Skip to content

works for you

Member access:

Best shops for buying toiletries May 2011

Toiletries and cosmetics shops rated

The UK's biggest survey of shops for toiletries and cosmetics reveals the best stores and the ones to avoid for buying your everyday and luxury toiletries and cosmetics.

toiletries taster

The Which? satisfaction table of 14 shops for buying toiletries and cosmetics reveals the best and worst in the UK, as part of the Which? shops survey of more than 11,000 people. Shops are ordered by customer score.

Our table includes big high street chains such as Boots, The Body Shop and Superdrug alongside department stores John Lewis and Debenhams, and shops perhaps lesser-known for toiletries and cosmetics. Find out the best and worst places to shop for both your everyday and luxury toiletries and cosmetics. You may be surprised to see which is top of the shops for toiletries and cosmetics.

Toiletry and cosmetics shops reviewed
ShopProduct RangeProduct QualityServiceStorePricingAfter sales & returnsCustomer Score
BootsSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
DebenhamsSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
FenwickSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Harvey NicholsSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
House of FraserSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Independent department storeSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
John LewisSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
LushSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
Marks & SpencerSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
SelfridgesSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
SuperdrugSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
The Body ShopSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
The Perfume ShopSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content
TJ HughesSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only contentSubscriber only content

How Which? rates toiletries and cosmetics shops 

The toiletries and cosmetics category was part of the Which? shops survey, the biggest one of its kind in the UK.

For the survey, Which? surveyed 11,477 members of the general public online between February and March 2011 about the shops they had visited in the past six months. Shoppers were asked how satisfied they were and how likely they were to recommend the toiletries and cosmetics shops they rated. These factors make up the Which? customer score.

Our survey respondents also rated 13 factors covering price, service, store environment, product quality, product range and aftersales, shown as star ratings in our tables of toiletries and cosmetics shops. If there is a non-applicable symbol in a star rating column, this is because we did not achieve enough sample to form a rating for that factor. The star ratings for the toiletries and cosmetics shops in our table were made up of the following factors.

  • Customer service – staff knowledge about products, staff helpfulness and staff availability
  • Store environment – ease of finding products, tidiness of store, store environment, queuing time
  • Price – price, sales and special offers
  • Product quality
  • Product range – range of products and products being in stock
  • Aftersales and returns

Other Which? shopping surveys

Take a look at the best and worst shops from the other categories in the Which? shopping survey as voted for by more than 11,000 shoppers.