Some of the most pointless beauty products ever made

If advertising is to be believed, women are fickle and shallow creatures more than happy to part with their hard earned cash in exchange for anti-ageing creams promoted by a woman doing nothing but stroke her face with the back of her hand. What’s more likely though is that it’s advertising itself which is to blame for body paranoia and our mass hysteria regarding cellulite, laughter lines and the lack of totally symmetrical eyebrows. 

It all seems very cruel really, but when there’s big money to be made no body, or indeed any part of it, is safe. 

It leads to the creation of what must be the most pointless and ridiculous fashion and beauty related creations ever to hit the market, eagerly designed to take advantage of our induced insecurities.

Arm bands 

While I appreciate wearing a close fitting dress might warrant the use of shapewear to prevent lumps and bumps (I do, and the popularity of such under garments proves I’m not the only one) something I do find startling is the emergence of arm shapers - sometimes referred to as Spanx for the arms. We might not have Michelle Obama's enviable toned arms, and I think by now it’s generally accepted - thanks to the intervention of experts - creams intended to reduce fat and tighten skin in specific areas just don’t work. The only other option for retailers was to invent some kind of restrictive arm band which limits the naturally occurring movement of the flesh on the upper arm. And so it has been done.

Buttock enhancing underwear

I can only assume we have the likes of Kim Kardashian and Pippa Middleton to thank for introducing women to the idea that having a rounded and extremely pert derrière is a must if you want to be remotely attractive or successful. After all the gasping and cooing at that wedding, it didn’t take long for underwear manufacturers to seize the opportunity to rake in yet more money from body conscious, and perhaps slightly envious, women. And so butt enhancing padded pants were born, and have been gracing the shelves ever since. Thanks for that Pippa.

Bottom lash mascara

You know how when you’re applying mascara, you sit back and just wish you could buy one specifically for your lower lashes because it’s so totally impossible to do them with the mascara you already spent £25 on? No, I don’t either but someone must because such a product does exist. Ridiculous.