As one of the UK’s most well-known pharmacy chains, Boots is a household name, but that doesn’t mean you should put up with subpar customer service! They once messed up one of my prescriptions. It was only a wrong dose, but things like that need to be fed back to them.

In this article, we’ll explore how to complain to Boots in the UK and get the issue resolved.

Why complain to Boots?

If you have an issue with Boots, it is important to complain to the company to get the issue resolved. Complaining to Boots can help you get a refund, replacement, or compensation for any harm caused.

It can also help improve the company’s customer service and prevent similar issues from happening to other customers in the future.

Types of Issues You Can Complain to Boots About

There are many different types of issues that you may need to complain to Boots about. These include:

• Delivery issues: If your order has not arrived or has arrived damaged, you can complain to Boots to get a replacement or refund, for online orders.
• Prescription issues: If there is an issue with your prescription, you can complain to Boots’ pharmacy team to get it resolved. These are probably the most important types of complaint.
• Account issues: If there is an issue with your Boots Advantage Card or your online account, you can complain to Boots to get it sorted out.
• Boots Opticians issues: If you have an issue with Boots Opticians or your eye test with them
• Boots Photo issues: If there is an issue with your Boots Photo order, you can complain to have it put right.

Your rights

As a consumer, you have certain rights when it comes to making a complaint to Boots. These include:

• The right to a refund: If you are not happy with your purchase, you have the right to a refund.
• The right to a replacement: If your item is faulty or damaged, you have the right to a replacement.
• The right to compensation: If you have suffered harm as a result of Boots’ actions, you have the right to compensation. This one is rare, but may be required if it’s a medication issue.

If you are not happy with how Boots has handled your complaint, you can escalate it to Resolver, an issue-resolution tool that is free to use.

You can also seek advice from consumer issues rights guides or escalate your complaint to ombudsmen or regulatory bodies. Here’s how.

How to Complain to Boots in the UK

If you have an issue with Boots UK, you can make a complaint in several ways. In this section, we will discuss the different ways you can complain to Boots, including contacting Boots customer service, using Resolver, contacting the ombudsman, and contacting regulators.

Contacting Boots Customer Service by Phone, Email and Social

If you have a complaint, the first step is to contact Boots customer service. You can do this by phone, email, or online.

The Boots customer service team is available to help you with any issues you may have, including delivery, Boots Advantage Card, Click and Collect, and Boots Photo.

To contact Boots customer service by phone, call 0345 609 0055. If you prefer to send an email, you can use the online contact form on the Boots website or use:

General queries: boots.customercare_team@boots.co.uk

For Boots Opticians queries: boots.customercare@boots.co.uk

For Contact Lens Reward Scheme queries: contactlenses@boots-opticians.co.uk

Boots UK customer service can also be contacted through several social media platforms.

• You can reach out to them on Twitter by using the handle @BootsUK
• Use Facebook by messaging their official page, which is simply called Boots.
• They also have a dedicated Boots Customer Care Twitter account with the handle @BootsHelp.

When contacting Boots customer service, it is important to provide as much evidence as possible to support your complaint. This may include correspondence, responses, or witness statements. Boots customer service will investigate your complaint and aim to resolve it as quickly as possible.

Writing a Letter to Complain to Boots

You can also write and complain, as you’ve always been able to do in the past! The address is:

Boots UK Limited.
Nottingham, NG2 3AA. 

Using Resolver to Escalate a Complaint

If you are not satisfied with the response from Boots customer service, you can use Resolver, an issue-resolution tool. Resolver can help you escalate your complaint to the ombudsman or regulatory body if necessary.

To use Resolver, visit the Resolver website and select Boots from the list of companies. You will then be guided through the complaints process, which includes providing evidence and tracking your complaint.

Contacting Regulators (Mostly for Pharmacy Complaints)

If your complaint is related to a regulatory issue, such as the conduct of a pharmacy team, you can contact the relevant regulatory body. In the UK, the regulatory body is the General Pharmaceutical Council.

You can contact the General Pharmaceutical Council by phone on 020 3713 8000 or by email at info@pharmacyregulation.org. You can also write to their head office address at 25 Canada Square, London, E14 5LQ.

In Ireland, the regulatory body is the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland. You can contact the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland by phone on 01 218 4000 or by email at info@psi.ie.

In summary, if you have a complaint with Boots UK, you can contact Boots customer service, use Resolver, or contact regulators. It is important to provide as much evidence as possible to support your complaint and follow up with reminders if necessary. Good luck!

We chose Nordestetics for reasons I’ll go into below. I did most of the research into the clinic beforehand, and we took lots of pictures and notes when we were there.

Now we’re back home in the UK, we’ve decided to write up a complete review and guide to Nordesthetics (or “Nords” as many people call it), with the full story on how it all went, in case it’s useful for those considering going to have similar procedures.

Disclaimer: Everyone’s body is different, and these results aren’t necessarily indicative of how the same procedures might affect another individual. This isn’t medical or financial advice – this article is for informational purposes only.

This is a LONG read, so grab a cuppa – and you’ll probably want a pen and paper or your phone to take notes! We did tons of research on every aspect of the trip, so hope it helps if you’re about to do the same.

Plastic Surgery Abroad: Why Lithuania? [and Not Turkey]

When Sam first started researching tummy tucks abroad (including the all-inclusive “mummy makeover” packages) she looked at Turkey first. It’s been in the press a lot, some celebs have done it, and prices seemed cheaper than anywhere else.

There are a LOT of companies and clinics selling plastic surgery in Turkey. It’s incredibly difficult to wade through them and assess their quality. Many have a slick marketing operation with websites that look legit, but don’t give much ‘real’ information.

A lot of online reviews can’t be trusted, unless the person can prove they actually attended the clinic (which is why we’re writing this first-hand account!).

Remember, anyone can fill in a 5-star review form online, and anyone can put what they like on a website (which is why we’re including all our own pictures and reports here).

How We Made a Shortlist of Clinics (and How You Can, Too)

After sending initial emails out to a handful of clinics (including Nords), it was easier to make a shortlist. If you’re thinking of having plastic surgery abroad, you should do this too – get a few quotes, and assess the quality of the responses you get. Do lots of research.

Things you should check are:

• Full CVs of surgeons with membership of internationally-recognized medical associations (not just local ones, or associate memberships) – for example, can you call the association and see if the surgeon really is a member? Who are their colleagues? Who can vouch for them? Where are they professionally recognized? Where have they practised? Are they board certified?
  
• Are they a “real” business that you can call and get through to – not just a mobile/Whatsapp number and PO box? Is there a reception you can speak to, or a representative?
  
• Do the reviews and pictures online seem legit? Are they photoshopped? Do they appear on other sites or Instagram feeds?
  
• Are there first-hand accounts of people’s visits there, and their results?
  
• Finally, if it’s too good to be true – it usually is. Medical care is not something to be taken lightly. This is your body, and your life in their hands.

Nords was one of the few clinics that said that Sam should try and get her BMI down first, to achieve better results and to lower the risk of complications. This, to me, was a good thing – it indicated that they prioritised medical responsibility over securing the surgery booking.

In contrast, almost all of the Turkish clinics said yes, they’d do the procedure, with no reference to risks, BMI or anything else. Many were cash only (big red flag, in my book) and one couldn’t even spell ‘medicine'(!). It’s a minefield out there.

We eventually shortlisted clinics in Lithuania and Prague. EU countries also have an advantage here, since they have their own higher standards and laws if you want to practise medicine in the EU. Despite Brexit, the UK still maintains a reciprocal health agreement with all EU countries (more on this later).

Why We Chose Nordesthetics

In a nutshell, after a lot of research, here are some of the reasons we chose Nords:

• Certified and experienced surgeons who had practised in many other European countries, many of whom were members of respected medical societies or associations (and I checked)
  
• The parent company (Artmedica, UAB) is licensed by the Lithuanian Ministry of Health and adheres to European standards for practising medicine (yep, I checked this as well)
  
• No extreme reviews that indicated any sort of serious negligence or death – whereas there was a handful of these for other clinics. Bear in mind there ARE negative reviews, and there ARE things that go wrong, as with any surgical clinic, but these are for mixed reasons – more on this later. Every plastic surgery clinic will have someone unhappy with their results, or people who get infections, but wilful medical negligence is a whole different thing.
  
• Majority positive reviews across many channels (Trustpilot, TrueSelf, Facebook, Google My Business) with many that seemed genuine.
  
• A real physical office / business with multiple forms of contact – not just a “PO Box” or rented office space (watch out for this with some clinics).
  
• A community Facebook group for either men or women to discuss their journey at Nords and help each other out.
  

A note on the Nordesthetics Facebook Groups

Joining this “surgical journey” group was very important to Sam, since she wanted to speak to others who had already been for surgery, and see how it was going afterward.

It’s also a good idea to join if you’re at the planning stage, so you can see people’s stories and results. Here’s a link to the women’s group, and here’s one for men.

The Facebook group is moderated by Nords, but on the whole they seem to leave most posts up – even ones that could be viewed as negative or complaining. To me, this is a good sign – they could just delete or suppress anything negative. It’s much more preferable to keep an open dialogue and address problems in public.

There are also private, unofficial Whatsapp groups that people tend to join for their surgery month – just to make it easier to connect with people having surgery at the same time.

There are pros and cons to the Facebook and Whatsapp groups:

Pros

• Extremely supportive and helpful community
  
• You can ‘make friends’ with other people having surgery at the same time and then meet up in real life for support whilst you’re in the clinic (and after!)
  
• Reassurance when you need it from those who have ‘been there’
  
• Plenty of before and after (and during!) pictures of other women’s results
  
• The chance to ask niggling questions day or night to sympathetic ears
  
• Recommendations for useful things like what to pack, or things like scar cream and other bits and pieces you need to buy later on

Cons:

• Well-meaning but unqualified medical advice. I’ve seen some recommendations for things like supplements, pills, or creams that aren’t scientifically proven. I’m sure they may work for some, but it’s not wise to dish out medical recommendations to people, even if they’ve had the same surgery.
  
• There can sometimes be drama and frightening/graphic photos. Infections seem quite common (more on this later as Sam experienced this too) and depending on how they’re dealt with, can make others anxious and upset.
  
• For example, Sam nearly didn’t have liposuction because one woman said it gave her unbelievable pain. As it turns out, it was the least painful procedure and Sam very nearly didn’t have any lipo because of this one dramatic comment.

This circles back to my original point – everyone is different, and you have to do what’s right for YOU, and you should make that decision in conjunction with proper medical advice.

If you DO decide on Nords, or just want to hear what happened next, then read on:

When to Go for Surgery, and for How Long

This, of course, depends if you have the choice – lots of people can only get time off work/childcare and so on at a given date.

If you have the option, you might want to consider that swelling and the compression garments are likely to be uncomfortable when you’re hot, so if you’re flexible, go in a cooler month.

We went in November, which was fine – but very cold. Icy paths outside are probably a bad idea to tackle, but it certainly helped with managing the inevitable heat/itching/swelling issues.

Depending on the amount of surgery you’re having, you might have to stay longer than you think in Lithuania. The clinic will clear you medically for flying home, and give a minimum of about 5 days’ stay depending on your surgery.

I would STRONGLY recommend that you take much more time. Flying is the main risk, here, and you want to be in the best position possible to let your body recover and reduce the risk of blood clots. If you’ve ever had clotting problems then talk to your GP as well as mention this to Nords.

For example, if you were having a tummy tuck in the UK, they normally recommend not flying for at least 5-10 days, depending on how complex it is (source: NHS).

After consulting with the surgeon, which we’ll talk about later, he told us we’d done the right thing by staying ten days after Sam’s surgery. Bearing in mind she had more than one procedure plus liposuction, so it was more complex.

At the time of writing, people are concerned about Lithuania being close to Russia. Don’t worry – it’s perfectly safe. Lithuania is a member of NATO and the EU and the prospect of anything “bad” happening there is very slim indeed.

Kaunas, where Nords are located, is Lithuania’s second city. It’s modern, pleasant, and the people were friendly. Many people worry about going to Eastern Europe for surgery, but there’s no need. The city is easy to get around, and the accommodation reflects the usual choices in any major European city.

Going Alone vs Taking Someone With You

One of the strongest plus points with Nords is that a very strong community has built up around those having a similar “journey”.

This is both in the private Facebook groups but we also joined a private Whatsapp group for all the women having surgery in the same month. This means that you can make friends, reassure each other, and ask how everyone is doing. It certainly helps you feel less alone.

This means that some women decide to go alone – some, because they want to, and others for childcare reasons or just because their partner/relative/friend can’t spare the time off.

Many women go on their own and are just fine. I would say it depends on the amount of work you’re having, how you normally manage pain and/or inconvenience, and how independent you naturally are.

My sister is definitely a strong independent woman but she admitted she would have struggled on her own. Not so much the hobbling around and recovering, but all the other things – I had to help her wash and dress, and did all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, and wound care.

On top of that, being in a foreign country where not everyone speaks your language can also be trying, even if you’re not recovering from surgery. There are also a lot of medications to manage and if you’re feeling ‘out of it’ this can be a challenge, too.

Bonus tip: If you do take someone with you, have them do a first aid course (even one of the online simple ones). It’s super useful to have anyway, and it makes you feel more confident.

I was already Red Cross qualified but I took this refresher course on Udemy – there are loads on there and they’re less than 20 quid. For peace of mind, I think it’s a good idea.

WARNING: From this point on, there are pictures of the surgery. They are not gross or indecent, but some people might be squeamish about scars and so on. Just so you know if you keep scrolling!

Step 1 – Booking the Surgery [Pre-Surgery Pics]

Nordestethics will assign you a ‘rep’ when you make your initial inquiries. These representatives act as your main point of contact for almost everything, from booking the surgery through to logistics and aftercare questions to the surgeon.

Our rep was changed halfway through because I think the first lady left, but they are all very polite, friendly, speak/write excellent English and are really helpful.

First, Sam was asked to send photos of herself, front, back and side – and to complete a questionnaire.

The Before Photos (Taken at Home)

When Sam and I were thinking about putting this article together we thought we’d also share the photos – because so many people want to know a “real-life” story. Here is one of the ‘before’ ones Sam sent to Nords:

The email she received back indicated that she ought to lose weight before having the surgery. This is for two reasons:

• Better results. If you lose weight after the surgery you’ll have sections of loose skin again and may need more work. The best option is to get your weight down to a level you’re happy with before having any sort of skin-tightening procedures like a tummy tuck or boob lift.
  
• Lower risk of complications. People who are very overweight or obese may have more issues under anesthetic.

This is not a post about weight loss, of course – that’s a whole different story. But I am very proud that Sam worked hard to lose a couple of stones through a better diet and exercise.

I saw some posts in the forum about women lying about their weight in their application forms. This isn’t a good idea – you’ll definitely have an in-person consultation before you’re operated on and if the surgeon thinks it’s too risky, then you’ll have travelled all that way for nothing.

Surgeons can, and do refuse to operate if they think it’s unsafe to do so. If you want the best results, honesty is the best policy.

After the above pictures Sam was offered – on the condition of getting her BMI below 30 – the “mummy makeover”. This was a tummy tuck, breast lift and liposuction to the back and sides.

Sometimes, you will get other RECOMMENDED procedures, so bear in mind you don’t have to take everything you’re offered. You will talk more about this with your surgeon in person, and your final plan is decided before you pay for it all at the clinic, so you may end up paying a bit more or less, depending on what procedures are decided.

Why No In-Person Consultations Before Bookings?

Many cosmetic surgery clinics (especially in the UK) will give you an in-person consultation way in advance of the surgery and before any plan or booking is made. Some people feel uncomfortable with the Nords way of doing things, which is to have the consultation a day or two before going into surgery.

For this reason, some people may feel undue pressure to go ahead, when they’re not sure, just because “I’ve come all this way” and it’s already booked in.

It’s your body, and your life – you should ask any and all questions to make yourself feel comfortable with what you’re about to have done. Surgery is not to be taken lightly, so if you want to fly out for a consultation, that may be possible.

I know that Nords probably don’t do video consults and the like because they are simply too busy (they do 2000 ops a year, according to their site), and I imagine this is to prevent timewasters who will never book.

The best thing is to ask as many questions as possible, before you make a decision.

Step 2 – Paying a Deposit for the Surgery

Nords asked for a £500 deposit to secure the booking date. At the time of writing, if you cancel more than 3 weeks before your surgery, you’ll get half (£250) back. Less than 3 weeks and you forfeit the deposit.

If you postpone once, it’ll knock £100 off your deposit. If you postpone twice, you have to pay a new deposit. These rules are subject to change, so it’s best to read the official Nords Payment Policies on their site to see what they currently are.

These sorts of terms and conditions will be emailed to you. Read them thoroughly so you know where you stand. We read a couple of stories of lost deposits because people didn’t realise the cut-off date or the accepted reasons for changes or refunds.

That said, Nords were reasonable and will refund a full deposit if someone had a genuine reason to cancel, such as the death of a family member or other things out of their control. It’s best to speak to them about your individual situation.

The deposit is paid in Pounds Sterling, into a UK bank account belonging to Nords, so there’s no issue with currency conversion or anything like that, at the beginning.

You pay for the rest in person at the clinic, so there’s more detail on that later, including how to avoid paying ridiculous bank exchange rate charges, too!

Step 3 – Flights and Accommodation

Before we set off, we had very thorough emails from our rep, noting all the flights etc. we had booked, when we were being collected, and she double-checked our mobile numbers. I couldn’t fault their politeness and efficiency with the organising.

You also get a “pre-surgery” email describing all the things to do (or not to do) before surgery. For example, you shouldn’t smoke, take aspirin, use self-tan etc a couple of weeks before surgery.

I’m not repeating the full list here, because this may well be different for others, and you may get bespoke advice based on the surgery you’re having, as well as any medical issues unique to you. Again, your rep will tell you everything you need to know in advance.

Flights

We flew Ryanair both ways, direct from Manchester. If you can, I’d strongly recommend getting a direct flight rather than changing anywhere – the less time spent flying after surgery, the better.

Depending on the work you’re having done, and the days you’ve allowed for recovery, you’ll very likely need airport assistance booked for your return flight. You can do this at the same time as the booking.

Some airlines (like Wizz) like you to call their call centre to ask for it. One thing for sure though – you MUST book this in advance. You can’t just rock up and ask for a wheelchair. We heard that one lady had left it until the airport, and was turned down.

One advantage (on Ryanair at least) is that you’ll get automatic seat allocation together with a companion, if you’re taking someone with you, so you don’t pay extra to choose a seat.

That wasn’t a problem on our flight anyway -it was pretty empty!

Another thing to bear in mind is that Kaunas is a far better airport to fly back from if you can. It’s a 30-min ride between the clinic and the airport, whereas Vilnius, the capital, is over 1.5 hours away. Although Nords will provide transport, it’s a long journey if you’re still feeling every little bump, as Sam was, even on the way home.

Try to travel light. The less you’re carrying, the easier your return flight is going to be. Sam and I shared a suitcase and hand luggage so I could carry the whole lot on the way back (and I did). There was no way she was going to pull a suitcase.

Tips on What to Pack

We put this together based on what other people said in the various groups before we went, and what we realised we actually used afterwards. I’ve included links to each item on Amazon, too:

UK to EU adapter (Lithuania is 220v/2 pin European plug) – we got this one because it also had 2 USB points on it. It saved us buying separate adapters for our phones. If you have a lot of accessories like hair dryer, straightener etc and your accomodation won’t have them, I’d say get two adapters.

A long USB lead for your phone so it can go from pretty much any power point to your bed or sofa – like this one for iPhones or this one for USB-C powered Android type phones (Nords rooms do have USB points though, so you don’t need to take the mains adapter into surgery!) – before you buy, check it’s the right connector for your phone.

A foldable walking stick – like this one. We took a trekking pole and it didn’t work very well! So take a proper one with a wide base. The clinic does have sticks you can borrow, but they’re not given out routinely.

Earplugs – whether you’re a light sleeper or not, the surgery and its surroundings can’t be 100% quiet all the time, with people coming and going. That, and you might have street noise outside your apartment or hotel. I swear by these wax earplugs rather than the foam or silicone ones, and Sam LOVED them.

Throat lozenges – whatever your favourite brand is – Sam had a bag of these honey and lemon ones. This is because your throat hurts after having breathing/ventilation tubes during the surgery, and your mouth can get pretty dry anyway with all the stress, medication etc. You can always buy them there, too.

TAKE TEABAGS if you drink tea! Lithuania has much more of a coffee culture than tea, and the typical strong British brew is very hard to find. You can find green and herbal tea more easily.

Your own sleeping pills (if you’re able to have them prescribed) or something that will help, like these Kalms, for example. Nords give you a couple, but many people we spoke to needed help getting off to sleep for a night or two after. Always check if it will interfere with your post-surgical medication.

Something for constipation – which is one of the main side-effects of anaesthesia/surgery. Yes, Nords will also provide a couple of things to “get you going” but when Sam got through those with no luck, I had to go out on the high street and try to describe suppositories and constipation to a Lithuanian pharmacist in their second language.

They were lovely, but it was a bit embarrassing and stressful. So take something with you – these type of ones worked fine for Sam after a few attempts.

Compression socks (proper medical-grade ones). Blood clots are an elevated risk when flying after surgery so it’s a very good idea to wear these. Sam borrowed some from a nurse friend, but if you haven’t got any – it’s this type of sock and NOT the cheap, thin ones. They should go up to your thighs.

Any favourite films, books, music etc with headphones, loaded onto your phone. It can get boring pretty quickly. Sam had me, but she also had Beyonce to get her through it all

PJs, tracksuit or other loose-fitting clothes that you’re really comfy in – it’s really all you’ll be wearing until you fly home, and they’ve seen it all before in Nords, so don’t feel you have to dress to impress…

Shoes/boots (like Uggs) that are easy to pull on and off. I had to help Sam dress and undress so make it as easy as possible if you can.

A spare small old towel or a puppy pad. This is because if you’re having lipo, the fluid will leak for a bit after the drains are removed (more on this later) and if you’re in a hotel or Airbnb it can be alarming when it gets on the bedsheets.

Anything (e.g. a meditation or anxiety app) that will help support your mental health. I use Headspace, though there are plenty of others, including free apps. Or anything else that will keep you centred and help you cope with the emotional rollercoaster that some people experience.

What NOT to Pack

In the spirit of travelling light, there are some things you won’t need and shouldn’t bother with:

Don’t take loads of clothes changes. Not needed because you’ll be in a compression garment so can wear the same clothes over it, and wash the garment instead.

Avoid bringing any tight-fitting clothes… the swelling is significant and you probably won’t get into them anyway. The same goes for any clothes with complicated zips, laces, fastenings… it’ll just suck your energy and time trying to put them on.

For ease and speed of getting through the travel part, I’d try to go with hand luggage only, rather than check-in baggage, but I realise some people prefer it and want to pack more, so that’s fine too – but remember you’ll likely be unable to carry anything much on the way home.

Note: If you have more than one piece of luggage, or more than one person accompanying you, Nords will charge extra for the transport logistics. When we went, it was 30 Euros per extra person (e.g. if you brought a second person or more) for the airport transfer, one way, and 20 Euros per extra item of luggage, one way. Another reason to travel light!

Accommodation

The Nords clinic has its own apartments in the same building where the huge advantage is being just one or two floors away from the surgical team and nurses.

Nords has a working relationship with several hotels in Kaunas, and your rep will email you all the prices and can also book on your behalf. They’re happy to make enquiries for you as well, which is really helpful.

We were originally going to book a room at Nords but their ‘large’ apartment (or at least the ones available) had only one bedroom and a sofa bed, so we decided on an Airbnb instead so we could both have a bedroom with a bed. Choose somewhere quiet – you’ll need your rest!

We had a lovely little apartment in the old town, with two bedrooms and a full kitchen, washing machine, etc. It had one flight of stairs which was just about manageable – again, think ahead and don’t get somewhere with more than a flight of stairs or without a lift. It wasn’t much to look at from the outside, but it was pretty cosy.

I’d recommend staying a 10 min ride (or less) away from the clinic. If you go back for a lymphatic drainage massage, a check-up, or your tapes changed – it’ll be much easier. Sam felt every cobble, speed bump and pothole in the car and although the in-house Nords drivers are very careful because of this, the regular taxi drivers aren’t!

Some people also choose to stay in hotels. We didn’t, because I could do all the self-catering stuff, but if you were on your own, getting takeout from all the apps (more on this later) would be just fine since you won’t feel like much cooking. Or in the better hotels, there might be room service. Another advantage of hotels is that it’s likely at least a couple of staff members will be trained in First Aid, too.

I used Booking.com to look for hotels and self-catering apartments. See their Kaunas page here.

A note on Travel Restrictions

I’m not mentioning the restrictions here because they change so rapidly. It’s best to check the most up to date information for both Lithuania as a country (which will largely follow the EU guidance), and also Nords own rules. Here’s the link to the UK Foreign Office’s page on Lithuania, which usually tells you any restrictions.

For example, their requirement at the time was that Sam had to have a PCR test before her surgical consultation, and I was only allowed to visit her after I showed proof of being vaccinated. There were also the in-country rules like needing extra paperwork before flying, and showing your NHS vaccination pass before going in shops, and so on. This is very likely to have relaxed by now.

Your Nordesthetics representative will also tell you what their own rules are for the time you’ve booked.

Step 4 – Arriving in Lithuania

Our first night was at the Kaunas Airport hotel because we arrived very late – 1am in the morning, local time. If you have a similarly late flight I’d recommend it – it’s just outside the airport doors, across a small car park.

It was clean and comfortable but basic – a bit like a decent Travelodge or Premier Inn. Here’s the link to it on Booking.com if you want to book.

The following morning we were picked up by one of Nords’ drivers in a marked minivan.

A word on the Nords drivers – they’re all really lovely, helpful and speak good English. Despite some of them being quite young, they drove safely and carefully. We were really impressed with them.

We arrived three days before the scheduled surgery (I think the minimum is two), but the extra day was great for settling in to the apartment. First, Sam had to go have a PCR test done – and wait for the results before seeing the surgeon the next day.

This may or may not still be a requirement, so it’s best to check what rules are in place at the moment.

Tips on Food, Culture and Making Yourself at Home

Next, we went shopping and got supplies for the week ahead. Being a food dweeb I tried out most supermarket chains (much to Sam’s annoyance) and the best ones were Maxima followed by SILAS. Here’s a pic inside one – they’re pretty good!

Sam wanted the same familiar brands she had at home, which are fairly common – and I went for the local food.

Tips: What looks like milk (pieno) is often sour cream (grietine). Some people were upset when they poured it into their tea! I used the Google translate app camera feature to figure out what most things were.

Stock up on high fibre foods. Constipation is a “thing” after surgery – and eating fresh fruit, veggies and other high-fiber foods can really help move things along. Plus, eating healthier options also helps your immune system and wound healing.

Although Sam hated being dragged around the supermarkets, it was so much easier doing all this when we could both carry the shopping home and lug a trolley around.

Note that you don’t HAVE to do self-catering. Much of Eastern Europe has a food app called Wolt which is just like Deliveroo, Uber Eats and so on. Lithuania was full of delicious food options, and prices are much cheaper than at home.

Here’s a link to the Wolt app on the App store and on Google Play. I found it really easy, and it will auto-translate menus into English, too. Use the referral code GDDE5T3 and you can get 2.50 Euros off your first two orders.

On our first night Sam had a steak and I had some traditional Lithuanian potato dumplings with pork crackling (delicious). You could also get almost any other cuisine, so if you’re on your own, don’t want to cook or can’t be bothered – have the food delivered. The Nords clinic/apartments even has a hot box in the lobby for all the food deliveries that get sent there.

After Sam’s PCR test came back negative (thankfully!) we went to go to her surgical consultation the next day with Dr Ghassan.

Step 5 – Paperwork and Payment

I was looking forward to seeing the Nordestethics building in person. A good website is one thing, but I wanted to check things all out for myself – especially after I felt partly responsible for choosing the clinic, too.

Sam received some texts from the logistics team, telling her when we’d be picked up, so another driver came and we went off to the clinic.

First impressions were good. Our temperatures were taken, masks were offered (we already had some) and we were taken to the reception.

The clinic is clean, airy and modern:

The atmosphere was one of calm professionalism, which was also reassuring. The surgeons and medical staff were moving in between reception and consultation rooms, and everything seemed professional and above board.

There were ladies in reception (presumably waiting to be discharged) and some who had just arrived, like us. Sam immediately recognized a couple of names from the Facebook and Whatsapp groups and started to have a chat – especially to the two ladies there who had just had their surgery. They were really reassuring and made her feel so much better.

Next, we had to pay for the surgery:

Tips on Paying For the Surgery (And Avoiding Fees)

If you travel abroad often you might already have accounts, apps or cards in place to make it easier to make payments in foreign currencies like Euros.

Sam sent British Pounds Sterling to me and I did all the payments and conversions because I already have them all set up.

Whatever you do, don’t use your high street bank (Halifax, Lloyds, Santander, TSB, etc.) to do a bank transfer to Nords in Euros – you’ll be wasting a lot of money on fees, and it takes a few days to get there. Same goes for any high street debit card. These days there are far better ways of sending and spending money abroad.

To send money abroad, like Sam’s deposit, I used Wise (formerly known as Transferwise). They often arrive the same day and have small fees). You can sign up here with my referral link.

Do a test transaction (maybe 20 Euros or so) first to make sure everything works properly and you’ve got the right details for the Nordesthetics bank account.

You pay the rest after your consultation with your surgeon. Since this is usually a large chunk of money, you’ll also save a lot by using a currency-friendly card or app. The best three (and I own all of them) are:

Wise – I use this and my Revolut card (below) the most. Sign up using my referral link and your first transfer will be fee-free (up to £500)

Revolut – I used my Revolut card for everyday items while we were in Lithuania like shopping, and paying for taxis and takeaways. You can have both virtual or physical cards (I have one of each and use the virtual one for online purchases). Here’s my link to sign up to get a Revolut Account (it’s free). Do this ahead of time, as they may need to check your ID, etc.

Monzo – Sam had a Monzo account with a small amount of money loaded on it so she could buy things when she was in the clinic and I wasn’t, like booking a lymphatic drainage massage and buying an extra compression garment. Alternatively, you can get an extra card with Wise or Revolut, above.

Halifax Clarity – a credit card, so you’ll need to be approved, but they also let you spend in Euros at a good conversion rate, with no fees. However, you have to apply like any normal credit card.

If you use a “normal” debit card, you’ll often get stung with anything up to 3% fees per transaction and then a rubbish currency conversion rate on top of that. If you’re paying a few grand for surgery and a couple of weeks travel, this can really add up.

A Note on Paperwork

We were given a large amount of paperwork to sign when at Nords, just before the surgical consultation. You can request this beforehand by email so you’ve got a chance to read it all when you have time to look through it and digest it properly.

I strongly recommend that you do this because essentially it’s the legal agreement about revisions and dangers and risks and so on.

I noticed some ladies were just chatting and signing their documents without reading them, which I’m not sure is a good idea! Or maybe they’d already read them. You could probably ask Nords to send you these as a sample even before you’re considering your surgery, just so you know what the terms and conditions are.

The most common thing I’ve seen people miss are the clauses on revision surgery – very often people think they’re entitled to a revision but they’re not, and they’d already signed the document agreeing what does and doesn’t get you a revision.

As a general rule revisions are for when Nords are at fault for something that needs revising, for example with another surgical procedure. Whereas after the event, things like you being unhappy with your look or if you get an infection – that doesn’t automatically get you a revision.

That said, you can ask any questions you like when you’re there, and before you pay up.

Step 6 – The Surgical Consultation

After paying for the surgery and filling in all the forms, we went to see Dr. Ghassan in a private room. Like many of the surgeons, he was very pleasant and reassuring.

Sam was nervous about being naked in front of a surgeon (he needed to take pictures and have a close look at the work needed) so she asked me to come to the consultation with her. Nords said that this was OK, so I joined in.

We talked to Dr. Ghassan for about half an hour. It didn’t feel rushed and he took his time to explain all the work he planned on doing. He took pictures of Samantha from many angles so she had something to compare it to for the after photos. I believe they use these on Instagram as well, anonymised, with your permission.

Samantha told Dr. Ghassan about her fears regarding liposuction but after he had explained it in detail she decided to go ahead with the recommended procedures. We discussed recovery time – many told us that we’d done the right thing by allowing 10 days after the surgery for to recover.

Overall we were quite happy with the consultation. The only thing that struck me as a bit strange was that he said we could contact him via Instagram which seemed odd to me. This could be because so many people use Instagram to message each other these days but I was surprised that method was recommended. In the end we did contact him, but via the Nords reps.

After all the paperwork, payment and discussion we were driven back to the apartment and had a relaxed evening.

Tip: Sam had set up a WhatsApp group of her friends and I also spoke to her husband privately so everyone had a single point of contact (me). It was so much easier writing one message that went to a whole group, instead of answering each individual person!

Step 7 – Surgery Day

The next morning I wasn’t allowed to come with Sam to the surgical wards, so said goodbye as the driver came to pick Sam up in the early morning – and take her to be drawn on!

She sent me pictures of her room which looked really nice:

Then she saw Dr Ghassan again who drew all the surgical areas to be adjusted:

Because of the multiple procedures, Sam was due to be in surgery for around 5 hours. Believe me, when you’re waiting, it was a very long 5 hours! I felt much better about being a ten-minute taxi ride away, though, and was happy with what I’d seen of the surgery the day(s) before, so trusted Nords to do their job.

I distracted myself with work, and I asked the rep how long it takes for someone to wake up. Interestingly the rep said it varies from person to person, so we couldn’t really pinpoint a time when we would next hear from Sam.

After about 5 hours I got a selfie from Sam which she doesn’t remember taking, lol. She was still all drugged up and apparently had thrown up (as is common after anesthetic). Since she had managed to somehow operate her phone I presumed that all had gone well although she couldn’t really tell me.

A little bit later after she’d had a sleep she told me she would rather recover on her own that day and I would come and see her the following morning.

The WhatsApp group was, again, a really good idea at this stage because Sam didn’t have the energy to text more than 2 people – and that was her husband and me. If you have a lot of people at home or even in Lithuania with you it’s a good idea to just have one person relay all the messages.

Everything went well and the surgeon took a picture of Sam in surgery so she could see what she would look like. This is really motivating because you can see what your results are expected to be like before the swelling begins and you have a compression garment on, though you’re covered in iodine and surgical tape!

Step 8 – Initial Recovery Period at Nords

The following morning I went to go see Sam, and after proving I was vaccinated I was allowed to visit her in her room. I have to say I was quite impressed with the standard – it was very clean and very modern.

Sam had a roommate for one night but that lady only had some minor surgery and had already checked out by the time I got there.

Sam knew after her C-section that she didn’t do very well with anesthetic so she wanted to ask about an extra night. We were told that you can request this, but it’s €150 per night if you want to stay more than the 2 prescribed nights that are included. In the end, she decided the two nights were enough, after all.

One of the nurses came in while I was there and she was very friendly and nice. Everything I’ve heard about the nurses has been wonderful. Yes, they get you up and about as soon as possible and try to encourage you to eat – but that’s the best thing to do.

A lot of people have made comments about the good food. Nords order it from an outside restaurant, so the standards are extremely high. Here’s the menu Sam got:

In the end, Sam felt she would rather relax and recover at the apartment instead of having an extra night at Nords. This was also because there tends to be a lot of movement around the surgery, even at night and so it’s not that great for sleeping (and that’s where the earplugs came in really handy!)

Step 9 – Recovery in Kaunas

We were driven back to the apartment when Sam checked out. The drivers at Nords are very careful to not bump you on potholes or cobbles which is nice because you can feel every bump!

Sam was given some paperwork stating the procedures that had been done, a bag of medication, and full instructions.

Before we left I suggested we buy an extra compression garment so she could always have one clean to put on. You can buy these from reception from Nords when you’re there. I think it was about 30 Euros and well worth it.

When we got back to the apartment I made the bed as the nurses had told us to. Sam had to sleep with her legs raised and also slightly propped up because of the risk of blood clots.

Unfortunately, we had a mini scare within an hour of getting back to the apartment. Nobody had mentioned that when you have drains removed from your liposuction “holes”, the fluid continues to leak out for a while, and it looks really terrifying because it’s pink. Sam woke from a brief nap and panicked because she thought she was bleeding.

It didn’t look like blood to me, but nevertheless, I called the emergency number that Nords give you, which was also on a wristband that they gave Sam to wear. They answered straight away.

The nurses seemed quite calm and didn’t seem panicked, but to be super safe I insisted they send a driver to come and collect Sam to be checked over. Her compression garment was soaked through with the liquid. I didn’t want to undo it and expose her wounds so early.

Sam really did not feel like going back to the clinic but I just thought it was the best thing to do. When we got there we saw a couple of nurses who were brilliant. They got Sam into a room, got her out of her compression garment, repacked her wounds, cleaned her up, and then we put the new compression garment on.

They also gave us some absorbent pads in case it happened again although it looked like most of the lipo fluid had come out by then. Although they handled it really well, I wish someone would have mentioned this beforehand so we needn’t have worried unnecessarily.

Then the proper recovery started. I have to admit I was not prepared for just how immobile Sam was – she needed help with everything. On top of that, I had to set several alarms on my phone for all the different medications at different times.

This is something to consider if you’re going to go alone and do recovery on your own. Sam was on painkillers and antibiotics, and the brain fog meant I doubt she would have followed the instructions easily if I wasn’t there.

Nords will send you home with a leaflet on what to do regarding washing and in washing and showering. For example, I had to help Sam wash and after a couple of days, washed her hair for example. We tried to keep everything as dry and as clean as possible.

What people don’t tell you is that one of the most important things after surgery is to have a poo! Sam could go to the toilet on her own and lower herself onto it but she was really worried about post-anesthetic constipation.

She quickly ran out of the constipation suppositories Nords had given her to get things going, so I had to go out to a pharmacy and get some more. If you want to save yourself the embarrassment of trying to ask for them in a foreign language, bring some with you! (they’re on the “to bring” list above).

Sam’s solution to this stress was to play Beyonce full blast and lock herself in the bathroom for half an hour – it seemed to work!

One of the advantages of staying for the 10 days after the surgery was that Nords could do the first tape change which is sometimes left for you to do if you go home after 5 days. This is because it typically happens on the 7th day after surgery.

I was relieved that it would be done by the nurses in Nords and not me trying to do it!

Sam was really anxious about the tape change not just because of the pain, but because she didn’t really want to see her wounds just yet either. The driver came to pick her up as usual and it all went really well.

We had also booked two lymph drainage massages so Sam went for one of those as well and it helped keep the swelling down. More on this later because we had a problem finding a masseuse who would do this at home. There was a small fee for the second one onwards – I seem to remember it was about 20 Euros.

Fortunately, the apartment was big enough for Sam to walk around because it’s important to keep moving and avoid blood clots when you’re recovering. If you’re in a small hotel or something similar bear this in mind.

Tip: Bring lots of things to entertain you like DVD’s or your laptop or a good book because it gets very boring when you can’t really move much. I connected Sam’s laptop to the TV in the apartment and I don’t know what we would have done if we couldn’t have watched that. Lithuanian TV is fine but none of it is in English, obviously!

After a few days, Sam decided that she didn’t feel very well on the Codeine so I called a doctor friend to see if she could be taken off the strong painkillers.

Also, she was only given 2 sleeping tablets. Although it’s not recommended to use them for a long time, if you have anything else that helps you sleep like tea or lavender then bring that (they’re on the list above too).

Step 10: Flying Home

When the time came to fly home Sam was really nervous about the flight but we had booked assistance beforehand.

Tip: Always book it assistance way in advance. Ideally, when you book the flight. We had heard one lady being turned down for it at the airport because she asked for it there and then!

The driver was really pleasant, taking us all to the airport in a minibus. There were several people picked up from various hotels, but all Nords patients – some had gastric surgery, some nose jobs… it was an interesting mix!

Sam was given a wheelchair to be wheeled through the airport, a bit like a fast track system. I was allowed to go with her as her companion.

I strongly recommend booking airport assistance it was well worth it and the staff were lovely. It doesn’t cost anything extra and you automatically get to sit together without the daft seat booking fees.

Sam wanted to spend one night in the airport hotel just to prepare psychologically for seeing her husband and children again- this might be a good idea if you want some headspace after getting home, or understandably some people might just want to go home.

Step 11: Post Op and Complications

Now I handed over the baton to Sam’s husband to do all the care. Sam still couldn’t drive of course, and could only walk short distances. With kids, it’s also hard – she had to explain to her 5 year old why he couldn’t jump into her arms, for example. A lot of people tend to relax once they’ve been home a couple of weeks and the wounds have closed, but this is when you should be the most vigilant.

The fact you’re on your own for recovery once you get back to your home country is the single drawback about Nords. There’s only so much you can do when your surgeon is busy in another country. Yes, you can still text and ask questions but it’s just not the same as having the post-op care nearby.

I ought to mention that Sam tried to get a local masseusse to come and do a drainage massage but she was told because it was surgery done abroad, it would invalidate the indemnity insurace of the masseuse. So bear this in mind – I found a solution by taking an online self-massage course which was a lot cheaper anyway. If you want to do the same, then the one I took is here. Sam was able to self-massage or share the videos with her husband so he could also do a massage as well.

About 4 weeks after the operation Sam noticed a little bump and a red mark on her scar, and it hadn’t closed properly. She sent me pictures and I wrote to her surgeon at Nords, via the rep by email. Again, this is a disadvantage because you wait a day or two for a response, even longer if it’s over a weekend.

The surgeon replied saying she should go have an ultrasound to see if it was an infection, but how can you do this without going privately?

I’ve heard mixed stories about how the NHS handles complications like this. I totally understand why they want nothing to do with surgery done abroad – it’s not their surgeons and the results aren’t their problem. In this case, the issue was taken out of our hands – before Sam could get a doctor’s appointment the hole ruptured and started leaking pus, and she had to go to A&E.

It was an infection, thankfully a minor one. These are common – you have to be super, super careful with being totally sterile when you replace the tapes and dressings yourself. We bought these vinyl gloves, these sterile dressings and also some wound cleaning spray.

Thankfully that was the only issue and it resoved pretty quickly. Several women recommended Mepiform silicone scar dressings like these which help to reduce scarring and produce better results. Don’t be fooled by cheap Chinese knock-off fake ‘scar tape’ – it’s NOT the same. Mepiform is a proper medical brand – only buy the official stuff.

Step 12: Enjoy Your New Body!

I’ve always been lucky in that I’m happy with my figure but I know Sam’s was distressing her and making her self-conscious for a long time. She was absolutely determined to get this done, and it really improved her self-esteem and the way she felt. Here’s one of her ‘after’ pics, a couple of months later:

Was it worth it? Absolutely – but we wished we knew a bit more before we set off on this adventure.

Hopefully, this article will help you in your journey, too. Good luck!

If you’re looking for a bronzer with the same high-performance power as Benefit’s Hoola, but need something more affordable then look no further! In this article, I’ve found the 3 best dupes for Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer. I’ve also answered some commonly asked questions. Read on!

The Best 3 Benefit Hoola Bronzer Dupes

Rimmel London’s Natural Bronzer

Rimmel London’s Natural Bronzer has been praised as a dupe for Hoola due to its buttery, blendable formula. Hoola is known for its ability to bronze and contour the skin without looking orangey or cakey.

The colour difference between these two products is almost unnoticeable, the only slight change is that Rimmel’s product has a slight sheen to it.

The formula itself isn’t too dissimilar, Rimmel’s bronzer is buildable and blendable, leaving you with a chiselled and sunkissed look. Not only is this product a lot cheaper, with this bronzer you get 14g of product, compared to 8g of Hoola. 

The formula itself is also waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught in the rain without an umbrella, or heading for a day at the beach. One thing to note is that similar to the original Hoola bronzer, this shade is not suitable for deep or darker skin tones. 

Pros:

• Very similar colour to Hoola
• Blendable 
• Buildable 
• 14g 
• Waterproof formula 

Cons:

• Not suitable for darker skin tones
• Not as long-lasting as Hoola

The Balm’s Bahama Mama bronzer

The Balm’s Bahama Mama bronzer is another great dupe for the Hoola bronzer. Although it’s slightly pricey for a dupe, it’ll still cost you less than the original Hoola bronzer.

Bahama Mama is a similar colour to Hoola in terms of it being a matte, dark brown. The satin finish with greyish undertones means that this bronzer is perfect for creating shadows on the skin, without leaving an orange tint – much like the Benefit bronzer!

It has a high pigmentation with a finely milled formula, meaning that a little goes a long way as the product is easily picked up and blended by a brush. Bahama Mama also has great staying power, I’ve used this product myself and can safely say that it lasts all day without smudging, even without a primer! 

Pros:

• Cool-toned brown with greyish undertones, suitable for all skin tones
• Multipurpose, suitable for use as a bronzer, contour, eyeshadow and body makeup
• Satin finish
• Finely milled
• Buildable
• Blendable
• Strong staying power

Cons:

• Has a slight fragrance

NYX Professional Makeup Matte Bronzer

NYX Professional Makeup Matte Bronzer helps to achieve a natural-looking, sun-kissed complexion all year round. NYX is a famous high street brand that is known for duping high-end products, without compromising on quality. 

This bronzer comes in multiple shades, meaning that it’s suitable for all skin tones. It has 9g of product, which is slightly more than you get with Hoola bronzer. As with the other dupes, this product is extremely blendable and buildable.

The product is not as finely milled as other bronzers, but it still has a soft, satin finish on the skin without the use of any shimmer.

Reviews have stated that this product lasts for over 8 hours when applied correctly! The product itself is also vegan and cruelty-free. 

Pros:

• Vegan and cruelty-free formula
• Multiple shades available
• 9g of product
• Blendable
• Buildable
• Matte, satin finish
• 8-hour wear! 

Cons:

• May not be suitable for extremely oily, or extremely dry skin

Benefit Hoola Lite Dupe

If you’re searching for an alternative to Benefit’s Hoola Lite bronzer, look no further. Physicians Formula Butter Bronzer in the shade Light is a great dupe! Physicians Formula is a brand that has been raved about by YouTubers and influencers for years, even before the Hoola Lite came out. 

Butter Bronzer is so soft and buttery, it has an almost cream-like texture despite it being a powder. It’s extremely finely milled, with a matte texture that blends into the skin seamlessly delivering an almost ‘lit from within’ glow. The light shade is almost an exact colour match for the Hoola Lite, working on even the palest of skin tones. 

Despite the Butter Bronzer being a dupe for Hoola Lite, it also has some features that many would say outshine its more expensive counterpart. Physicians Formula has packed this bronzer with fatty acids and pro-vitamins to soften and hydrate the skin.

This bronzer is super beginner-friendly, as due to the extra hydration it’s easy to blend and doesn’t disturb your base underneath. 

Pros:

• Beginner-friendly
• Highly rated by many influencers
• Soft and buttery
• Hydrating
• Hypoallergenic and Paraben Free
• Vegan and Cruelty-Free
• Almost an exact colour match for Hoola Lite

Cons:

• Cheap packaging

Is the Benefit Bronzer Vegan or Cruelty-Free?

Benefit’s stance on cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics remains unclear. Benefit states in their FAQs on their website that they do not test on animals and are convinced that animal testing must come to an end, with their products having strict testing methods that do not involve animals. However, they sell their products in mainland China. 

For those who do not know why this negates their cruelty-free standpoint, it is a law to test products sold in mainland China on animals. In order to sell products there, companies must commission and pay for animal testing before their products can be sold.

Benefit has stated that the bulk of its products is considered “general cosmetics” which can be imported into China without animal testing, but the government authorities still require companies to make “special” products available for animal testing. 

Whether or not Benefit is strictly cruelty-free can be difficult to say. For some people, the fact that they do not test on animals when they make their products in America is enough to support their cruelty-free ideology.

On the other hand, some people may say the fact that they sell in mainland China contradicts this statement as they are still allowing their products to be tested on animals, despite not doing it themselves. 

In terms of whether their products are Vegan, this is difficult to say for sure too. In terms of Hoola, looking at the ingredients there does not seem to be any animal product derivatives.

So, the bronzer itself is Vegan friendly (although not explicitly stated anywhere), but the fact that it is not Cruelty-Free may be a problem for many vegans. 

A dupe may be a better alternative for you if you are looking for a completely cruelty-free and vegan product. The NYX Bronzer and Physicians Formula bronzer mentioned previously in the article are both completely vegan and cruelty-free, whilst providing the same high-power performance! 

After reading this article, I hope that you’ve found all the information that you were looking for!  It’s clear that great makeup doesn’t have to always come at a high price, there are plenty of dupes on the market too! I hope I’ve helped you find your new favourite bronzer for a more pocket-friendly price.

There are plenty of incredible dupes for the Nars foundations on the market. Keep reading this blog post to find out what they are!

Nars Foundation Dupes Available in the UK

With so many different foundation finishes, suitable for all skin tones it’s easy to see why Nars are a cult brand. However, not everyone can afford their higher price point.

And if you do purchase a Nars foundation, you may not want to wear it everyday for fear of using it up too soon and having to repurchase it. That’s where these product dupes come in. 

Dupes for Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

Nars Sheer Glow foundation is a medium, buildable foundation that gives a slight luminosity to the skin. Below are 2 dupes that work just as well.

The Ordinary Serum Foundation With SPF15

The Ordinary is known for its iconic skincare line, making high-end ingredients available to everyone. And their makeup line is no different! The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation is a lightweight foundation that gives a healthy glow to the skin. 

The foundation offers a light to medium coverage that is buildable if needed. It has a serum-like feel, feeling more like skincare than makeup. It gives a long-lasting coverage that won’t collect in fine lines or wrinkles due to The Ordinary’s proprietary spreadability system.

The foundation itself comes in 21 different shades, divided into 3 sections, 1 for fair skin, 2 for medium and then 3 for deeper skin tones. Each section is then classified by a second number ranging from 1-3 to indicate the depth within the range.

Finally, the letter at the end is for the undertone within the foundation. P for pink, R for red, Y for yellow and N for neutral. 

Some of the shades within the range have another letter, as they contain shimmery pigments to brighten the skin, S for Silver and G for Gold. These shimmery pigments add a luminous glow to the skin once applied, much like that of the Sheer Glow foundation. 

The Ordinary Serum foundation is also both vegan and cruelty-free, unlike Nars. This may be a great dupe if you’re looking for a similar product to Nars, but prefer it to be vegan.

NYX Professional Makeup Born to Glow Foundation

NYX Professional Makeup Born to Glow Foundation is a medium coverage, buildable foundation. It promises to look like it has just been applied for up to 12 hours and gives a gorgeous, luminous finish to the skin. 

Similar to the Nars Sheer Glow, this foundation feels almost like a BB cream on the skin rather than a foundation. It looks dewy on the skin, without looking greasy or cakey, even if you apply multiple layers! 

Available in over 35 shades, with multiple undertones you’re bound to find your perfect match in this foundation. With its vegan formula, Born to Glow blends seamlessly creating a ‘your skin but better’ appearance. It won’t settle into fine lines, or dry patches as it’s suitable for all skin types!

Dupes for Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation

Radiant longwear is a medium to full coverage foundation that’s said to last all night long, without any touch ups required. It won’t crease or transfer, which is what makes it such an iconic product. 

Take a look at the dupes for Radiant Longwear below!

Makeup Revolution IRL Filter Longwear Foundation

This Makeup Revolution IRL Filter Foundation went viral on Tik Tok for being an incredible dupe for Nars Radiant Longwear Foundation.

The breathable foundation offers medium coverage, that’s buildable to full coverage if that’s what you prefer. Once the foundation is set, it has a soft-focus demi-matte finish that leaves your skin looking radiant, almost as if you’ve got a filter on (hence the name)! 

It’s most suited for normal to oily skin types, but with the right, hydrating skin prep it’ll suit drier skin types too. The foundation contains skincare ingredients including Niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3 that helps to maintain your skin barrier and improve hydration. 

IRL Filter is available in 30 shades, with multiple undertones to suit all skin complexions. The foundation won’t settle into any fine lines or wrinkles and is said to last an amazing 16 hours on the skin, without any top ups. 

Maybelline Superstay 24 Hour Full Coverage Liquid Foundation

Maybelline’s foundations have been popular in the beauty community for years, and this foundation is no different. Praised as a dupe for Nars Radiant Longwear, Maybelline Superstay 24Hr Full Coverage Foundation gives a smooth, radiant base. The saturated colour pigments allow for an even tone without any visible imperfections. 

Despite being full coverage, the foundation feels breathable, lightweight on the skin and doesn’t settle into any lines. The formula blends seamlessly in the skin, giving that perfect skin we’re all after. With around 20 shades available, the foundation is also oil-free, water, sweat and transfer resistant. It’s also said to last for an incredible 24 hours! 

Dupe for Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser With SPF30

I personally feel that tinted moisturisers are a godsend in the warmer months. Even though foundations that are lightweight don’t feel too heavy on the skin, with the sunscreen and heat the summer brings, I much prefer a tinted moisturiser. 

Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is known for its ‘your skin but better’ look, creating an even base that looks glowy and healthy. However, you don’t have to spend a fortune on the original, there are dupes for this too! 

e.l.f BB Cream With SPF20

Despite having a lower SPF than the Nars tinted moisturiser, everything about this BB cream is practically the same as the Nars (including the packaging). e.l.f are known for duping high-end makeup brands for a budget-friendly price and this product is no different. 

The e.l.f BB cream gives a light, weightless coverage that blends into your skin without looking like makeup. It contains skincare ingredients, including Vitamin E, jojoba oil, cucumber and aloe to soothe the skin and keep redness at bay. 

Unlike the Nars Tinted Moisturiser, this product is 100% vegan and cruelty-free. A great alternative if that’s what you need in your makeup, but want the same high-quality performance! 

After reading this article, I hope that you’ve found your new favourite foundation! A lower price point no longer means lower performance in the beauty world, and the dupes above prove exactly that. Now go and put on your new foundation dupe and head out there!

However, with a high-end product comes a high-end price point and this is just not affordable for everyone. If you’re looking for an alternative to the Touch Éclat with the same payoff, but a more budget-friendly price then look no further. I’ve rounded up 5 dupes for YSL Touche Éclat available within the UK. Read on to find out what they are!

YSL Touche Éclat Alternatives Available in the UK

The Touche Éclat pen helps to brighten any feature you put it on, without being glittery or shimmery. The product uses light-diffusing technology to give a natural, luminous finish that makes your complexion look all over healthier! It also contains Vitamin E extracts to hydrate the skin and avoid settling in any fine lines or creases.

Revolution Pro Brightening and Tightening Under Eye Concealer Wand

Revolution Pro’s Brightening and Tightening Under Eye Concealer Wand is pretty much an exact copy of the YSL Touche Éclat illuminating pen, down to the packaging! Although this is more of a concealer than the original, it still provides the same payoff and brightening power as the original, without the need for multiple products. 

Many high street makeup brands are known for creating dupes of iconic, high-end products and Revolution is one of those brands. This concealer instantly covers under-eye imperfections and brightens the under eyes, camouflaging any evidence of late nights. 

The concealer has a click button technology, with soft bristles rather than a plastic wand. The brush features a pointed tip to help you get all around your eye contour.

Similar to the YSL concealer, this under-eye concealer also contains reflecting pearl fragments, along with natural brightening ingredients that leave you looking awake and ready to take on the day.

The concealer itself is lightweight, so it won’t settle into any fine lines or creases around the eye. It also doesn’t feel cakey on the skin, so it’s all you need to take on the day! Available in 3 shades and cruelty free, this is a great dupe if you’re passionate about keeping your makeup bag cruelty free as YSL is not. 

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

Maybelline’s Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer has been praised as a dupe for YSL Touch Éclat when used under the eyes. Not many people know that YSL and Maybelline are actually owned by the same brand – namely L’Oreal!

That means, I can say with at least some certainty that the formulations and ingredients used in the YSL Touch Éclat have more than likely been passed on to the cheaper brands, leading to a great dupe product for a much lower price tag! 

Maybelline’s highlighting concealer is a lightweight, gel-based formula that diffuses light to illuminate the under-eye area as it conceals imperfections. This concealer is lightweight and blendable, so it won’t settle into any fine lines or wrinkles. Instead, it will just leave you with a bright and hydrated looking under eye area! 

Although a great dupe, the colour range is limited compared to some of the other options in this article. This concealer is best suited for light to medium skin tones. 

L’Oréal Paris True Match Eye Cream in a Concealer SPF20

This concealer-eye cream hybrid by L’Oreal is said to give similar results to the YSL Touche Éclat. A unique product, this concealer contains 0.5% hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is a natural substance that draws water from the atmosphere into the skin, making it appear plumper and more hydrated.

Using this around the eyes can make the eye area look more youthful and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time. The included SPF20 protects the delicate under-eye area from any damage from UV rays (although we always recommend using sunscreen on the face too).

Not only will it actually improve the look of the eye area with repeated use, but in the meantime, it will cover any dark circles and under-eye imperfections instantly. Pigments are diffused when blended offering a seamless coverage that brightens the area, making you look awake and ready to take on the day. 

Available in multiple shades across the colour spectrum to suit all skin tones, the concealer is contained within a click-activated pen. The consistency is extremely lightweight and provides more of a natural finish, so it won’t be suitable for those who prefer a heavier makeup look. 

Collection Illuminating Touch Under Eye Brightener

Collection cosmetics have been raved about in the beauty space for a good few years. Known for their high-performing products at a low price point, this Collection Illuminating Touch Under Eye Brightener is no different! It has a peachy-pink undertone that counteracts the blue and purple undertones that can appear under the eyes.

This product is very similar to the YSL Touche Éclat as it’s not a concealer, it’s a brightener to be used underneath foundations and/or concealers. 

This under-eye brightener contains light diffusing pearl pigments that reflect light, to create the appearance of a bright and youthful under-eye. With this product, you can fake a full 8 hours of sleep with the swipe of the pen!

Max Factor Radiant Lift Hydrating and Brightening Concealer

Max Factor Radiant Light Hydrating and Brightening Concealer makes under eyes appear instantly hydrated, brightened and lifted. The concealer contains Vitamins E similar to the YSL version, and C to fight signs of fatigue as well as covering them up.

Vitamin C is praised in the skincare community for its ability to brighten and even out skin tone, including dark circles and hyperpigmentation. Vitamin E penetrates deep into your skin to hydrate and nourish. Using both Vitamin C and E together will brighten and nourish the skin, giving a more youthful under eye – much like the YSL Touche Éclat!

This concealer does not feature a click pen applicator, instead the product is squeezed out onto a sponge-like applicator and blended into the skin. The formula is lightweight, blendable with medium coverage that can be built up if you prefer a heavier look.

The light reflecting formula bounces light away from the face, giving your skin that “lit from within” glow. 

After reading this article, I hope you’ve found your new favourite beauty product to give you that gorgeous, natural-looking glow. No matter how many hours of sleep we actually get, there are plenty of dupes on the market to make it look like we’ve had our full 8 hours!

You can buy Vitapointe Creme in the UK from Amazon UK, eBay, House of Beauty, Ninth Avenue, and OnBuy. However, Vitapointe Creme has been discontinued in the UK, and you’ll struggle to find it for sale as time goes by. 

Read further to learn more about Vitapointe being discontinued in the UK and the best places to buy it. I’ll also tell you if you can get Vitapointe at Boots or Superdrug, and I’ll recommend some excellent alternatives. 

Has Vitapointe Been Discontinued in the UK?

Have you been struggling to find Vitapointe Creme at UK stores lately? If so, you’re not alone. Many other consumers are experiencing the same problem.

Vitapointe has been discontinued in the UK. Coty bought Clairol in 2016, and it was then that they stopped manufacturing the original Vitapointe Creme. In the USA, the original product was reformulated. The new Vitapointe has a different scent and changed ingredients.  

(Source: Clairol, Amazon, and First Law Comic)

With Vitapointe Creme no longer being manufactured in the UK since 2016, any Vitapointe Creme you find now will be several years old. (source: Wikipedia)

Vitapointe Creme was traditionally an affordable hair treatment, but because it’s been discontinued, demand has increased in the UK. This has pushed the prices up, and the ones you find for sale are ridiculously expensive. If you can get your hands on a pot of Vitapointe Creme, bear in mind that it may have expired. 

It’s upsetting to know that Vitapointe Creme is no longer being manufactured in the UK, and the little stock floating around will soon disappear. It’s, therefore, a good idea to start looking for an alternative. 

Vitapointe Creme is a leave-in hair conditioner that addresses frizzy, dry, and damaged hair. There are many similar products that you can buy at your local supermarket, cosmetics outlet, or online. Below are a few examples.

We also have a dedicated article with many other Vitapointe alternatives that are available in the UK. Click that for the full list, but here are some other quick alternatives if you’re short on time.

Noughty Intensive Care Leave-In Conditioner.If you’re looking for a product containing mostly natural ingredients, Noughty Intensive Care Leave-In Conditioner is an excellent choice. It is 97% natural and contains highly nourishing ingredients like argan and sweet almond oil. It has a subtle yet pleasant floral scent, and you can use it daily. 

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream. With almost 15,000 positive reviews on Amazon UK, Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Cream is intensely moisturizing for hair, helps repair split ends, and smoothes frizzy hair. It comes in a large 453g (16oz) tub, making it great for those on a budget.

Coco & Eve Miracle Hair Elixir. Coco & Eve Hair Elixir is a fantastic, multi-tasking product that moisturizes hair, provides heat protection, and creates a silky texture. It comes in a small, 100ml (34 fl oz) bottle, but since you only need one drop at a time, it will last you for ages.

Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray. If you enjoyed the lightweight feel of the original Vitapointe Creme, you’ll love Living Proof Restore Perfecting Spray. It doesn’t weigh your hair down, and you can use it on dyed or chemically-treated hair. It’s also a fantastic product for hair that often gets knotted. (Sources: Amazon UK)

The Best Places To Buy Vitapointe Hair Cream in the UK

In the previous section, I explained that Vitapointe Creme is no longer being manufactured for the UK market. If you’re one of its many diehard fans, where are the best places to find some for sale in the UK? 

The best places to buy Vitapointe Creme are Amazon UK, eBay, House of Beauty, Ninth Avenue, and OnBuy. You can occasionally find it for sale privately, such as on Facebook Marketplace and at car boot sales. 

If you’re struggling to find Vitapointe Creme in the UK, or you find it too expensive, you might consider buying the newly-formulated product abroad. Walmart in the USA, for example, carries the new Vitapointe Creme and sells it at a reasonable price (source: Walmart).

Bear in mind that the Vitapointe Creme now available in the USA has different ingredients and a different scent.

It’s worth trying a small tube first to see if you like it, as some customers have stated that the new product doesn’t impart as much shine to your hair as the original one. Other customers have complained that the new product is too thick and tacky. (source: Amazon)

Below are some other US stores from which you can buy the new Vitapointe Creme: 

• Amazon
• Kroger
• eBay
• Image Beauty
• Smith’s Food & Drug
• Fred Meyer

If you’re unable to buy the new Vitapointe Creme in the USA, consider asking a friend or family who is visiting the USA to bring some back for you. If you’re getting it posted, it’s a good idea to read our article on reducing customs fees from the USA to UK as well.

Can You Get Vitapointe at Boots or Superdrug?

Now that you know that Vitapointe Creme is no longer being produced in the UK, you might wonder if large pharmacy chains still have stock.

You can’t buy Vitapointe Creme at Boots or Superdrug. You’ll also struggle to find it at any bricks-and-mortar high street store selling cosmetics. Your best bet is to look for it online.

(Source: Boots and Superdrug). 

Thankfully, Boots and Superdrug sell an extensive range of leave-in conditioning products (such as those mentioned in the previous section). You will undoubtedly find a suitable alternative. 

Conclusion

It’s becoming increasingly challenging to find Vitapointe Creme in the UK as it’s been discontinued since 2016. You could try and find it for sale at places such as eBay, but you might want to consider using an alternative product that is similar to Vitapointe. 

Hair highlights cost anything up to £175 in the UK, on average. Expect to spend a couple of hours at the salon, whether you’re getting a full head of highlights, half head, or just a root touch-up. The price is often determined by the salon’s location and the skill of the technician you choose.

In the rest of this article, I’ll delve into the average costs of getting a full head of highlights in the UK and the cost of getting your roots touched up. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to expect from your colourist and the amount of money you should expect to put aside.

How Much Do Full Head Highlights Cost in UK Salons?

Depending on where you live in the UK, you might find a slight difference in price between cities. If you live in London, you can expect to pay significantly more for the privilege of getting highlights since London is invariably the most expensive area in the UK. 

In terms of high prices, London reigns supreme. On the other hand, Glasgow is typically the cheapest place to get your hair done (source: Direct Line for Business).

Full head highlights cost £175 on average in UK salons. This price might fluctuate depending on your location. But overall, expect to pay at least £100 — especially if this is your first time getting full head highlights.

Although this might seem a bit expensive, the follow-up appointments you’ll need are actually cheaper than the first-time price. These appointments could cost anything from £50 to £150, depending on how fancy your salon is (source: Nimble Fins).

These touch-up appointments will become necessary as your hair grows, so make sure you allow for these costs in your budget. The recommended time to get touch-ups sits around 10 weeks (source: L’Oréal Paris).

Additionally, you’ll need to remember that there are many types of hair technicians in the UK, ranging from basic colourists to colour masters or senior technicians. These levels of colour technician denote how much experience your colourist has, and the senior technician or colour master will invariably be more expensive than a basic colourist.

Therefore, if you want someone experienced giving you highlights, expect to pay higher prices. Similarly, if you don’t mind having someone less experienced, you’ll pay less. Of course, if you want the best quality highlights possible, you need to be willing to pay for the former.

Ultimately, prices will fluctuate between salons and locations, so make sure you check each salon’s website before settling on something (source: Treatwell).

Here’s a table showing the price of full head highlights for various salons in the UK:

As you can see, prices vary dramatically between salons. Aveda is one of the most expensive salons to get highlights in the UK, but they have high standards and celebrity clientele, with their flagship store in High Holborn, London. 

This means they will inevitably be more expensive than other, less reputable salons. However, they do have an extensive rewards program and student discount for those looking for a bargain (Source: Aveda). 

How Much Is a Root Touch Up in the UK?

Root touch-ups are infinitely cheaper than a full head of highlights. If you’ve recently coloured your hair and the greys are popping through, there are many different ways to touch them up. You can choose to do them yourself at home with a spray or visit a salon to get them touched up professionally.

A root touch up in the UK costs anything from £5.99 for an at-home DIY product to about £54 at a salon. Whichever you choose depends on your hair type, whether you have highlights or a full colour, and your budgetary preferences. 

If you’ve got a solid colour and you want to get your roots touched up at home, you’ll need to ensure you colour-match correctly.

How Much Is It to Touch Up My Roots at Home?

Although this is inevitably the cheapest option, there’s room for mistakes here — so either remember the colour you dyed your hair or ask your hairdresser if you can’t remember. You can purchase an at-home root touch-up kit at a reasonable price like these ones on Amazon.

If you decide to go this route, make sure you do your research beforehand. There’s nothing worse than ruining your hair through ill-matching colours and patchy touch-ups. There’s plenty of great advice online from hair experts and the like. We also have an article on the best home highlighting kits, if that’s what you’re looking for, with some pro tips.

In the meantime, here’s a YouTube video of how to touch up your roots at home:

On the other hand, it’s probably best to visit a salon if you’ve got highlights and need to touch up your roots. This will cost much less than getting a full head (or even a half head) of highlights, especially if you’re touching up the crown of your head and around your face.

Root colour will probably last about 8 weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows (source: KH Hair).

Additionally, attempting to your highlights at home on your roots is a lot more complex than touching up one solid colour. It may take learning specific techniques and practice to get it right, and if you get it wrong, you’ll end up going to the salon to fix it anyway. 

If you think you’ve got what it takes to touch up highlighted roots yourself, go for it! Have a look at this YouTube video to see one of the techniques you could use:

And there you have it — average prices for hair highlights in the UK. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find an option that suits you since there are hundreds of salons in the UK — all with different options for every budget.

If you’re short on cash – you can try it at home, but if it were me, I’d leave it to the professionals if you’ve never done it before!

Professional hair colouring in the UK costs £80 on average if you want all your hair dyed. Dying your roots or touching up a dye job costs around £73. The final price you pay could be more if your hair is long. 

Read further to discover more about getting your hair professionally dyed at a UK salon and the average cost of a cut and colour. 

How Much Is It To Get Your Hair Dyed at a UK Salon?

In recent times, more people started dying their hair at home. Although some have good results, to be honest, nothing compares to professional colouring at a salon. So how much will getting your hair dyed at a UK salon set you back? 

It costs between £36 and £120 to get your hair dyed at a UK salon. The final price you pay depends on if you need full hair colouring, or if you only need your roots to be dyed. 

What’s the Average Cost of a Cut AND Colour in the UK?

When you need to get your hair coloured, it’s good to kill two birds with one stone and have your hair cut as well. But how costly is it to have your hair cut and coloured? 

The average cost of a cut and colour in the UK is £112, assuming that you’re having your whole head of hair dyed. If you only need your roots to be touched up, a cut and colour will set you back around £105. 

This price can be higher if you also want your hair to be washed and blow-dried or you want to add highlights. 

The below table explains the price range and average UK cost of a cut, colour, highlights, and shampooing and blow-drying (source: Nimble Fins, YouGov): 

However, the final price you pay depends on various factors: 

• Hair length 
• Services required 
• Stylist’s experience 
• Salon type 
• Your location 
• Your hair’s condition 

I’ll discuss these factors in more detail below. 

Hair Length

Hair length is the main factor affecting haircuts and colouring. 

The longer your hair, the more dye your stylist must use, and the more time they must spend cutting your hair. Some salons break down their prices for a colour and cut depending on whether your hair is short, medium-length, or long. 

Here’s an easy guide to determining the category in which your hair falls (source: Head Curve): 

• Short: You have short hair if it falls above your shoulders. 
• Medium length: Medium-length hair ends between the shoulders and the armpits. 
• Long: Hair is considered long if it falls below your armpits. 

If your hair is very long (i.e., it falls at your waist or lower), your stylist might charge you extra. 

Services Required

When you’re having your hair coloured at the salon, you might be tempted by some additional services, such as the following: 

• Dying the roots of the hair only 
• Dying the full head of hair 
• Adding highlights 
• Washing and blow-drying hair 
• Permanent or temporary colouring 
• Colour correction 
• Toning 
• Balayage 
• Conditioning treatments 

Each one of these services or treatments will cost extra, so you should bear this in mind when determining how much your visit to the salon will cost. 

Stylist’s Experience

Most medium to large-sized UK salons have stylists with varying experience levels. If you want your hair coloured, your colourist will typically have one of the following titles: 

• Technician: These are usually newly-qualified hairdressers or colourists with less than two years of experience. This is by far the most economical option.
  
• Advanced technician: Advanced technicians have more than two years of experience and are well-versed in hair colouring, highlights, and balayage. This is a good balance of value and experience for getting your hair coloured.
  
• Senior technician: Senior technicians typically have five or more years of colouring experience and often specialise in an area, such as highlights or balayage. Costs a bit more, but you’re getting an expert.
  
• Creative director or technical consultant: If you want the most qualified stylist to take care of your hair, you’ll need to make an appointment with the salon’s most senior stylist. This is typically the technical consultant or creative director. This is the most expensive, sometimes up to double the standard price.

Some people don’t notice a difference between a creative director or a technician’s work quality, but others feel more comfortable using a colourist with a lot of experience. Most salons base their hair colour prices on a technician taking care of you. 

You can expect to pay between £5 and £10 extra for each higher level. 

Salon Type

The salon type can also affect how much you pay for a cut and colour. Franchise salons typically have more significant overheads, and their prices are often set by head office, making them more expensive. 

If the salon is a boutique salon offering drinks, massages, and snacks, you can expect to pay more. Independent salons might charge less than a retail chain.

However, if you use a mobile hair salon or a home-based one, their overheads will be lower, and you can expect to pay prices at the lower end of the spectrum. 

Your Location

Your location can greatly affect how much you pay at the salon. 

Everyone knows that central London prices for anything are higher than in the rest of the country, so if you’re using a London-based salon, the prices will be at the top of the range. If you’re using a salon in another major city (like Birmingham, Bristol, or Manchester), you can also expect a costly salon experience. 

Salons based in affluent suburbs often charge higher prices, and some customers claim that salon prices in the south of England are higher than in the rest of the country. 

It may be worth heading out of your town and city and considering a salon in a more remote location. A ten minute drive might be worth the trip if it means your hair colouring is 10-20% less, especially if you want a cut as well, and have long hair.

Shop rentals in small villages or towns are generally much lower than those in the city centre or in large shopping malls, so they can keep their costs down.

Your Hair’s Condition

Your hair’s condition doesn’t typically make a difference to the price you pay at the hair salon. However, your stylist may charge you more if it’s: 

• Extremely damaged. 
• Very thick, stubborn.
• You want to go from black to blonde. 

Before colouring your hair, your stylist will check if your hair can withstand the dying process. If not, they will need to condition your hair deeply before proceeding, which will cost more. Very thick or stubborn hair that doesn’t colour easily can also cost more as your colourist will need to use more products and spend more time on your hair. 

If you want to change your hair colour drastically, the colourist may need to add a toning product to achieve the perfect shade.

Cheaper Alternatives to a Full Colour at a Salon

If you’re short on cash, there are other options. The first is to just do your highlights at home – here are the kits I recommend for that.

The second is to treat yourself to a hair mask – the best ones I’ve found are here. No, they won’t colour your hair, but you can feel pampered with soft, silky hair, a bit like a salon experience.

Then there’s the obvious – you could always consider dying your hair at home. 

Some excellent home hair dye choices include Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Colour or L’Oreal Paris Preference Hair Dye, both available on Amazon. These hair dyes come in a wide range of colours, give your hair a beautiful shine, and are easy to use. 

Now that you know how much it costs to colour and cut your hair at a UK salon, I hope that you can work it into your budget!

A hair tint is temporary hair colouring. It’s different from dyes because dyes are meant to be permanent, and a tint is semi-permanent, lasting only about 4-12 weeks. Hair tint coats your hair strands with a tint of colour to give you a fresh look and add some shine.

(Source: LAB MUFFIN BEAUTY SCIENCE)

Want to learn more about what hair tint entails and what you need to do to maintain it? Read on.

What Exactly Is A Hair Tint? (in UK Salons)

A hair tint is a temporary hair colour that deposits colour or coats your hair strands without changing the original pigment as dyes do. The tint does not absorb into the hair shaft, which means the colour will come off with every wash until it’s all out.

(Source: PAUL EDMONDS of London)

How Long a Hair Tint Lasts

Typically, hair tints last 4-12 weeks (24 washes) (Source: PANTENE), depending on how often you wash your hair and the products you use. Tints applied to damaged or bleached hair also last longer because the colour absorbs more into the strands.

Once the colour fades away, you have the option of reapplying if you liked it or getting a different colour.

Hair Tint Ingredients

As for ingredients, hair tint has fewer chemicals than dyes. The colour of hair tint comes from various synthetic colouring agents (Source: Science Direct) and then water or alcohol as the base product.

If the tint is in the form of a mousse or cream, other ingredients like silicone are added for shine, not to mention vitamins and oils for conditioning.

As you can see, hair tints do not contain oxidizing agents like potassium persulfate or hydrogen peroxide, nor do they need an alkalizing agent. (Source: Science Alert). This makes the tint less permanent, but it’s safer for your hair and won’t cause as much damage as dyes do.

How Tinting Colours Your Hair

Another important thing to know about hair tint is that it’s mostly ideal if you want to darken your hair colour or freshen up the original colour. This means you can go slightly red, brown, and even blue on dark hair, but you can’t make significant colour changes like you would with dye. 

If you are a natural blonde, you can go brownish, pink, or orange with hair tint because those colours are closer to blonde.

In other words, hair tint intensifies your natural hair colour and makes it shine more. If you want to change the colour, you have to go with a palette closer to your natural colour. This also means that hair tints don’t work so well for white hair unless you want to make it yellow or orange.

Your hairdresser will show you the colour palette that’s possible with your natural colour, and you can choose from there. If you want to make a significant colour change, the best option is permanent hair dye.

Why Choose a Tint Vs Hair Dye?

Despite the fact you’re a bit more restricted with colours (as explained above), there are many reasons why people choose hair tint over dye: (Source: GOOD DYE YOUNG)

• It’s semi-permanent, so you don’t have to live with the regret of changing your hair colour for long.
  
• It’s great for damaged or brittle hair because it won’t process your hair more.
  
• Tints have a high-quality cream base like a hair mask to condition and add shine to your hair.
  
• Tints come in vibrant colours that your hairdresser can mix to create your custom shade.
  
• You can change your hair colour periodically and be a different person every month or so.
  
• Tints do not contain harsh chemicals like ammonia or hydrogen peroxide that can damage your hair (Source: Empire Beauty Schools), and they are fortified with vitamins, oils, and minerals.

What Is Meant by a “Full Head” Tint?

Deciding you want to go the hair tint route and not dyes is only the beginning. You also have to decide how you want your hair to be coloured. Styles like balayage, ombre, and highlights come in here to make the hair colour more exciting and varied.

That said, the best way to use a hair tint is to do a full head tint. Why? Because as we mentioned above, hair tint doesn’t make significant colour changes; it only darkens or revitalises your natural colour.

A full head tint is a speedy process where you apply the colour evenly all over your head from roots to ends. This means your stylist won’t need to do foils and toners, and they can just apply the tint like regular mousse or relaxer and rinse off when the colour develops.

(Source: SuperCuts)

Besides being a simple, one-step process, full head tint coats your entire hair with one shade of colour, rendering it beautiful and fuller. If you have blonde hair, the blonde colour underneath can still show through the tint, creating a lovely glowing effect.

It’s important to get a retouch around 2-4 weeks out to ensure the colour remains uniform and to cover up the growth.

While hair tint is semi-permanent and will come out in a few weeks, you should still take good care of it. Washing with shampoos and conditioners made for colour-treated hair is one way to ensure the colour lasts at least a few weeks. 

You should also protect the hair from sun damage (Source: WWD) and also keep it moisturized with oils and conditioners. Doing so will protect the hair from damage and also help it maintain the extra shine and lustre.

I hope this helped you make a decision if it comes to hair tint vs dye, and also explaining what one is, exactly. If you have any questions, your local salon is a great place to ask for help.

However, there are some restrictions in place that attempt to prevent children under the age of 16 from purchasing hair dye products due to those products’ specific chemical makeups.

You can buy or use hair dye in the UK if you are over the age of 16. Although there are no specific laws surrounding the purchase and production of hair dye, there are some informal regulations in place that prevent salons from offering hair colour treatment to minors.

I only found this out because a friend opened a salon in my home town, and the legalities surprised me. This article was written with her help.

In the rest of this article, I’ll discuss the legalities of buying hair dye in the UK, what the regulations are, and the other options that are available to children under the age of 16 in the United Kingdom.

What’s the Legal Age To Buy Hair Dye in the UK?

It might seem strange to place legal constraints on purchasing hair dye, but these regulations are in place to protect children from harm. Certain chemicals can be highly toxic, especially to young children, so they need to be regulated.

The legal age to buy hair dye in the UK is 16, but there aren’t any actual legal requirements to prevent stores from selling hair dye to minors. The conditions usually extend to hair salons, where no stylist is allowed to offer colouring services to those under the age of 16.

The restrictions don’t extend very far, however. All hair colouring products available for purchase in the UK must contain a warning label that stipulates that the product should not be provided for those under the age of 16 (source: Superdrug).

However, this warning label doesn’t mean that it is illegal for minors under 16 to buy hair dye; it merely means it is unlawful. There is typically no legal punishment for a child who purchases hair dye in the UK.

There are warnings from the industry’s primary organisation, but this does not amount to the passing of a law against selling hair colouring products to minors (source: BBC).

What’s the Legal Age To Dye Your Hair in the UK?

Since there are no legal restrictions on minors getting their hair dyed at home, you might be wondering what the legal age is for them to dye their hair.

The legal age to dye your hair in the UK is 16, although this is just a recommendation. Many salons still allow children under 16 to dye their hair as long as they have parental permission – which means the ‘legal age’ isn’t really a legal requirement at all.

While many companies have restricted the use of their products for children, that doesn’t mean parents can’t buy these hair dyes from shops and supermarkets – making it unlikely that there is any real punishment (source: HJI).

However, there are many warnings about children dying their hair at a young age since they can be sensitive to certain chemicals at a young age.

Can Under 16s Dye Their Hair In the UK? What With?

Under 16s can dye their hair in the UK. However, they shouldn’t, according to guidelines. They are not generally allowed to undergo colouring services in salons, but there isn’t much stopping them from doing so at home. Under 16s can (unlawfully) dye their hair with boxed hair dye or henna products.

Salons are not typically permitted to offer hair colouring services to minors under 16, but unfortunately, there are no regulations (apart from salon managers) to stop them from doing so. Since there are no laws regarding this, it may be unlawful, but it is not illegal to offer these services (source: HuffPost). 

Although the hair colouring products are not purpose-built for children, nothing stops them from using them. However, these hair dyes often contain chemicals that can be very harmful to children, especially if they develop allergic reactions (source: Elesse Hair and Beauty Salon).

Under 16s can also purchase and use henna products, which, though often made from natural ingredients, can also elicit allergic reactions in children and adults alike. However, there are many unregistered sellers of henna in the United Kingdom, so these unlawful purchases often go under the radar.

Additionally, if a parent buys hair dye for themselves and keeps it in the house, any child under the age of 16 with access to the product might end up using it without parental consent. This means that many instances of minors dying their hair will fly under the radar of any existing legislation regulating it.

Is It Illegal To Dye Your Hair if You’re Under 16?

It’s unlawful, not illegal, to dye your hair if you’re under 16 in the UK. However, there are no fines, jail time, or other punishments in place for those children under 16 who do dye their hair. Most salons won’t dye hair for those under 16, however.

Although those between the ages of 16 and 18 might still be sensitive to certain chemicals in hair dyes, it is perfectly legal for them to dye their hair. A child under the age of 16 may be even more sensitive to chemical dyes. There aren’t really any restrictions in place for teenagers.

The only exception might be if a parent takes their 17-year-old child to a salon and subsequently refuses to give consent for them to dye their hair – but if the parent is not around, nothing stops the salon from dying their hair anyway (source: Family Friendly HQ).

While some salons might be ok with dying a child’s hair between the ages of 16 and 18, many salons will refuse to do it. This disparity means that any regulations regarding hair dye and its uses in the UK aren’t quite working as they should. 

If you’re under 16 in the United Kingdom, you shouldn’t really dye your hair. However, hypothetically speaking, you could do so without any real repercussions from the authorities.

The only real repercussions might come from your parents once they find out you dyed your hair green without their consent, but this is a risk you can take if you wish!

If you were wondering whether you can buy hair dye in the UK, hopefully this article helped you out. It’s best to always contact a salon before using hair dyes or bleach products at home, and probably a very good idea to tell your parents what you’re doing beforehand.