By Debbie Djordjevic
Away from the crowded pavements of London’s Oxford Street and a few minutes walk from Oxford Circus is John Bell & Croyden, a treasure-trove of a pharmacy which has been serving the public (and the monarchy) for the past 200 years. The original pharmacy was opened on Oxford Street in 1798 by John Bell but don’t be fooled into thinking that this store is in any way an old-fashioned relic of the past. Today it is a bright and shining example of modernity and this beauty, health and wellbeing emporium plays host to a wide range of brands and products, some well-known and some niche and new to the market.
Obviously the pharmacy is the very heart of the store. But the skincare and beauty area offers a range of specialist products from around the world and the provided skin analysis will help advise you on which products would best suit your skin. There is also a luxury bath department and lots of advice to be had if you’re interested in vitamins, supplements and minerals.
To get my skin back to its pre-winter state of health and softness I was given a couple of products to try.
Daughter of the Soil is a skincare range that is made in England but uses high performance botanical oils sourced from Africa. I tried out the Shea Body Butter with Blue Mulberry which is 100% natural. Rich and creamy it has a gentle scent and was quickly absorbed leaving my skin feeling nourished and soft.
Aptiva use 97% natural ingredients and their Royal Honey Body Scrub with Sea Salts really did the job of buffing away my dead skin-cells and again creating a minor miracle with my winter-dulled skin. It contains honey, Greek plant extracts and organic essential oils.
Both sit alongside a wide range of other products to be found at John Bell & Croyden. They are there to help with everything from hair problems (they provide trichology treatments and have an onsite hair transplant consultant) to a nutritionist service, making it a ‘one-stop shop’ for all your health, beauty and well-being needs.
John Bell & Croyden, Wigmore Street, London. Visit Johnbellcroyden.co.uk for their click and collect service.