Lush

Just walking past this store is a feast for the senses. It always smells so delicious! Naturally you have walk inside, even if you don’t need anything from there. The staff are friendly and knowledgable, especially one girl who usually has amazingly dyed hair (last time is was pink streaks I think!). One thing I don’t like though is sometimes they follow you around the shop and don’t stop talking. (despite the fact you really just want to smell stuff!) If they responded a bit better to my ‘leave me alone’ radar, I would frequent them more often. I received a lovely box of pamper products for my birthday last year, and they are disappearing fast!

As a vegetarian/​environmentalist, this is my favourite go-​to store for cosmetics, skin and body care. Every product they sell is full of fresh, natural ingredients which are safe both for the environment and for people. They are firmly against animal testing, and everything is handmade (complete with a little sticker letting everyone know who made it). Luscious.
You can try most products out in the store, and I absolutely love how knowledgeable and friendly the staff are. My favourite thing about this store is the awareness it raises and the message it puts out there — that caring for ourselves does not have to be at the expense of the planet and its other inhabitants.
Also, don’t eat anything in this store, no matter how edible it looks.