Beauty's Best of British

We're a nation of beauty lovers, spending millions of hard-earned pounds a year on products, perfumes and potions to make us thinner, leaner, smoother and more confident. But did you know a handful of everyday staple brands we know and love actually had beginnings here in Britain? From market stalls to hte Poole, here are a few that caught our eye.

Soap & Glory was founded by Marcia Kilgore, the brains behind FitFlops. She wanted to come up with a a fun and iconic beauty range, and so S&G was born. The cheeky pink and pastel branding and oh-so-funny puns (Sexy Motherpucker has to be one of the best names around) have won countless fans, and their perfumed body mists and butters are a firm favourite. With a recent rebrand hitting the shelves, they're a favourite of beauty bloggers everywhere. Check out Victoria's impressive collection (very cropped photo above!).

Heaven by Deborah Mitchell is a luxurious range of anti-ageing, natural skincare containing organic ingredients, which has been developed for a flawless complexion and to help heal skin conditions from blemishes to eczema. Deborah Mitchell began her career as a beauty therapist, creating her own product range when she failed to find a range that suited her skin. Throughout the years, she's amassed a celebrity following including Dannii Minogue, Simon Cowell, Kate Middleton and the Duchess of Cornwall. Deborah was also a pioneer of THE anti-ageing wonder product of last year: the Bee Venom Mask.

Barry M had humble beginnings. Not many people know the background of Barry Mero who founded the British cosmetics brand on a market stall three decades ago. The brand, whose factory is still based in London, is sold in every Boots and Superdrug nationwide. 15 products have been launched this year alone (can you name them?) and Barry still visits the office daily at the age of 65 with the same passion and commitment as he did all those years ago on his stall.

Who hasn't walked past a Lush and been immediately been hit with that signature smell of perfumed bath bombs? Lush actually began in modest surrounding down south in Poole almost twenty years ago. Founders Mark and Mo Constantine and Elizabeth Bennett began by making beauty products in their homes. They caught the attention of Body Shop owner Anita Roddick, and the rest is history. Their ethics are highly praised throughout the industry.

One of the first brands to specialise in honest and natural plant-based products, Cowshed was developed for guests at spa hotel Babington House in Somerset. Products are botanically based and bovine themed, including a range for men hilariously named Bullocks (genuinely laughed for a good ten minutes at this). The range has expanded dramatically, you can now visit their spas in London, Berlin, New York and Miami.

What are your favourite British brands? Let us know below!