35 British Beauty Brands The C&TH Editors Love
By Rebecca Cox
4 months ago
These British-born beauty companies are some of our favourites on the market…
Looking for some homegrown cosmetics? Britain is still a major player in the increasingly globalised beauty world, with absolute powerhouse brands like Jo Malone London and Charlotte Tilbury to shout about, alongside small independent brands utilising fresh British ingredients. Here, we round up a few of the best British beauty brands in the worlds of makeup, skincare, body and haircare.
The Country & Town House Responsible Buyers’ Guide
The Best British Beauty Brands For 2024
36. Yardley
With over 250 years under its belt, this heritage name is one of the oldest cosmetics and personal care brands in the world. Founded by the Cleaver family, Yardley found its fame through its high-quality soaps and fragrances, particularly its signature English Lavender. The brand also has a rich royal history, having once been officially appointed to be the perfumers for the royal family, and holding many historical royal warrants. Today, Yardley continues to wow the senses with its sweet-smelling products – especially with the brand’s latest range of vegan-friendly and cruelty-free fragrances.
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35. Pai Skincare
Natural, ethical and sustainable are the watch words behind British beauty brand Pai Skincare. It was founded by Sarah Brown, who was left struggling to find effective skincare after a bout of irritated, hyper-sensitive and acne-prone skin. She was inspired to go out and create her own range of products that she could trust. Everything is formulated in Pai’s London HQ, and independently certified by COSMOS (Soil Association), Cruelty Free International and The Vegan Society.
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34. Roja Parfums
Roja Dove, described by the New York Times as the legendary ‘master tailor of scent’, considers the greatest accolade of his working career to have been summoned to 10 Downing Street in 2013. There he was appointed as an Ambassador for the GREAT Britain campaign and asked to create a fragrance that captured the essence of Britain for the world’s first GREAT Festival, held in Istanbul. For someone whose privately owned brand, Roja Parfums, is now available in 250 retail locations spanning over 50 countries, this speaks volumes for Roja Dove’s personal passion for Britain and British creativity and the inspiration they have provided over his long, distinguished career.
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33. Floris London
Founded in 1730, the Floris London brand holds two Royal Warrants, and its home has been the same shop at 89 Jermyn Street throughout its lifetime. Its products have won over the Queen, Prince Charles and Hollywood stars alike, from Marilyn Monroe to Benedict Cumberbatch. But it also has a richesse of other loyal customers, for whom the essence of Floris is an essential part of their lives.
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32. D.R. Harris
In the year 1790, Europe was ablaze with revolutionary fervour. In Paris, the revolutionaries, having overthrown the old order, were launching a brave new world of liberté, égalité, fraternité. In London, two cousins, Henry Harris, a surgeon, and Daniel Rotely Harris, a pharmacist, set up shop on the corner of St James’s Street and King Street. They dispensed medicines and blended toilet waters, English flower extracts and colognes for the gentry of St James’s, products whose matchless scents far outlived the rhetoric, fire and brimstone of the French Revolution. D.R. Harris may have been on St James’s Street in London for over 225 years but it is always looking to the wider world and the future for inspiration.
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31. Boadicea the Victorious
Boadicea the Victorious perfumes have captured the imagination of a rapidly growing customer base ever since they were launched as an exclusive in Harrods more than 10 years ago. Starting as a niche brand, the company now sells worldwide with a range of more than 100 different fragrances, each designed to capture the mood and individuality of its customers. The link with ancient history has helped the brand stand out in a crowded market place. Customers identify with the fierce independence, spirit and the beauty of a proud and fearless leader. But they also appreciate the commitment to traditional British values of high quality production, from the perfumes themselves to the distinctive bottles. Boadicea’s statue stands by London’s Westminster Bridge adjacent to the Houses of Parliament, a symbol of the importance of the Queen of the Iceni in the nation’s story.
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30. Jo Malone London
Since the launch of Lime Basil & Mandarin, Jo Malone London has been known for its elegant scents and indulgent bath and body care. The ultimate in sophisticated simplicity, the brand’s fragrance combining philosophy means all their scents can be layered or worn alone. Their limited edition seasonal collections celebrate aspects of British nature from the famous weather to wildflowers and weeds.
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29. Cowshed
Cowshed is a collection of spas and natural products for the body and home from Soho House. Born from the group’s very first spa in Babington House in 1998, the collection can now be found in all the group’s houses, spas and restaurants worldwide. They’re known for their delicious scents thanks to the gorgeous of pure essential oils and wild crafted plant extracts used in their products.
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28. Neal’s Yard Remedies
Modern British apothecary Neal’s Yard Remedies started small in a quiet corner of Covent Garden (from which it takes its name) but now has over 50 stores in the UK and a presence in five continents across the world. They always use the highest possible percentage of organic ingredients in their products, believing that natural, organic ingredients are kinder to the earth and kinder to the skin.
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27. Molton Brown
Molton Brown holds a Royal Warrant for the supply of toiletries by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen, an honour the brand takes extremely seriously as the ultimate noble seal of approval, winning international customers’ trust for providing fragrances of unquestioned merit. A beloved name on the British (and global) beauty scene, Molton Brown was established in 1973 and have been delighting customers with their sophisticated fragrance collections and indulgent bath and body collections ever since.
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26. The White Company
Almost a quarter century old, The White Company has over 50 stores in the UK and has a US flagship story on New York’s fifth avenue. The brand’s skincare line is comprised of five products to help transform your complexion with protection against ageing and a focus on improved firmness, clarity, texture and circulation.
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25. By Jess D
If you’re looking for a small, independent, black-owned, cruelty-free British beauty brand to support, check out By Jess D. Inclusivity is at the heart of her business, which she launched so that everyone could feel beautiful, no matter their shade.
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24. Guy Morgan
Founded in 2015, Guy Morgan is a natural skincare brand that harnesses high quality organic ingredients to create result-driven skincare. Think eco-friendly plant power and seriously luxe products made from ingredients that are carefully sourced with a focus on sustainability. If you’re new to the brand try the Dagger Rose, a gorgeous organic balm and oil made using cold-pressed, virgin, certified organic Rosehip oil.
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23. Liz Earle
Liz Earle was founded in 1995 by Liz Earle, an author and botanical beauty authority, and Kim Buckland, a skincare industry expert. The pair chose Isle of Wight as the home of Liz Earle Beauty Co, where over half the island designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’. With a focus on the potent power of naturally active ingredients, Liz Earle was one of the first brands to make sourcing botanicals for their unique efficacy a priority.
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22. Illamasqua
Founded in Britain over 10 years ago, Illamasqua is the ultimate anti-conformist makeup brand that celebrates individuality. Recognised by PETA, they’re cruelty-free and have a large vegan range. They’re known for their bright, highly-pigmented statement colours, bold textural formulas and innovative products.
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21. Elemis
Luxury British skincare and spa brand Elemis formulated and manufactures its products in the UK with a ‘field to face’ philosophy. The brand, which achieved B Corp status in 2023, also works with award-winning British growers to get the best quality, natural oils, extracts and ingredients. Elemis also supports a diverse range of British oilseed crops, helping the sustainability of honey bees through the farming of Starflower, Echium and Camelina. Its beloved Pro-Collagen range has long been a firm favourite with editors and beauty buffs alike.
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20. Charlotte Tilbury
British make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury MBE, one of the most influential makeup artists of her generation, launched her eponymous makeup line in 2013, and the rest is history. Her mission was to share the power of makeup and show every woman how easy it is to look and feel like the most beautiful versions of themselves. Boundary-breaking brand firsts so far have included the augmented reality ‘Magic Mirror’ to the first ever Virtual Reality perfume experience starring Kate Moss. Her products represent the ultimate in British glamour.
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19. Romilly Wilde
A British brand that’s not interested in greenwashing or just paying lip service to sustainability, Romilly Wilde is the real deal when it comes to ‘clean’ beauty. Its three core pillars are equality, environmental responsibility (it has been awarded The Butterfly Mark by Positive Luxury) and conservation – protecting the planet and all its inhabitants. The brand donates a percentage of its sales every year to Cool Earth, Dame Vivienne Westwood’s climate charity that works alongside rainforest communities to halt deforestation.
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18. Dr Jack
Treating skin from the inside out is the ethos of medical doctor Dr David Jack’s product range which he launched in 2018 to help his clients simplify their skincare routines. As one of London’s leading aesthetic doctors, he understands the formulas that can really help improve the skin, but also it really starts on the inside. Three topical products form the core of the range, with a day formula, a night formula and a weekly peel, plus a recommended range of complementary oral supplements.
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17. By Sarah London
The only UK skincare collection with full transparency of formula on the front label, By Sarah was founded in 2017 by two sisters – Lauren and Sarah. When Lauren was diagnosed with leukaemia – for her subsequent recovery, Sarah wanted to find skin products that would support her rehabilitation but also be gentle and natural. Not satisfied with what she found, the only answer was to launch her own range. By Sarah products are completely formulated with vital nutrients, enzymes and lipids with the aim of supporting the skin’s microbiome – they’re also all organic, vegan, cruelty free and handmade here in the UK.
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16. Hedgewild
Currently the only brand that uses exclusively British ingredients, Hedgewild has an eco-friendly focus, and prides itself on making beauty products that are good for the environment, as well as for your skin. It was founded in 2017 by Catherine Campbell after she discovered that an extensive number of companies were ‘greenwashing’ their customers. To combat this, she decided to create a brand which used locally-sourced ingredients, was plastic-free and had a positive impact on the environment.
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15. ORVEDA
London-based brand ORVEDA aims to deliver results in a way that is cleaner, greener, and vegan. Combining “the best of Nature with the best of Science” (specifically Biotechnology), ORVEDA creates products that will make your skin glow and give you the confidence to go make-up free. ORVEDA was launched back in 2017, and is the brainchild of Sue Y. Nabi and Nicholas Vu. Known for her work as CEO of L’Oreal and Lancôme for 20 years, Nabi is a force to be reckoned with in the world of beauty.
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14. Amare Vita
Serums, moisturisers, primers, SPF… the list of daily skincare must-haves grows longer by the minute. For those at risk of product fatigue, new British beauty brand Amare Vitae takes a more streamlined approach to skincare. It was launched in summer 2021 with just three products, packing each formulation with high performance, clinically proven actives that get the job done. Leading the initial launch was Amare Vita’s The One, a multitasking protective day cream that’s a moisturiser, serum, primer and SPF 20 all in one. It doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, but sinks in to provide a good base for make-up. The cream is also fragranced with a blend of essential oils, including lavender, linden, grapefruit and rose geranium, designed to relieve stress as well as energising and invigorating.
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13. HAI
The best products always begin with a lightbulb moment. Grace de Alvaro’s came as she took part in her first ever triathlon. As she peeled off her wetsuit in the bike transition station, she realised that her make-up, carefully applied that morning, was now smudged and irritating her skin. She felt strong and empowered – but she looked like a drowned rat. Grace set about producing a range of hard- working, multi-tasking products that would be fit for purpose as well as offering the highest quality. The HAI capsule sports collection now includes an eye shadow and liner, a mascara that is resistant to water, chlorine and sea salt, a combined moisturiser and balm stick, a 2-in-1 lip transformer, a ‘Glow & Go’ bronzer and a nourishing hair cleanser. Everything is designed to be applied quickly and withstand rigorous activity.
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12. Penhaligon’s
This is the story of a 19th-century Cornish barber named William Penhaligon, who travelled to London and opened a shop next to the capital’s finest tailors in Jermyn Street. At a time when to be a gentlemen was an affair of great application, one of Penhaligon’s early accolades included trimming the Shah of Persia’s beard. His company received Queen Alexandra’s Royal Warrant one year after his death in 1902. Over the ensuing 145 years, Penhaligon’s received two more Royal Warrants – one from The Duke of Edinburgh (1956) and another from King Charles III (1988).
The company’s distinctive fragrances – still produced in England and bottled in William Penhaligon’s original design – are sold across the globe. And in the crowded world of luxury perfume, the brand remains steadfastly committed to olfactory excellence through its innovative products and unique services.
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11. Dr Sebagh
The Dr Sebagh brand, co-owned by cosmetic doctor Jean-Louis Sebagh and businesswoman and philanthropist Melissa John, is one of the few privately owned skincare brands that formulates and manufactures its own products. This independence enables them to develop unique and powerful formulations using advanced bio-tech ingredients, carefully chosen for their potency and specific benefits in addressing a particular skincare need or concern.
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10. Salon 64
Powered by an incredible team of talented and inventive hair stylists, Salon 64 is a beauty destination and social space nestled in the heart of Soho. The space was inspired by the social salons where women gathered, chatted and debated in the 17th and 18th centuries – its founder, Ricky Walters, thought it was high time the concept was revived. At the front of the salon is the coffee bar where clients can watch the world go by over a flat white or use the jewellery box mirrors to touch up their hair and make-up before an event or meeting. Towards the back and downstairs, fire pits run through the centre of a sleekly customised marble unit incorporating lift-up work stations with mirrors and charge points. This is also where hair is cut, coloured and styled. The very private wash areas, meanwhile, are concealed behind wooden doors, with one entry for the client and a second for the stylist. For total privacy, however, clients are invited to book their own deluxe treatment room.
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9. ESPA
One of the most prestigious spa brands in the world, pivotal not only within the history of British skincare but also within the spa industry as a whole, ESPA focuses on delivering natural beauty and inner calm to treat mind and body through its innovative spa treatments and skincare products. ESPA was founded in 1993 and is now the chosen partner for 550 globally acclaimed spas worldwide. The brand has multiple, award-winning flagship spas, one of which is ESPA Life at Corinthia, London.
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8. Rhug Wild Beauty
The only estate in the UK to hold a Royal Warrant, Rhug in Wales has been a successful organic farm for 20 years. Its owner, Lord Newborough, is passionate about sustainability, and in 2020 he decided to bring this ethos to another industry: beauty. The result is a luxury skin and body care line, Wild Beauty, made from ingredients foraged on the Rhug Estate in Wales, and formulated in Dorset. There’s heather, picked by hand by the estate’s forager, Richard Prideaux, and known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties; gorse, which tightens and tones the skin; and yarrow, which helps the treatment of acne and oily skin. These powerful ingredients – to name just a few – are effective yet gentle, with tangible results after just a few uses. Wild Beauty is one of the first brands in the UK that falls under the ‘wildcrafted’ beauty movement, using ingredients foraged sustainably from the countryside. Here’s hoping many other British beauty brands soon follow suit.
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7. Carol Joy London
Carol Joy London approaches wellness by providing a results-driven beauty solution that works inside and out, using precious ingredients that are known for cleansing the body and relaxing the mind. Before founding her exclusive skincare company, Carol Joy Hatton spent many years searching for the perfect ingredients with which to create her age-defying products and treatments. Nearly a decade later, she is a leading player in the global skin and hair care industry and the brand, which began its journey at The Dorchester in 2009, is to be found in a selection of luxury spas around the world.
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6. TEMPLESPA
Although it’s a proudly British brand, TEMPLESPA has Mediterranean beauty principles at its heart. Its products are inspired by the area’s culture, lifestyle, landscapes and mindset, and feature luscious botanicals combined with technically advanced formulations to deliver noticeable and long-lasting results. TEMPLESPA was created by Liz and Mark Warom over 20 years ago. To this day it makes 90 per cent of its products in the UK, with powerful ingredients that have a low or zero environmental impact. While the brand is used in spas around the world, it’s also available to buy in Harrods and online, for professional-quality skincare in your own home.
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5. Guava & Gold
After a successful career as a barrister for over 25 years, Clare Price set out to fulfil a dream by launching Guava & Gold just over a year ago. Her goal was to create an elegant capsule collection of cruelty-free bath and body products which would provide customers with an everyday sanctuary. The whole range takes customers from mundane reality to the most exotic corners of the world, through the use of luxuriously scented blends of distinctive fruit and flowers, including delicious guava and cherimoya, fragrant pink magnolia, white floral facets of tuberose, sweet vanilla orchid and enchanting orange and plum blossom. Guava & Gold is proud to be a British-born brand which has worked with a leading international fine fragrance house to create unique, exquisite perfumes and has then blended those with gorgeously scented natural oils and vibrant colours to build a sensory experience in a bottle. Its products encourage you to live in the present and enjoy the moment, a philosophy that its customers buy into with confidence, trust and belief.
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4. Bamford
Bamford was founded by Carole Bamford, the owner and founder of Daylesford Farm, one of the most sustainable organic farms in the UK. Established on the belief that what we put on our body is as important as what we put into it through our food, all of the bath and body products are made in England and the natural active botanicals used are drawn from the fruits and herbs of English gardens.
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3. Bolin Webb
If you’re looking for a truly luxurious shaving experience, look no further than Bolin Webb. The grooming brand was founded in 2011, and was inspired by the idea of bringing product design excellence to the shaving market. The result is a range of sharply designed razors, stands and shaving accessories.
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2. Biotell
An exciting new name to have on your radar is Biotell, a home-grown cosmetics brand that makes all of its products right here in the UK. With a team of pharmaceutical and beauty experts working together, Biotell creates bespoke skincare and haircare routines for you to follow at home, which help smooth and plump up skin and leave hair feeling healthy and nourished.
Buy Now1. OSKIA
Founded in 2009 by Georgie Cleeve and George Gordon, skincare brand OSKIA specialises in bio-cellular skin nutrition through patented micro-encapsulation and liposome technology. The British beauty brand makes all of its products here in the UK, using naturally-derived and bio-identical ingredients (the latter of which is both environmentally and socially more sustainable).
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