More than 85 years since it first launched, Boots’ No7 makeup and skincare brand is still hugely relevant after being voted the UK’s best beauty brand.
In a survey of more than 1,000 UK adults, commissioned by One4All, No7 beat off competition from the likes of MAC Cosmetics and Urban Decay to take the top spot.
It also was more popular than Nivea, L’Oreal and many other cheap makeup brands that sit alongside it in Boots stores across the country.
Although it didn’t make the top 10, The Ordinary – a young brand in comparison to No7, having only launched in 2016 – was the most popular among people under 25. So much so, it was 10 times more popular with younger people than the older generation.
This is likely because of its hugely affordable price range and the fact it takes a no-nonsense approach to beauty generally (including hair care).
You can read more about the range of The Ordinary products on offer in our The best The Ordinary products for all your skincare concerns guide.
Elsewhere, the One4All research, which was commissioned to celebrate the launch of its new One4all Beauty & Spa Favourites Gift Card, found that the average British woman spends £384 a year on beauty products while the average man only spends slightly less at £308.
The biggest spenders across both groups are those aged 16-25 who, despite having the lowest income, spend an average of £636 per year on products. This rises to £1,308 per year when salon services are factored in.
This group were also more likely to prefer MAC Cosmetics and Urban Decay than any other beauty brand.
Aoife Davey, Senior Marketing Director at One4all Favourites Gift Cards, said: “There are certainly some clear staples within the beauty sector that women and men alike have been reaching for time and time again. No7, Nivea and L’Oréal are without question here to stay – but it’s exciting to see the interest around up and coming beauty brand, The Ordinary, which only launched in 2016 and is already a firm favourite amongst celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Holly Willoughby.”
One4all Favourites Gift Cards are available in three offerings: Beauty & Spa Favourites; Gamers Favourites, and Home & Garden Favourites. They can be spent at various stores, including online, from within the relevant cards’ sectors.
No7 has become a firm favourite due to its strong focus on science-led makeup and skincare. In 2007, BBC’s Panorama team made a documentary that independently tested a range of skincare products to see if they worked as well as promised, with the No7 Protect & Perfect Serum topping the list.
This led to the serum almost selling out numerous times and is attributed as kickstarting an obsession with serums that many of us have today. It has continued to innovate, most recently with its No7 Complex Night Concentrate. You can read more in our No7 Retinol review.
However, it sells much more than serums. The No7 beauty advent calendar is a sell-out every year, and it regularly releases new products. We’ve listed the latest new releases below:
No7 products are on offer a lot of the time and many of these items are included in the current 3-for-2, or Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price promotion. You can read more about this and other Boots bargains on our Boots sale page.
Not content with its various Protect & Perfect, Early Defence, Lift & Luminate, Stay Perfect and HydraLuminous ranges – to name a few – No7 recently launched an entirely new line of skincare products, all powered by Vitamin C.
Called No7 Radiance+, this range includes:
As you can read in our guide to Vitamin C, the wonder ingredient makes skin looking brighter and more radiant, creating an inner glow. This No7 Radiance+ range is not too dissimilar to the Vitamin C range from The Body Shop and comes in at a similar price. You can read more about this in our No7 Radiance+ guide.
Buy now from BootsThis microfine Hydrating Fixing Mist forms part of the wider No7 Hydraluminous range and promises to set your makeup in place for up to 24 hours. It’s suitable for sensitive skin, too.
This setting spray promises to control shine, minimises the appearance of pores and help makeup last all day. As its name suggests, it does this by creating a “velvet matte finish” without the powdery finish. This Stay Perfect Matte Fixing Mist is designed to work best with the Stay Perfect Matte foundation. You can read more about this foundation in No7 foundation review group test in which we pit the various types against each other to see which is best.
The No7 Illuminating Pressed Highlighting Powder gives a subtle, golden glow to your skin to make it appear sunkissed without being too orange. It’s also buildable, meaning you can create a natural look by dabbing on the cheekbones or increase the amount for a more sculpted look with precision highlights on the bridge of your nose, under your brows and cupids bow.
Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
