Pulp phenomenon

When Uma Thurman starred in the 1994 film Pulp Fiction, a close-up of the actress's lusciously lacquered nails resulted in an international scramble to acquire the polish and create the look. Stocks of Chanel's Rouge Noir – a red so dark it looked black – sold out throughout the world. 'It was a complete phenomenon,' says a representative for Selfridges' make-up hall. 'It got to the point where people would come in and offer us three to four times the going price just for the tester!'

Other products that have acquired cult status on the back of a celebrity preference include St Tropez self-tanning lotion, favoured by the likes of Victoria Beckham, and 'miracle' creams, such as Dr Hauschka's Rose Day Cream and Crème de la Mer – this last a skin-care treatment so expensive (£60 an ounce) that you would have to be rich and famous to be able to afford it.