It’s a story for the ages – girl goes abroad….girl falls in love with a beauty brand….girl loses her heart when she returns to the U.S. and can’t find it! Many have experienced such sorrow, but luckily for us, the tide is turning. The success of many European beauty brands is driving them across the pond to the shelves of our local drug/big box stores. Here’s where to find a few favorites:

Ruby & Millie - Formed nearly a decade a ago when Millie Kendall, a beauty PR, met Ruby Hammer, a make-up artist, in London, this brand features top of the range wearable colors and cosmetics. Ten years ago the two approached UK drugstore Boots about starting their own line of cosemetics and now have over 300 products avaliable in Boots stores in the UK. The duo are looking to expand overseas in the next few years, but to check out their range online visit www.rubyandmille.com.

Boots no. 7 - Boots has been a British staple for over 70 years, and is the number 1 best selling beauty brand! All of its products are hypo-allergenic and dermatologically tested. Finally, we can find it here in the states at CVS and Target. CVS carries the no. 7 brand, while Target carries Boots no. 7, Botanics, Mediterranean, Feel the Difference, Sleep, and Time Dimension.

ArtDeco – ArtDeco is Germany’s number one make-up brand in perfumeries, beauty salons and selective department stores, and is one of the fastest growing makeup brands in the world. As their name implies, Art Deco offers a wide range of colors and innovative products, and its coming soon to Walgreen’s!

Institut Arnaud - One of France’s most popular skincare lines, Institut Arnaud is known for its high quality, innovative skincare products. Now, its available in the US at Walgreen’s!

Lumene – Voted one of Finland’s “superbrands,” Lumene has been featured in British Vogue and in INSTYLE. It is known for its high quality products sold at a reasonable price. And now, it can be found at CVS.

La Fleur Organique – An organic skincare company from France, La Fleur Organique offers a wide range of beauty products that are free of parabens, silicones, mineral oil, chemical preservatives, synthetic fragrances and colorings, and petroleum derivatives. It can now be found at Walgreen’s.

Rimmel London – This budget make-up brand do fantastic colors and cheap basics. They are one of the leading brands in the UK and use world famous model Kate Moss as the face of their advertsing campaign. They are avaliable in the US at selected stores, including Walmart, Target and Walgreens. Visit the Rimmel website for more info.

Red Water - This Greek line uses thermal spring water as the basis for their dermocosmetic formulas. The water comes from Loutrochori Spring in Greece and is rich in minerals and trace elements. All Red Water products are free of parabens, petroleum derivatives and by-products, silicones and propylene glycol. Red Water can be found at Walgreen’s.

Barry M – At Beauty or Bust we are obssessed with this fantastic UK make-up brand. With a collection of great colors, glitters and shimmers they can dazzle up even the most tired looking eyes. At present they are not avaible in the US, but with Gwen Stefani as one of their main fans – it won’t be long now until they bring their exclusive brand across this side of the pond. For those of you outside the UK you can order a brochure from the Barry M website.

Spa Aquatique – A French company offers spa-quality, marine-based products that are suitable for all skin types. Their products are chock full of Seaweed nutrients that detoxify, rejuvenate and embellish the skin. Spa Aquatique is available now at Walgreen’s.

Oli - Oli is an anti-aging skincare system that hails from Spain. Its olive oil infused products are said to dramatically reduce and even reverse the aging process. Oli can be found at Walgreen’s.

UK Haircare Products - As always, most larger brands, such as Pantene and Herbal Essences, are available everywhere. However, in the UK there are several companies which have been set up by hairdressers and now feature an extensive range of shampoo’s, conditoners and styling products. Charles Worthington, a hairdresser with four london salons, has his own product line which is now avaliable on a US beauty website called Ulta. Another big British brand is Toni and Guy, who are beginning to expand worldwide. There products can be picked up on several websites in the US, such as Sleek Hair.

Avene – Avene is a French skincare brand dedicated to helping those who suffer from sensitive to hyper-sensitive skin. Its formulas are based on hydrotherapy, which uses the soothing, softening properties of Avene thermal spring water to treat serious dermatological conditions such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema and burns. Avene can now be found at CVS.

Skincode – This Swiss skincare brand was created by one Europe’s leading dermatologists, and contains only the highest quality botanical ingredients. It is completely free of chemical preservatives,
fragrance, color and animal extracts, and is safe for sensitive skin. Skincode can be found at Walgreen’s.