While it’s no secret that many gals love beauty products, a new study suggests that some women view makeup as a necessity. According to the Daily Mail, the research, funded by UK retail store Superdrug, a third of ladies wear makeup every time they go out and approximately 50 percent prefer to wear makeup to going bare.

“For many women, putting their make-up on is an important part of their day, and the thought of people seeing them without can be horrifying,” Sara Wolverson, of Superdrug, told the news source. “We know that when it comes to cutting back, cosmetics are seen as an essential.”

However, experts insist that women’s attachment to their lipstick isn’t always about vanity – it can also be about self-confidence.

“Make-up can help with a sense of self-respect. The reality is that we do judge people by how they look, and this can be especially important for women in business who often need to appear professional,” life coach Jackie Fletcher told the news provider.

British women aren’t the only gals clutching to their lip gloss. According to The Japan Times Online, 80 percent of females in Tokyo wear cosmetics at least five days a week.