If you are seeking products fit for a queen, look no further than the illustrious list of Royal Warrant holders, says Fiona Adams
Sometimes it’s difficult to navigate the choppy waters of the health and beauty industry. As endorsements go, however, you can scarcely improve upon a Royal Warrant, the tradition of which stretches back to medieval times when the favour of the monarch was highly sought and it was their duty to pick out the country’s best tradespeople. Here are a chosen few.
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Fiona Adams Health and Beauty section from the May edition of the Richmond Magazine
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Bronnley
H Bronnley & Co UK Ltd has been a warrant holder since 1955, but the company goes back much further, having been founded by James Bronnley in 1884. James was British born, but Paris trained in perfumery, and the company has been producing fragrances ever since. Bronnley used James’s French experience and combined it with quintessentially British scents. Zealous Flower (£35 for 50 ml) is part of a new range of perfumes called Eclectic Elements, which was createdin 2015.
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Floris
Floris has held its warrant since 1820 (longer than any other beauty company). Bouquet de la Reine (£75 for 100ml)) from the Classic Collection was first created by John Floris in honour of the engagement of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1839. According to Floris: ‘Top notes of violet leaf and blackcurrant buds with the enticing soft fruitiness of fresh peaches combine with jasmine and rose...’ Mr Floris created the fragrance and walked from his perfumery in Jermyn Street to Buckingham Palace to present it in time for the wedding.
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Yardley London
The history of Yardley London goes right back to the reign of Charles I, when Jonathan Yardley was granted a Royal Warrant for the provision of soap to the City of London. However, thanks to the Great Fire in 1666, the first incarnation of Yardley was lost until 1770, when the company was re-established by the Cleaver family. Thirty-odd years and a convenient marriage later and it was back in Yardley family hands. It flirted with modernity in the 1960s with model Twiggy as a brand ambassador, but nowadays it revels in its heritage, as reflected in the numerous warrants it has held since 1921.
- English RoseEau de Toilette, £14.99 for 125ml.
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G.B. Kent & Sons Plc
Established in 1777, Kent’s is the world’s oldest manufacturer of brushes and one of the oldest companies in the UK. It has held a warrant for nine reigns and produces brushes of all types with the most delightful names, including the ‘Oooh That’s Nice Brush’ and ‘Mini Woodyhog’.
- The LHS5, a handmade brush with handstitched Indian bristles, £165.
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Molton Brown
A relatively young warrant holder, having been awarded the honour in 2012, Molton Brown was started in South Molton Street, London, in 1973 as a purveyor of hand-blended haircare products. Since then, it has expanded into body lotions, perfumes, candles and room fragrances. Its iconic ranges include Orange and Bergamot, Black Peppercorn and Fiery Pink Pepperpod (below,prices from £18).
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Clarins
The French cosmetics and skincare company has its roots in 1950s Paris, where the first Clarins Institute was opened by Jacques Courtin-Clarins in 1954. The Queen has long been a fan of lipsticks, with Clarins amongst her favourite brands (it earned its Royal Warrant in 2007). She even commissioned one especially for her coronation, The Balmoral Lipstick, to tone with her robes.
- Clarins Spring Collection is out now, priced from £20. We like the Rouge Eclat in Pink Blossom.
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