The entire make-up haul still cost less than my favourite high-end mascara and it was the £1 items I loved most

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I'm not a make-up expert by any stretch of the imagination, but as far as enthusiasts go, I'd say I was pretty high on the scale - closer to 'obsession' than 'casual wearer'.

Over the past ten years or so, I've worked on my own collection, even importing international brands in the search of the best products for me.

And all of this while largely ignoring the great big, beaming make-up department in Primark.

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I've heard the odd comment that their blushes were great, their items were "dupes" for higher end products and that everything, in typical Primark fashion, was cheap.

And so I headed off (factoring in a pasty at the new Greggs café) to buy the cheapest make-up I could find, for a wear test.

The department is sprawling, stocked with everything from at-home 'cupping' devices to hairdryers, false lashes, nail polish and, of course, make-up.

I chose pretty much an entire face-worth of makeup, including stuff for my brows, complexion and even a very trendy 'freckle pen'.

Here's what I got:

I also found a Primark lipstick already in my collection (matte, shade: In The Buff) which was around £1.50 and a lipliner pencil too, shade Vintage Rose, which was £1.

In total, it was a shop worth £24.40

With a full face ready to go, I set about trying it all on.

I'll start by telling you what I didn't like, though there's not loads!

The 90p concealer reminded me very much of the concealer my mom used to get for cheap from the local pharmacy in the 90s.

While it went on OK and blended out nicely due to its creamy (and slightly greasy) consistency, once it had been on my face for a while, it warmed up, sank into all the fine lines under my eyes and stayed there.

It also went a little more orange-toned after being set with the £2 loose powder. I felt the two didn't mix well at all and I was nervous about putting the powder on the rest of my face.

The £1.50 brow gel was a very warm red and it clumped as I started to apply it. Perhaps I just hadn't got the right shade, but I didn't like the consistency. The shape of the wand was great, a perfect size for my brows, but the colour was off and it was a bust.

The £2 mascara didn't do anything for me, either. I didn't get length or volume and barely any colour.

My favourite mascara is the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara which costs £24 a tube - this whole face of make-up only costs that!

Next up are my OKs, the stuff I sort-of liked but didn't love.

The £1 bronzer was too warm and deep for my skin tone. I tried to blend it out but the colour stayed where it was put, even though I had set down the foundation with powder underneath it.

With a lighter hand, it'd be great for someone with a deeper complexion than me.

The £2 freckle pen was great fun! The cheapest product of this type I've tried, it was a little red leaning for me, but a great way to play around with the faux freckle trend without spending a fortune.

The £2.50 eyebrow pencil duo was half great, half not so great. I didn't love the pencil end, though the pen side was great for drawing in little strokes that looked like hairs. Great for sparse brows, I wish they'd made them separate.

Then there's the £1.50 lipstick. I loved the shade and the velvety matte finish, though it did bunch up a bit on the inner rim of my mouth. Still great for the price, though, if you're happy to finesse it through the day.

I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed using the £2.50 foundation! It came out of the tube quite thick but didn't bunch up, it went over my skin really well with a damp beauty sponge and didn't cake up around my nose and between my brows.

It didn't set down orange and the colour didn't oxidise or change through time.

It was a great medium coverage but I could build it up in areas where I wanted more. I really liked it!

Then there's the £1 blush. I loved the tone of it! It didn't go on too strong, built up well and just gave me a really natural flush. I wish I'd skipped the bronzer and just gone for a blushy look instead. I'll be using that again, for definite!

The same can be said for the £3 eyeshadow palette! It did kick up in the pan and get a bit dusty, but the pink shades I tried blended really nicely on my lids. The shimmer shades set down on my lids nicely too and I feel if I'd have sprayed them a little bit with setting spray, they'd have given me even more pay-off.

The £1.50 eyeliner worked great for me too - giving a very black, matte line and sharp wings! I'll be interested to see how long this felt tip liner lasts before drying out but for £1.50, it was as good as any I've tried.

Finally, there's the lip products. I love the £1 lip liner! It was creamy, a beautiful shade and it stayed on well. I couldn't have asked for more.

The £1.50 lip gloss was great too. It applied really nicely, didn't get gloopy or stringy and gave my lips a lovely flush of colour and shine.

All in all, there were more hits than misses! I'll definitely be going back for some more of those lip liners, though the concealer may never see the light of day again.

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