Archive copy by Jenni Baden Howard

Since its launch two years ago, Tesco make-up by Barbara Daly has become a cult “cheap ‘n’ chic” brand in its own right, sought out by those in the know rather than simply stumbled upon on the way to the bread counter.

In creating first rate formulas - beauty editors constantly compare it with more upmarket make-up artists’ ranges - and coming up with a clutch of cool, catch-them-while-you-can must-haves each season, Daly has managed to make a supermarket beauty brand both stylish and desirable. The packaging, too, is slick and deceptively expensive-looking. Even the most discerning beauty buff wouldn’t be ashamed to whip one of the simple black “soft touch” compacts out of her Prada make-up bag. Not bad, given that the average price of a product is £5.

‘I want to encourage women to experiment with make-up, without worrying about making expensive mistakes,’ explains Daly. ‘For me, as a make-up artist, the face is a wonderful canvas and make-up is a great tool. You can do so much with just a little or a lot and, if you don’t like the result, you can always take it off again. It’s not a commitment, like a haircut or colour, or surgery. I want to take away the fear element and inspire women to be more adventurous.’

With more than forty years of experience in the business, Daly has worked with some of the world’s most famous photographers, including Helmut Newton and David Bailey in the Sixties, and film directors such as Stanley Kubrick. As well as working with all the Supermodels, past and present, Daly has wielded her brushes for the likes of Angelica Houston, Joely Richardson, Faye Dunaway and Princess Diana, whom she famously made-up for her wedding day. Daly was also responsible for creating The Body Shop’s successful Colourings make-up range in the mid-Eighties.

Daly’s collaboration with Tesco is nothing but up-to-the-minute in terms of trends and technology. The comfortably lightweight foundations, for example, come in a choice of moisturising, oil-free and compact formulas which glide over the skin to give it the sheer, flawless look of the moment.

‘Most women have much better skin than they give themselves credit for,’ maintains Daly. ‘You really need to look at your face in broad daylight, using a handheld mirror, and then decide which areas need working on. When you’re applying your foundation, do it sparingly, starting from the middle of your face and blending outwards, until it disappears. The same rule applies with blusher. The centre of the face should always be your focus, blending the colour out until it blends away to nothing. The right shade of foundation should seem to disappear on your skin. If in doubt, always go a bit lighter.’

The ultra-fine face powder, which comes loose or pressed, is another star of the range.' Face powder is one of the most wonderful cosmetics on the planet,’ says Daly. ‘It’s had too much bad press for such a great product - it’s the one cosmetic that makes skin look flawless and smooth. You don’t have to apply it everywhere, but selectively. It will give your complexion a fabulous finish and keep your other make-up in place.’

Daly is also particularly proud of the Powder Cream Blush (£3.10), available in three natural-looking hues which give cheeks a healthy flush. ‘It’s so easy to blend, on bare skin or over foundation,’ she says. ‘Many are either too powdery and don’t spread well, or they sort of clot on the skin. I’ve worn every single product in the range and if anything’s tricky to put on or hard to use, we go straight back to the drawing board.’

Colour-wise, in addition to a full range of glossy nail polishes, the one-off, seasonal Nail Polish Minis (a snip at £2.20 each) are a hot favourite. For lips, the range includes no fewer than 18 moisturising Lipsticks (£4.10) and a line-up of non-sticky tinted glosses. Like the face powders, the eyeshadows are finely milled, to give the sheerest wash of colour which can be intensified by simply applying more.

For autumn/winter, in keeping with the return of grown-up glamour seen on the catwalks, Daly has come up with a Lip-Synch Collection of shiny Lip Glosses (£3.10 each), in five colours, including Nectar (the new season’s essential cranberry red), Posey (a shimmering raspberry) and Currant (plum), with coordinating Nail Polish Minis.

‘Lip glosses are a great way to experiment with wearing colour on the lips,’ says Daly. ‘You can either apply them with your fingertips for a relaxed, informal look, or with a lip brush, over lipstick, for a more groomed finish. Glosses can be blended together, too, to make new shades, or used to update a favourite lipstick.’

Looking ahead to Christmas, Daly has designed two sleek, covetable make-up kits, the Foolproof Face (£10), available in Gold and Silver, comprising gleaming party products for the eyes, lips and nails, contained in a smart black nylon purse; and Mobile Make-Up (£8), a portable palette of eye, cheek and lip colours, available in a choice of Light and Rich colourways, to suit fair and darker colourings respectively.

‘If you’re nervous about wearing colour, I’d say stick to neutrals on your eyes and experiment with something a bit brighter elsewhere,’ says Daly. ‘Perhaps go for a slightly more vivid blush, or bring some colour to your lips with a gloss. You don’t have to take everything away and put something scary back. Or, if you don’t want to wear blue or green eyeliner all around your eyes, try using a brown liner on top and a soft blue along the lower lashline, or on the inner rim. Coloured mascaras are great, too.’

To make application even easier, the basic collection includes a range of essential tools, including a handy Retractable Lip Brush (£3.10) - a must-have for every make-up bag next season.

‘I also keep a second lip brush just for applying concealer,’ says Daly. ‘You can cover larger areas with your fingers, such as across the bridge of the nose or the chin, but for fine lines around the eyes and the odd blemish, you can be more precise with a fine brush. A small comb for your eyelashes and brows is another essential. After applying mascara, it’s impossible to separate the lashes without one.’

Daly admits that she never completely switches off from work. ‘I’m constantly looking at people on trains and planes, wondering how they got a certain look and if I could make a product for the range that people could use to get the same effect,’ she says. ‘I approach the development of new products from the angle of what I’d like to use myself, as a woman and a make-up user. And I’d love to do skincare. It would be great to produce something very simple but really good.’ So far, so great.

• Tesco make-up by Barbara Daly is available at selected stores nationwide. The autumn/winter colours will be available from mid-September. For your nearest stockist, tel: 0800- 505 5555.