ELLE’s pick: Best Online Beauty Websites

Like most websites Cult Beauty sorts their wares into easily searchable categories and their brand list is pretty impressive including Essie, Becca and Rodial. But the clever people at Cult Beauty have taken its search options one step further to include sections including ‘award’, where you can search by prize winning products. ‘Expert’ and “celebrity” allows you to find out which products those in-the-know endorse so whether you want to know Alexa’s top nail brand or Cheryl’s favourite fake tan, you can find out - and stock up - here.

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A really simple - and pretty addictive - website Look Fantastic (and Look Mantastic!) have everything you could want. As with most sites you can shop by brand and product type - haircare, make up, nails etc; but what makes this site really interesting is that you can see what the top 10 bestsellers are within each section – ideal if you’re in need of inspiration. Make sure you look out for the discounts; the website has hundreds of them including money off Kerastase, Babyliss and Fake Bake. Plus, there’s a Christmas shop that wraps your presents wrapped for just £1.99 per order.

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MAC has just refurbished its transactional website. You can still buy every MAC product online (and, FYI, the site automatically remembers products you have purchased before in the ‘My MAC’ section). But now the website is also a great place to visit for inspiration too. From the beautiful and instructive MAC face charts, with products you need to get the looks, to the ‘email an artist’ service, answering all your beauty questions, this website is a must-have beauty tool in your browser.

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Being Content is another eco site, but this has a few more cool points than others in this list. With nearly 60 carefully edited brands, Being Content ensures that all its chosen products are free from over 25 synthetic chemicals. No brands are tested on animals and many of them are Ecocert approved, 100% carbon neutral and fair-trade. If any of it’s confusing, you can email them with queries at their ‘ask a question’ page. Stocking Butter London, Nude Skincare and Sukicolor, Being Content is all about eco products that are as effective and sleek as the products you’d find at your local beauty counter. In fact, it’s the virtual counterpart to the Content store on 14 Bulstrode St, London.

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This site is great if you are after something new, unusual or alternative. Co-founder Gill Sinclair scours the globe in search of inventive and effective beauty products. This dedication is reflected in the site and there are literally hundreds of brands and products to choose from. It’s not exactly streamlined but think of it as a beauty bazaar. From Hoopnotica - the newest fitness craze to sweep the US, the £8 product that draws out spots and ingrown hairs to innovative detox kits. Its monthly newsletters have a cult following too. This is an exciting place to browse.

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More than just a beauty site, Puresha is an eco, lifestyle website selling jewellery, candles and stationary, as well as beauty by brands such as Ren, Cargo and Jo Wood Organics. Puresha guarantees natural and organic products with no nasties, such as parabens or SLS, in their products, choosing brands that don’t compromise on the quality or look of the product. Their ethics page is brilliant, splitting the products on its site into six categories; carbon neutral, cruelty-free, eco-friendly, fair-trade, organic and vegan, so you can search for products depending on what values are important to you.

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