Why I Love: Boots The Chemist

There is a large Boots store close to where I live and so that is the place I end up doing most of my beauty shopping. Boots has a reward points system – you get 4 points for every pound you spend in the store. Each point is then worth a penny to spend in the store so once you’ve let the points accumulate for a while you can spend them on most products in the store. In essence: free stuff! There are frequently offers running where you get 50 or 100 extra points when you buy certain products, to help you increase your points total further.

Speaking of offers, there are always tons of offers on in store. I buy Boots own brand cucumber face wipes and as these are often on buy one get one free, or 3 for 2, I will take advantage and stock up. Browsing the make up counters with my sister last weekend, there was some kind of offer on practically every brand – be it a discount on a new product, a free gift when you spent a certain amount on that brand, or just 3 for 2 offers on nail polish or eyeliner.

The larger Boots stores like the one near me have makeup counters to rival the biggest department stores. All the major brands are there – Clinique, Guerlain, Clarins. And often there are offers on these brands exclusive to Boots. I know there’s a Clinique Bonus Time offer starting on Thursday this week. I need a foundation refill so I will definitely be popping in to claim my free gift.

Boots offer an own brand option for most products so there’s usually a cheaper alternative of whatever you are looking for that is just as good as the branded one. They have a pharmacy in most stores and sell everything from tights to lipstick. They are on every high street in the UK, online, and I believe Target in the US stocks some of the Boots own brand products. It’s well worth a visit.