Great British Heritage Beauty Brands
@Penhaligons
Penhaligon's
Fragrance stalwart Penhaligon’s was founded by Cornish barber William H. Penhaligon. From 1870, he served Mayfair dandies in his shop on London’s fashionable Jermyn Street. As was the custom for barbers at the time, he created his own products that he sold to clients. Two years later he came up with his first fragrance. Hammam Bouquet – a heady floral inspired by the soapy, steam-filled rooms of the Turkish baths – is still one of the brand’s bestsellers today.
Visit PENHALIGONS.COM
Rimmel
High street hero Rimmel was founded in 1834 by French-born British cosmetics innovator Eugène Rimmel. Following in his father’s footsteps, he successfully sold pomades, vaporisers and mouthwashes, but he struck gold when he came up with the first commercial non-toxic mascara. Nearly two centuries on, the brand remains embedded in British culture thanks to its budget-friendly line-up – and, of course, supermodel Georgia May Jagger’s memorable delivery of its old strapline, ‘Get the London look’.
Visit RIMMELLONDON.COM
@RimellLondon
@MasonPearsonBros
Mason Pearson
A Mason Pearson hairbrush is one of the most iconic beauty tools. The brand’s eponymous founder was an engineer who started out designing wool processing looms in Bradford in the late 1800s. Brimming with inventive spirit, he arrived in London to work at a brushmaker, where he pioneered an automatic brush-boring machine at a time when brushes were all crafted by hand. In 1885, he came up with a pneumatic rubber-cushion design – the earliest version of the brand’s now-signature piece.
Visit MASONPEARSON.COM
Molton Brown
Molton Brown – best known for its luxurious bath and bodycare line-up – began life in 1971 as a hair salon on London’s South Molton Street. Co-founders Caroline Burstein and Michael Collis mixed their own botanical-focused formulas in the salon’s basement and built up an impressive roster of stylists, including Sam McKnight. In the 1980s, the brand expanded into fragrance and launched its first signature scent, inspired by the orange groves of Seville.
Visit MOLTONBROWN.CO.UK
@MoltonBrown
@Elemis; @Elemis_UKI
Elemis
Skincare and spa leader Elemis has over 30 years of expertise under its belt. Passionate about the link between skin health and wellness – long before it was ‘a thing’ – co-founder Noelle Gabriel set about creating a brand rooted in aromatherapy. Not sure where to start? Its bestselling Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm shifts grime and make-up to leave skin feeling soft and supple.
Visit ELEMIS.COM
Neal's Yard Remedies
In a quiet corner of Covent Garden, natural health advocate Romy Fraser founded Neal’s Yard. Her initial focus was natural remedies, but she soon embraced cosmetics, which were hand-blended at the back of the store. A pioneer of refillable beauty, the modern apothecary is now well known for its blue glass bottles. It continues to maintain a holistic approach, selling products anchored in wellness such as aromatic balms, pillow sprays and massage oils.
Visit NEALSYARDREMEDIES.COM
@NealsYardRemedies
@FlorisLondon
Floris London
Juan Famenias Floris came to London from his native Menorca and set up shop in St James’s in 1730. He was a barber by trade, but had studied perfumery for six months in Montpelier. Juan began to create unique blends for his customers, noting down each new formula by hand in a large, leather-bound book. Since then, England’s oldest perfume house has stayed true to its roots, still offering a bespoke service today.
Visit FLORISLONDON.COM
The Body Shop
The Body Shop’s story began in Brighton in 1976. Anita Roddick set it up with the simple aim of earning enough money to support herself and her daughters while her husband was overseas. She couldn’t have predicted how influential the brand would eventually become in the world of ethical beauty. A key campaigner in the fight against animal testing, just this year The Body Shop became the first global beauty brand to receive 100% vegan certification.
Visit THEBODYSHOP.COM
@TheBodyShop
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