The Scunthorpe Morrison's Make-up Challenge

AAAAAAAARGH. That was the sound uttered from Jo's mouth last week when she arrived in Scunthorpe - yes, Scunthorpe - for a speaking gig, last week, and realised she'd left her make-up bag at home. The big dilemma: sleep in what she'd got on, smoosh it around a bit in the morning and hope for the best? (Not really an option since she probably wouldn't have slept at all, due to bare-face anxiety.) Maybe call the woman who'd organised the event (for Humber Business Week), and ask her to bring her make-up bag along next morning? (Jo was glad she didn't do that; the organiser was about six shades darker, foundation-wise, with dark black brows and lashes. Not Jo's pale English rose look, at all.) Or, third option: make a mercy dash to Morrison's just before closing, with fingers firmly crossed that it had a make-up section.

Well, it did. Admittedly Collection 2000 and Rimmel doesn't put Scunthorpe's branch of Morrison's right up there with SpaceNK, but needs must. And you know what? Jo was blown away by what she found… (Click on any product name to find on-line.)

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation, £7.99 for 30 ml. (Usually wear: By Terry Terrybly Densiliss Wrinkle Control Serum Foundation, £75 for 30 ml.) 'Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather: the Rimmel performs incredibly well. It also has a texture that feels like a serum: lightly moisturising and with a slightly dewy and very radiant finish. Good (but not over-heavy) coverage. I have broken veins so redness is my main beauty concern, but this covered brilliantly and stayed put really well most of the day. Once I've got my foundation on, I feel confident. And this has made its way straight into my bag!'

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder, £3,99 for 14 g. (Usually wear: By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Powder, £42 for 10 g.) 'I never travel with my By Terry powder anyway, because of spillages, so this is staying firmly in my bag for on-the-go shine control. I only need the merest whisper (applied with a cotton pad in this emergency), on the nose - but it did a great job of keeping my nose mattified.'

Collection 2000 Work The Colour Trio, £3.19, in Choc Chip 1. (Usually wear: Tom Ford Eye Color Quad, £62, in Cocoa Mirage, and Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow, £15.50.) 'Stunningly silky texture for the powder shadows, which really stayed put. I struggled a bit with the applicator - teeny sponge thing - but that's because I usually have an arsenal of beautiful brushes. However, it did the job;  the taupe colour was perfect for the socket, the dark brown for shading close to the lashes, and there's even a creamy, shimmery highlighter which I used on brows and the inner top lid, which really works to open my eyes up. The quality of the shimmer doesn't quite match the Benefit glimmer shade - if I'm allowed to be super-picky - but this is a truly dinky wonder-worker, all in. Gobsmacked.'

Rimmel Stay Blushed, currently £3.93 (at Amazon), in 04 Sunkissed Cherry. (Usually wear: AERIN Multi Color for Lips & Cheeks, £30.) 'I struggled with this ever-so-slightly because I am used to being quite generous with my AERIN blusher, and this requires just the teensiest, weensiest dab to wake up your cheeks - so a bit of layering went on because I was anxious not to look like a panto dame. But I didn't! Once it's blended in, it does stay put brilliantly - actually better than my cream blusher - so I'll be using this on weekends. Incidentally, I've a hunch this may be disappearing from the shelves because I had to hunt to find a link to it on-line, so stock up. A tube, though, will last you aeons.'

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Gel Eyeliner by Kate, £6.99, in Emerald Green. (Usually wear: Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner, £18.50). 'I was slightly surprised to look at the packaging again doing this review and discover it's "emerald green" - not a shade I'd normally have chosen, but it only comes in one and a) the Morrison's lighting was gloomy in the extreme, b) it really looks like a deep green-y black. It came with a brush - easy to use without over-loading - and was really easy to line the eyes. And once it's there, not only is it waterproof but frankly, my eyes were still vaguely lined with it days later (which I like, as a blonde). Another amazing find.'

Collection 2000 No Clumps Mascara, (Usually wear: Estée Lauder Sumptuous Infinite Daring Length + Volume Mascara, £21.) 'Who'd have thought my new favourite mascara would cost - wait for it - under three quid? I'd actually popped into Selfridges to buy a new mascara the week before, and they didn't have black - so I'm now using this; it has a narrow, rubbery wand - the kind I like best - and gives really good definition. And no, no clumps!'

'Happily,' concludes Jo, 'I did have a Guerlain lipstick and an ESPA Lip Balm in my bag, so I knew if worst came to worst I could have rocked a bare-faced, strong red-lipped look. But I gave my speech feeling infinitely more confident, and very, very chuffed with what Scunthorpe's Morrison's had produced. But the bill for my supermarket sweep was literally HUNDREDS of pounds less than my usual purchases. I know, from our Beauty Bible testers, that there are some amazing "steals" out there - but really, I'm stunned by the savings. As they say: why pay more…? I love the contents of my regular kit - but I'm starting to ask myself the question...'