According to a new survey, a staggering 90% of men believe that their partners are natural beauties with less than a third of women believing this to be the case.

One quarter of women surveyed confessed to having at least one beauty secret, while 23% confided that nobody (even their friends) really knows the extent of their beautifying.

Top of the confidential list is waxing or bleaching their moustache, with 27% admitting that this would be the worst beauty secret their partner could discover.

Other list toppers are the fear of partners discovering underarm hair (35%), stubbly legs (23%) and grey roots (12%).

As well as helping women to cover up these beauty faux-pas’ and look their personal best, the research reveals that beauty secrets could in fact be healthy for relationships.

Of the British men polled, 87% said that they don’t mind if their partner keeps some of her beauty rituals hidden, a view supported by women, with 70% who keep a beauty secret from their partner believing it to be key to a good relationship.

Psychologist and psychotherapist Rachel Shattock Dawson said: “In an age where very little remains taboo, many women still prefer to keep some things private, believing that there’s a place for a little mystery and mystique even within their closest relationships.

“Knowing your hair looks great and that you look your natural best clearly pays great dividends in confidence and self-esteem.

“However, some of our beauty rituals aren’t the most romantic sights to witness. Some women prefer to keep these activities behind closed doors to keep the romance alive and to appear more naturally sexy and attractive to their partners.”

A staggering 90 percent of men believe that their partners are natural beauties

The research, conducted by leading home hair color brand nice ‘n easy, uncovers further fascinating insights into women’s motivations for all this hard work, pointing to the fact that women want to look good to feel good for themselves.

For some, it’s simply a case of achieving the look they think suits them best; 37% of women for example state that their hair color is the color they were born to have, not born with (a view supported by 45% of blondes).

Yet, beautifying appears to be a huge self-esteem boost too, as three quarters believe that they are much more confident when they have completed their beauty regime and 61% say that that they feel like a new person.

THE BEAUTY RITUALS WOMEN PREFER TO KEEP SECRET

• Waxing or bleaching moustache (94%)

• Waxing bikini line (90%)

• Whitening teeth (90%)

• Applying fake tan (79%)

• Plucking eyebrows (41%)

• Coloring hair (36%)