The Only Way Is Essex star, Lydia Bright, has gone on a makeup free photoshoot, and still looks just  flipping gorgeous!

Bright, who has starred in the hit ITV2 reality show since it began in 2010, took part  in the St. Ives ‘Seven Day Challenge’ recently, to achieve fresher, more radiant looking skin, giving her the confidence to go without makeup at a makeup free shoot.

According to St.Ives, the average UK woman will spend 91 hours every year applying make-up, the equivalent of three and half days a year – enough time to enjoy over 60 films, back to back.

Research released by St. Ives facial scrubs today reveals that women across the country spend on average 15 minutes applying make-up every day, racking up 1 hour and 45 minutes on a weekly basis.

According to the results, British women spend most time prepping for a night out with friends (64 per cent), followed by preparing for special occasions including birthdays and weddings (56 per cent). Getting ready for a hot date followed in third place, with a third of women (33 per cent) spending most of their time perfecting their look before meeting a new man, whilst one per cent of dedicated make-up addicts admitted to spending the majority of their time putting their face on before they hit the gym.

The research also revealed that perhaps contrary to popular belief, it is Southerners who spend most time applying make-up, with twelve per cent of women from the South admitting to spending at least 45 minutes to an hour applying make-up every day, compared to only eight per cent of Northern women.

The time women spend on perfecting their look extends to the digital world too, with eight per cent of women stating that they spend at least half an hour altering images of themselves online and on social networks every week.

Despite UK women being slaves to their daily make-up routine, only 20 per cent thought their friends looked better with make-up. In fact, 34 per cent admitted that they thought their girlfriends would benefit from a more natural look but almost half (41 per cent) felt they couldn’t tell them for fear of upsetting them.

29 per cent of women would like to cut down on the amount of time they spend applying make-up, but only 13 per cent felt they would have the confidence to do so. In fact, nine per cent of women felt there would be nothing they could try that would give them the confidence to go make-up free, whereas 40 per cent of women said they’d feel more confident if they had better, more radiant looking skin.

In the quest for beauty confidence, 31 per cent of women said they would try using facial scrubs to reveal healthier looking skin, in order to cut back on their daily make-up routine, whereas a staggering 12 per cent of women would consider turning to plastic surgery and 40 per cent believe weight loss is the key.

To encourage young women to embrace their natural beauty and cut down on the hours spent applying make-up, St. Ives challenged The Only Way Is Essex star Lydia Bright to take part in a make-up free photo shoot.

Leah Doherty, Brand Manager, St. Ives said, “As a nation, we’re spending hours covering up our natural beauty – time which could be spent with friends and family as opposed to in front of the mirror.

“Our make-up free shoot with Lydia highlights just how striking natural beauty can be. We hope women across the UK will follow Lydia’s lead, be confident and dare to bare their real selves on a more regular basis.”

The new series of The Only Way Is Essex begins on July 22nd on ITV2/ITV2 HD.