Can you imagine what 100 grand on beauty products looks like? Cheryl Cole's face provides an authentic answer, as it has been reported that this is the amount that the former singer and WAG spends on cosmetics in a year. That's an awful lot of fake tan and mascara...

To many, the news comes as a bittersweet reminder that with enough money to burn, most of us could scrub up pretty well. But the fact remains that most of us don't have £100,000 to spend on anything, let alone cosmetics, so a bit of cheating is required.

Thankfully, the beauty industry often cheats as well, so it's quite possible to play it at its own game and look fantastic without falling for every fad going. As a self-confessed beauty junkie, I've had a fair bit of experience scouting out the cheap products that really do work and identifying the pricier ones it's worth splashing out on.

Read on for a few tips on how to look a hundred thousand pounds without bankruptcy!

Here are my top tips for affordable beauty:

• Don't fall for seasonal fads

Everyone wants to wear coral nail varnish in summer and glitter eyeshadow at Christmas, but for the rest of the year these products will be gathering dust. One way around this is to invest in some colours for your lips and cheeks that you can blend yourself, responding to the trends as they come up. This is easier to do if you buy lipstick in palate form rather than in a tube, then use brushes to mix and apply the colours. If you must have the latest 'hot' colour, stick to high street brands and one or two purchases per season!

• Pay more for the essentials

Foundation, mascara and blusher are probably the three most fundamental beauty basics that make-up junkies can't live without, and depending on your individual needs, you'll know what you use most frequently. These should be where you invest in the best quality products, so pick three items you want to splash out on, and treat yourself to some good quality basics. Once you've shopped around for a good deal, you'll know you've got the basis for a good makeup look every day, and will be less tempted to rush out and buy impulse purchases.

• Buy online

The worst time to buy beauty products is when you're en-route to an event and have forgotten to pack an 'essential' product. Many of the brands available in the shops can be bought at a reduced cost online, through sites like saveonmakeup.co.uk, which stocks well-known brands like Sally Hansen, ROC and Elizabeth Arden. Another site, Beauty Parlour has good deals on Benefit, Clinique and Lancome. Ebay is another source of cut-price cosmetics, but unless you don't mind sharing a stranger's lipstick, make sure they're boxed and unused before you buy!

• Look after your tools

One problem I used to have with makeup was that it was never in one place! By picking up a well-organised makeup bag with compartments for everything you need, you'll keep your products in much better condition and are less likely to lose them, resulting in expensive replacements.

• Keep an eye out for deals

There are beauty giveaways going on all the time if you know where to look for them. Joining forums like Beauty Swap Shop will quickly get you in on many of the latest promotions, and Vouchercodes also has a regularly updated health and beauty section.