Ever used your nail varnish to halt a run in a pair of tights or shaved your legs using hair conditioner? If so, you're familiar with the idea of your beauty buys masquerading as something else and, right now, that's a really appealing prospect.

There's a lot of it about: in addition to the polish-dotted opaque tights I own, I've been known to scoop the warm wax out of essential oil candles to use as a skin softener on my hands. We've all heard about crème-based cosmetics doubling up as shadow, lipstick and blusher but, while Nars have made a cult out of the concept with their Multiple products, it's not something I'm keen on -- as lip and cheek products are often pink, avoid on the eye area unless your intended result is myxomatosis-chic.

But I do have other ways of making my stuff work harder: I often (mis)use my posh shampoos to wash my make-up brushes -- after all, they're worth it -- and I am not unfond of fixing my brows with a swipe of my mascara wand as opposed to getting out a brow kit.

So, I reckon if the stuff I have in my bathroom cabinet can double up and do a couple of jobs for the price of one, then so much the better. The net effect? A smaller spend, more cupboard space and extra cash to spend on shoes. Ladies, I call that a result!

Fancy finding some more buys you can get to work twice as hard? You're in luck -- here are nine multi-taskers:

1 HAIR RAISING

It turns out that good-old hairspray has a multitude of uses. You can lash it on to get a gravity-defying Jedward 'do, but it's got a couple of other tricks up its sticky sleeve. You can also use it to get pen marks off plastic and leather, and if you've got a skirt that's clinging to your tights, blast a squirt of it up and under and hey presto! -- no more hungry-legs-eating-fabric shenanigans. L'Oréal Paris Elnett, €7.32, is ideal: great for bouffing your 'do, it's a decent price and it comes with the added bonus of extra domestic uses.

2 HAIRAPY

Is your hair a grease ball and you've run out of dry shampoo? As an emergency measure you can use loose face powder to soak up excess oil, but if your hair is darker it'll probably show. So that's where our old friend bronzer comes in: swirl a powder brush through the product and gently dab onto the hairline. Something cheap-as-chips such as elf's Mineral Glow Bronzer, €5.65, would be perfect. Get it at www.eyeslipsface.co.uk.

3 WHAM BALM

Okay, okay, the dogs on the street know that Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream, €21, has a multitude of uses: massage it into cuticles, slick it on as a lip balm or apply as a salve to minor grazes, you can even use it as it was originally intended: on horses hooves. If your equine pal prefers something a bit more veterinary then that just means more for you, eh? The reason it's sneaking in is that the brand has got marketing-smart in recent years and the current incarnation boasts an 80s style print that provides perfect bathroom real estate. I knew I'd find an extra use for it: this is a decor definite as well as everything else. At department stores.

4 WINTER COAT

The whole point of DIY manicures is that they're cost-effective. Well, that's the principle anyway, but when you add up the cost of all that polish plus base and top-coats and factor in your dodgy application skills, it all starts to feel like a bit of a swizz. If you buy cleverly, though, you can make your base coat double up as a finishing step too. Sally Hansen's Diamond Strength, €9.55 at pharmacies, is ideal for double-jobbing.

5 OIL BE BACK

Trilogy's Rosehip Oil, €19.99, is a genius of a product even when it's just used on facial skin. Super-nourishing, it's great for chasing away dehydration lines and it leaves skin feeling supple and smooth. That's why it's also excellent for use on stretch marks in pregnancy and the brand has responded by bringing out a bigger bottle so you don't run out so quickly. You'll find it at pharmacies and health food stores.

6 SPOT TACTICS

Garnier launched its zippy Pure Active Spot Roll-on, €10.49, recently, and with 2pc salicylic acid, it really does work to banish angry-looking spots in a day or two. But that wasn't enough for me and because the ingredient is also used in lotions to tamp down razor burn and shaving rashes, I reckoned it was worth a try on the bikini line. Yep, this is a great substitute for far-pricier buys such as Tend Skin, but it works just as well. If you're prone to ingrowing hairs post-shave or wax, roll this baby over freshly depilated skin and bumps will be minimised. But will you promise me one thing, girls? If you intend to use this on face and nether regions, maybe think about buying two, eh?

7 KISS OFF

Not only is Nuxe's cult Rêve de Miel Lip Balm, €12, the perfect antidote for sore, chapped lips, it's so delicious that it'd be a shame to just waste it on your pucker. Packed full of natural ingredients, you can use little dabs on your cuticles too. Massage in for soft, smooth nails, and you'll pick up a pot at Arnotts, Clerys and selected pharmacies.

8 YOU SCRUBBER

What is his is yours and what's yours is your own, and when it comes to beauty, there are a couple of things you can happily plunder from his side of the bathroom cabinet. One is his razor -- they're so much better than women's -- and the other is his facial scrub. Men's skin is thicker and oilier than ours and as a result their cleansing and exfoliating products need to work harder. That translates into a scrub that's too rough for the average gal's complexion, but it's perfect for use on scaly upper arms or cleavage. Yon Ka for Men's Foam Scrub, €25.50, at salons.

9 SHINE ON

As the beauty industry continues its campaign to part us from our cash, the craze for facial highlighters has intensified. Dewy creams and lotions are developed for application on the cheek and brow-bones, to impart a radiant look. But you can definitely cheat: Rimmel's Colour Mousse Eyeshadow in Snow Queen, €7.25, can be used on eyes and in fact, anywhere on the face. Dab a little on to your cupid's bow for an intensified lip look, or pat it gently across the top of cheekbones for party shine.

- Kirstie McDermott