 on make-up products such as foundation, mascara, lipstick and gloss, blusher and bronzer, concealer, eye liner and shadow. And 73 percent of savvy ladies say they opt for retailer's own brand products above more expensive designer brands. In total, women buy 38 different products for their face annually, and 2,455 by the time they reach the grand old age of 82 and a half. Sarah Sharp added: ''The average woman in our study estimated that she spent around €15.45 a month on products for her face, or €187.77 a year. ''In fact, our respondents were under-valuing their faces by more than a hundred pounds a year. ''But the figures are actually much higher for that niche section of the population who only buy high-end beauty products and designer brands. ''These people could be spending thousands rather than hundreds a year on looking after their face.''