THERE comes a time in every consumer's life when you have to take a stance and say “Enough is enough”.

I had my moment last week in Boots.

Browsing the make-up aisles for last-minute gifts my attention was grabbed from across the store by a luminous yellow and purple cut-out.

“The COLOSSAL Volum Express Mascara”screamed the sign.

Like a moth to a flame I was sucked over.

I was just about to load one of these new wonder products into my basket when I heard a dismissive chuckle behind me.

“You’re so swayed by a bit of clever advertising,” muttered my boyfriend with a know-it-all look on his face.

Hurt followed shock, which was closely followed by confusion.

“You mean this mascara might actually not do what it says on the box?” I asked.

“You mean just one coat of the MegaBrush might not load my lashes with seven times more volume whilst conquering lumps?”

Of course deep down any beauty junkie worth her salt knows the mascara market has been getting increasingly ridiculous for the last few years.

It used to be enough to lengthen your lashes. Now we want — no expect — a mascara to practically cook your tea and tidy the house at the same time.

It's the cosmetic company's faults for promising too much.

We all expect a little white lying and bluffing in the world of make-up — that's what it’s very foundations are built on in fact.

It’s not just women who fall for the hype though. The mascara market is directly comparable to the men's razor market.

In the not too distant past your average bloke considered his razor a functional and uninteresting piece of kit on the same level as his toothbrush. Now a razor is a positive status symbol.

The breakthrough came when one clever designer came up with the idea of having two blades instead of just one.

Next thing you know the Gillette Mach 3 came onto the market and anything less than three blades was suddenly considered about as effective a dragging a butter knife across your face.

The competitive nature of men means this game will never end, I fear. We’re currently on four blade razors, although what the fourth one does that the other three before it couldn't do is beyond me.

I can imagine the boss of Gillette barking to his staff in a high-powered product meeting: “Go five, go five.”

Back in Boots my confusion turned to anger. No I wasn’t to be swayed by advertising, I was worth more than that. I wouldn’t be tricked into buying it.

But at that precise moment I noticed the £2 off sticker.

Clever advertising I can ignore, but a bargain? Not a chance.