While visiting Boots or Space NK on a Saturday is an enjoyable activity, the LOOKFANTASTIC UK brand directory and affordable prices make it more worthwhile for bargain hunters who want to compare everything. Carrying over 800 brands is a great way to have variety, but it can be quite disconcerting when your basket is already halfway full of items you didn’t know.
Following a year of consistent orders and inconsistent notes, I created this list to identify unexpected items that were delivered, overpriced, and likely to be purchased again without my knowledge. These aren’t the loudest names in the catalogue; they’re the ones that keep showing up at sensible prices, and the ones LOOKFANTASTIC tends to discount in ways that genuinely matter.
How I Chose These Brands
There were three filters in place:
For a period of two years or more, the brand has been consistently available on LOOKFANTASTIC UK. What are the chances of being tempted by something that was on your wishlist for more than a month, but then suddenly disappeared?
With a typical price-quality ratio of LOOKFANTASTIC, the product outperforms alternatives that are sold at the same price and on the shelf.
Real reviews, either I’ve used it personally, or the product carries 500+ reviews on the site at a 4.3 average or better.
Listed below are some of the top picks for skincare, haircare and makeup, as well as some classic favourites.
1. The Ordinary (Skincare, Budget)
Best buy: Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, around £5. A year of use for what a high-street sandwich costs.
2. CeraVe (Skincare, Sensitive/Everyday)
Ceramide-based, reassuringly boring, and developed by a dermatologist. Whenever I need something, I always turn to the Foaming Cleanser and the Moisturising Cream. LOOKFANTASTIC UK tends to come out cheaper on CeraVe than Boots once a site-wide code is on. Despite its thick consistency, the Moisturising Cream may be too strong for those with dry skin or humid conditions, so opt for a lighter and more concentrated Moisiller cream.
The most effective option for daily use would be the 340ml tub of Moisturising Cream, which can last over 3 months.
3. Medik8 (Skincare, Mid-range Active)
brand in the UK quietly outshining its price range. The Crystal Retinal range is among the cleanest retinaldehyde lines on the shelf: stable, sensibly graduated (1, 3, 6, 10, 20), with visible payoff over an 8 to 12 week stretch. LOOKFANTASTIC occasionally runs 25% off Medik8 events, which is the moment to restock. While there is no harm in this warning, pushing up the strength can still cause retinal stinging. Give yourself a break before starting on 6.
Those who are just starting out should consider purchasing either Crystal Retinal 3 or Crystal Revisite 6. Full-size sits at £45 RRP, closer to £33 in events.
4. ESPA (Skincare/Body, Premium)
At the autumn beauty event, ESPA gift sets are the top pick.
5. Olaplex (Haircare)
Known for bond-building. At the center of the routine lies the at-home weekly treatment No.3 and, fifthly, the shampoo & conditioner duo No4. Coloured or heat-damaged hair is truly noticeable, as evidenced by an individual who used it for approximately two months. Bundles are often discounted, as evidenced by LOOKFANTASTIC. The change in appearance is not applicable to healthy hair, and the scent may not be enjoyable for everyone.
Best buy: No.4 + No.5 duo, £45 full-size.
6. Color Wow (Haircare)
The Dream Coat is the hair product I would recommend as an anti-humidity spray. After applying, blow dry your wet hair and expect it to stay silky for about three minutes. Including the complete range is maintained by LOOKFANTASTIC, which is then added to the haircare multi-buys. The product is not considered air-dry due to its application, which involves a trade-off between the blow-dry and effect.
Best buy: 200ml bottle of Dream Coat Supernatural Spray.
7. Elemis (Skincare, Premium/Mature)
The beloved hero, The Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, is a warming oil-to-milk that effortlessly removes heavy mascara. It runs £50+ at RRP, which is steep, but LOOKFANTASTIC UK’s 25% Elemis events knock it down to roughly £37.50, where it starts to make sense. Unlike a morning rinse, the heavy texture makes it ideally suited for an evening double-soiling.
Best buy: Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm 100g .
8. NARS (Makeup)
Despite the competition, NARS still has the lineup for foundation, concealer, and one blush that is notoriously bold. By mid-afternoon, The Radiant Creamy Concealer is the most exceptional, light weight, supple, and able to stay put without any discomfort under the eyes. A wider range of colours is available in the UK, and LOOKFANTASTIC offers it on a full shade ladder. Those new to the line should be prepared to use a tap of their brush as these blush pigments are very strong.
Best buy: Radiant Creamy Concealer.
9. Sol de Janeiro (Body Care)
The viral success of The Brazilian Bum Bum Cream was due to its aroma of pistachio and salted caramel, ability to hydrate the skin effectively, and the longevity of the container with added spreads. Before using the large bath, it’s important to consider the size of the trip to determine if the scent is right for you. The “three for two” body-care events that occur often involve LOOKFANTASTIC involving it. Wearing strong perfume can cause a conflicting effect due to the persistent scent.
Best buy: 240g bottle of Bum Bum Cream.
10. Pixi (Skincare, Budget Toner/Exfoliant)
Pixi Glow Tonic, the 5% glycolic acid toner, is a quiet staple. This is a less rough skin texture than the percentage suggests, and smoothness can be observed between 2 and 3 week. The cost of LOOKFANTASTIC is similar or inferior to that of the Pixi UK website, and the travel size is a reasonable starting point. To avoid over-exfoliation if you already use a stronger acid in another part of your routine, it is best to layer up or skip 1-2 hours.
The best choice for a test drink is Glow Tonic in 100ml, but it can be made larger with gratification.
Quick Reference: What to Buy When
If you want…
Go for
Rough price (sale)
First retinol
Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3
£33
Budget daily routine
CeraVe Cleanser + The Ordinary Niacinamide
Under £20
Premium gift
ESPA or Elemis gift set
£40–60
Hair repair
Olaplex No.4 + No.5 duo
£45
Anti-humidity frizz fix
Color Wow Dream Coat
£21
Body-care treat
Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream
£38
How to Actually Save Money Stacking These
Following enough orders, I’ve accumulated a few tricks to consider myself somewhat qualified:
Predict the occurrence across the entire region. LOOKFANTASTIC UK tends to drop a 20 to 25% off weekend roughly twice a month. Build your event wishlist and make it sequential, with the order being in between events.
Stack the Beauty Plus points. If a triple-points weekend lines up with a discount code, you’re effectively running about 25% off plus 12% cashback in one go.
Accomplish the free-delivery threshold of £25. Tossing in a £5 tonic to cross the line often saves £4 in delivery charges, which makes the toner near enough free.
Observe the multi-purchase limits. Many brand events read “£60 for 30% off”; sometimes adding one mid-range product saves more than it costs you on the day.
Ready to build your basket?
Research the current week’s activities, with live code and pricing information displayed on the homepage banner for shifts across 10 different brands every few days.
Browse LOOKFANTASTIC UK →
Free standard delivery over £25 • Earn Beauty Plus points on every order
Final Thoughts
The real value of a retailer like LOOKFANTASTIC UK isn’t any one brand on the list, since most of these you can buy elsewhere. Access, Beauty Plus rewards, and multiple discounts are all part of a single checkout experience. Rotate through three or four of the brands above with any regularity and consolidating your orders here typically saves £80 to £150 over a year, before you count the points.
For those just starting out, choose one brand from the list (such as The Ordinary, CeraVe, Medik8, or Olaplex if desired), make your initial purchase at an all-encompassing conference, and evaluate the delivery, packaging design, quality of the experience, etc. Only the growth of the basket is visible.
FAQ
Is the price of these brands uniform across all brands?
While UK retailers usually match the RRP, each brand’s DTC site is almost always matched by the code LOOKFANTASTIC, which matches their retail RPC.
How can I test a premium brand at the lowest possible price?
The Beauty Box at £15/month, or a brand-specific discovery set during the autumn beauty event. Before you commit to full sizes, both give you an opportunity with 4 to 6 products to try on.
Have any real flash sales been marketed?
It’s true, but sudden ones are infrequent. They usually announce upcoming events within 24 hours of subscribing to the newsletter.