Neal's Yard Remedies

A forerunner of the organic movement in the early 1980s, Neal’s Yard has retained a loyal following, despite competition from younger companies with similar ideologies. In recent years, the brand has expanded onto (smart) main shopping streets, such as Upper Street and King’s Road, and there are now 20 stores in London alone, most with luxury treatment rooms offering a wide range of therapies. The prettily packaged products, in their distinctive blue-glass bottles to safeguard the ingredients, smell delicious without being overpowering, and prices are fairer than many organic products. Made in an eco-factory in Dorset, they run the gamut from lovely French soaps, hand washes and bath oils to sun creams, deodorants and essential oils, plus a mother-and-baby range. There’s also a dispensary for a huge range of dried herbs. Our top picks are the quick-absorbing Orange Flower Facial Oil, the Rehydrating Rose Daily Moisture Cream, the gently foaming Palmarosa Facial Wash and the Melissa Hand Cream. The range of remedies designed to ‘feed the skin from within’ includes the Mahonia Clear Skin Formula, a tonic to be taken orally, and the Organic Beauty Oil, containing essential fatty acids to improve skin elasticity and hydration. There is also a men’s range: NYR Men. Branches throughout the city.