Cosmetics and perfume stores in the UK 2026: a ranking built on verified facts
A ranking of UK chains and online retailers that sell cosmetics, skincare and perfume themselves, built only on verifiable facts from their official pages: the returns window they state, whether they name the company with its registration number, the year the business started, free delivery and from what order value, click and collect, loyalty programmes, samples and the App Store rating of their app. Boots, Superdrug, Sephora, The Perfume Shop and The Fragrance Shop are closed to automated checks or forbid them, and stay outside the ranking.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | allbeauty | 76 | 30 days | Yes | 2004 | Yes | Yes | Free returns Seller named Free delivery Loyalty |
| 2 | Cult Beauty | 68 | 30 days | Yes | 2008 | Yes | Yes | Seller named Free delivery Loyalty |
| 3 | Sally Beauty | 64 | 14 days | Yes | 1972 | Yes | Yes | Seller named Free delivery Click and collect Loyalty |
| 4 | LOOKFANTASTIC | 61 | 30 days | Yes | Not verified | Yes | Not verified | Seller named Free delivery Click and collect |
| 5 | Justmylook | 44 | 14 days | Yes | 2015 | Yes | Not verified | Seller named Free delivery |
-
- Return period for online orders
- 30 days
- Seller's legal entity on the website
- Yes
- In business since
- 2004
- Free home delivery
- Yes
- Loyalty programme
- Yes
Pros
- Long period to return an online order
- Names the seller's legal entity and registration number
- Long-established retailer
- Home delivery can be free
Details Visit site ↗ 77% backed by facts
-
- Return period for online orders
- 30 days
- Seller's legal entity on the website
- Yes
- In business since
- 2008
- Free home delivery
- Yes
- Loyalty programme
- Yes
Pros
- Long period to return an online order
- Names the seller's legal entity and registration number
- Long-established retailer
- Home delivery can be free
Details Visit site ↗ 70% backed by facts
-
- Return period for online orders
- 14 days
- Seller's legal entity on the website
- Yes
- In business since
- 1972
- Free home delivery
- Yes
- Loyalty programme
- Yes
Pros
- Names the seller's legal entity and registration number
- Long-established retailer
- Home delivery can be free
- Online orders can be collected in a shop or pickup point
Details Visit site ↗ 75% backed by facts
-
- Return period for online orders
- 30 days
- Seller's legal entity on the website
- Yes
- In business since
- Not verified
- Free home delivery
- Yes
- Loyalty programme
- Not verified
Pros
- Long period to return an online order
- Names the seller's legal entity and registration number
- Home delivery can be free
- Online orders can be collected in a shop or pickup point
Details Visit site ↗ 62% backed by facts
-
- Return period for online orders
- 14 days
- Seller's legal entity on the website
- Yes
- In business since
- 2015
- Free home delivery
- Yes
- Loyalty programme
- Not verified
Pros
- Names the seller's legal entity and registration number
- Home delivery can be free
- Well-rated app
Details Visit site ↗ 62% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- BEAUTY BAY (site closed to automated checks, )
- Beauty Flash (site closed to automated checks, )
- Boots (site closed to automated checks, )
- Escentual (site closed to automated checks, )
- Notino (site closed to automated checks, )
- Savers (site closed to automated checks, )
- Sephora (site closed to automated checks, )
- Space NK (site closed to automated checks, )
- Superdrug (site closed to automated checks, )
- The Beauty Base (site closed to automated checks, )
- The Fragrance Shop (site closed to automated checks, )
- The Perfume Shop (site closed to automated checks, )
Sites marked as closed refuse automated reading (403 error, captcha or a robots.txt ban). We don't bypass such protection, so we can't verify their facts and they are not ranked. This says nothing about their quality. A company can send links to its official pages to [email protected].
How we calculate the Score
25%
Reliability
Whether the website names the seller's legal entity with its registration number (in the imprint, terms or contacts), and how many years the business has been trading.
30%
Returns
How many days the store gives you to return an item of proper quality bought online (the maximum score is reached at 30 days) and whether sending it back is free.
25%
Delivery and pickup
Whether home delivery is free at least above a stated order value, whether an online order can be collected in a shop or pickup point, and how many shops the chain states.
20%
Loyalty and extras
Whether the store runs a loyalty programme, adds free samples to orders, offers gift wrapping, and how its app is rated in the App Store.
How to choose a beauty store
Check who the seller is
Look for the seller's legal entity and registration number in the imprint, contacts or terms. Your rights are claimed from that company, not from a brand name.
Read the return rules before you order
Many stores accept only unopened, sealed items, so a perfume you opened to try may not come back. Check from when the period runs and who pays for return postage.
Look at the delivery threshold
Free delivery usually starts from an order value, and the value can differ by region or carrier. Compare it with what you actually plan to buy.
Decide whether you need a shop nearby
Click and collect saves delivery costs and lets you ask about an item in person. Online-only stores often have a wider range but no place to return an item by hand.
Weigh loyalty against the total cost
Points and discount cards pay off if you buy from one store regularly. Read how points are earned, when they expire and which goods are excluded.
Ask for samples before a large purchase
Some stores add samples to every order, or let you choose them at checkout. A sample lets you try a scent or texture without opening the full-size product.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to cancel an online order in the UK?
Under regulation 30 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, for goods the cancellation period ends 14 days after the day the goods come into your physical possession.
When must the retailer refund me?
Where the trader has not offered to collect the goods, the refund is due within 14 days after it receives the goods back or, if earlier, after you supply evidence of having sent them back (regulation 34).
What if the item is faulty?
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you have a short-term right to reject faulty goods within 30 days (section 22). After that, you are entitled to a repair or replacement, and if that fails, to a price reduction or a final right to reject (section 24).
Can I return an opened product?
It depends on the store. Among the stores we read, allbeauty takes back unopened products within 30 days and Cult Beauty asks for items in saleable condition. Read the returns page before you open anything.