I'm a Beauty Editor, and I Love Boots—This Is What I Always Buy There

At launch, one of these tubes of mascara sold every nine seconds at Boots. (Yes, you read that right!) Its insane popularity is down to the curved brush that grips every single lash to curl and lengthen them for noticeable volume. Plus, unlike some other mascaras, you can layer it up to create a really dramatic, falsies effect—if you so desire.

Years ago we were first introduced to the power of Touch Éclat in its original form as an illuminating pen. Since then, the best-selling radiance has has a full-coverage upgrade: introducing the high cover concealer. This will be a real life saver when you need an on-the-go touch up, or simply a complexion boost when you're running late. 

In all honesty, I have never tried a luxury face powder that rivals their most affordable counterparts. This one from Boots' own beauty brand, Natural Collection, is as cheap as they come and gets the job done. It soaks up oil in places that you don't want to look shiny and sets your other makeup products in place. Impressively, it's also enriched with chamomile to soothe and protect skin at the same time.

Boots has an amazing selection of affordable and luxury makeup brands (both in-store and online), but it's this £10 foundation that I come back to time and time again. It has a great shade range compared to other price-friendly brands—40 shades in total—and the coverage and finish compare to high-end counterparts. In fact, I've heard it said that it's a great dupe for Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation, and I'd be inclined to agree.

Yes, old trusty Boots has some of the best beauty brands around, including Fenty Beauty. Depending on which shade you go for, this shimmer stick can highlight, blush and enhance. It's no surprise this is one of Boots' best sellers. 

I've been shopping Rimmel at Boots since my earliest teenage years and the brand really has stood the test of time for great, affordable beauty products. This concealer, in particular, is one that I always come back to for its ability to provide both coverage and brightness where you need it.

I believe that Boots was one of the first UK retailers that Real Techniques was available to buy, and I still always return to the store to stock up on new brushes. Real Techniques have to be one of my favourite makeup brush brands. I have multiple of these Expert Face Brushes and use them to apply everything from foundation to cream blusher.

This is another throwback product that has stood the test of time for me. There was a time about 10 years ago when beauty girls and bloggers were going crazy for this specific shade of minty green. To give Boots their due, they were one of the first UK retailers to stock Essie and I remember being so excited to get my hands on this polish. Years later, it's still one of my favourite spring nail colours. 

Maybelline was one of those brands that was a big part of all teen beauty bags. Of course, back then I had various vibrant green eyeshadows which thankfully haven't yet come back in style. But this reliable brand is still a part of my makeup collection, in particular the multi-use concealer that went viral on TikTok. Long day at work? Long night out? Add a swipe of this concealer to keep the eye bags at bay. 

I remember rushing to Boots as a teenager to pick up a bottle of this face wash after reading about it in CosmoGirl magazine. Almost 16 years later and I still swear by the stuff if you're looking for an affordable, blemish-fighting daily cleanser. I don't use it every day (my skin needs some more nourishment than it did in my teenage years), but it's a great skin refresher in the mornings. 

When Scandi skincare brand Ole Henriksen first landed on the shelves of Boots it did so to a 13,500-person waiting list. The cult brand has been raved about by beauty editors and insiders for years now, so it's good to see that it's been such a success on the UK high street too. In fact, it's been such a hit that this brightening toner is something of a sell-out.

One of the biggest skincare launches at Boots came courtesy of this No7 serum. It had an initial waiting list of 17,000 people and a serum was sold every seven seconds during the first three weeks of it being on sale. Talk about a cult product. 

Another of Boots' own beauty lines, Botanics has an amazing collection of skincare products with high-quality ingredients and natural formulations. This cleansing balm smells like a fancy spa and is rich in shea butter and beeswax to really melt away all traces of makeup and grime from the day. It also includes a cloth to use with it for less than a tenner which I think is pretty amazing.

Although you can get a certain French pharmacy micellar staple at Boots, it's this one from Garnier that I always come back to. This huge size might look ridiculous on your bathroom shelf, but it means that I pretty much never run out of something to remove my makeup with. It's super gentle, takes everything off and is normally on offer so you can snap it up at a bargain price.

A classic French pharmacy staple, I tend to stock up on all my La Roche Posay favourites from Boots because—if you're lucky—they will regularly be on offer. This scar-reducing moisturiser is great for acne-prone complexions who are looking for hydration combined with spot-busting power.

This is my lazy-girl skin saviour on mornings when my skin looks dull and grey (or when I've had a big night out and need some help disguising the after effects). It contains a blend of skin identical lipids to instantly moisturise your skin. 

Taking inspiration from spa treatments, this body scrub is what I reach for when I need some proper exfoliation. It contains wonderfully gritty sea salt to slough away dead skin cells but leaves behind a lovely nourishing oil that adds plenty of glow to your skin.

Is there a Briton out there who doesn't have a bottle of Soltan lurking in the back of a bathroom cupboard or under the kitchen sink? Either way, Boots' own brand of sun protection is a winner in my eyes. It has a 5-star UVA rating (making it the cream of the crop in terms of sun protection) and is offered at a truly low price point compared to some of the premium sun-care brands. Soltan, I salute you.

Ah, the OG dry shampoo. Didn't everyone go through a phase of having at least one of these handy cans in their bag, drawer, school locker? Even now I use mine at least once a week for a quick refresh between hair washes or even to add some volume and texture to my locks. 

I just can't get enough of this stuff and if it is ever discontinued, I have a feeling I'll be heartbroken. A ultra-nourishing moisturiser with a touch of gradual tan, it helps builds a enviable, natural glow in just a few days and keeps my skin feeling soft and radiant. 

If you're lucky enough to have naturally curly locks then this scrunching jelly should not be overlooked. Banish frizz and unruly curls, and enhance your natural texture. Apply from mid-lengths to ends after washing and let the jelly work it's magic. And if you needed more persuasion to invest, it's been a best seller for over a decade.