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.

It seem like everytime I visit my local drugstore, I’m surprised to find a fabulous new line of products by a famous makeup artist or hair stylist. For budget-conscious girls, these lines are a godsend. Check out our list below of hidden gems available at your local drug/big box store.

Sonia Kashuk - This Minneapolis native teamed up with Target in 1998 to create a professional makeup line for price-conscious women. The Sonia Kashuk Professional Markeup brand was one of the most successful launches in the cosmetics industry. Her professional, yet affordable brushes have won many awards. Sonia is constantly expanding her line, which now includes, makeup, brushes, tools, skincare, perfumes and makeup and brush organizers.

Carmindy - This What Not to Wear veteran has worked on countless women’s mags and just this year teamed with Sally Hansen to launch a new collection of paraben-free makeup called Natural Beauty. The collection is chock-full of natural ingredients including minerals, mango, soy, bamboo, and papaya. The collection is getting rave reviews and can be found at select CVS, Walgreen’s, and Rite Aid stores. Prices range from $7.95–$12.95.

JoAnna Connell - This leading Hollywood makeup artist and skin care specialist, has teamed up with director-producer Anson Williams to bring StarMaker Products to the public. StarMarker Products are used on Hollywood sets to keep stars and starletts alike looking young and fresh. Some top-selling products include Hollywood Hands and Micro Pearl Resurfacing. Keep a look out for StarMarker Products at your local CVS.

Sally Hershberger - This in-demand hair stylist to the rich and famous recently launched her own line of hair care products called Supreme Head. The line includes shampoos and conditioners for varying hair types, style primers and styling products. Unlike other high quality brands hitting drug stores, Supreme Head won’t cost consumers an arm and a leg: shampoos and conditioners cost $9.50, while styling products cost $12.50. To get the most out of the products, go to http://www.sallyhershberger.com and watch her tutorial videos for each product.

Have you tried any of these brands? Let us know what you think!