A much-loved Boots beauty brand is back nearly four years after it was discontinued - and I couldn’t be more excited about it.
In a surprise return, 17 cosmetics are returning to the shelves of the health and beauty retailer this month.
Many will remember 17 as a cult beauty favourite amongst generations of makeup lovers, known for its affordable beauty products for more than 50 years.
And in 2018, prices were slashed and stock slowly began to disappear from shelves before it was finally discontinued in May the same year.
But now it’s back with a brand new look, with new formulas and more than 170 vegan beauty staples - with all items costing under a fiver.
The budget beauty range includes lipsticks from £2 and eyeshadow palettes as low as £5 - Boots claim you can ‘build an entire makeup look for as little as £10’.
The cruelty free range became available online at Boots.com on February 17, appearing in stores the following Monday, February 21.
And celebrities such as Strictly Come Dancing star Tilly Ramsay, as well as Love Island's Chloe Burrows and Gabby Allen, are fans - having attended the 'pink carpet' launch in East London last week.
Guests at the star-studded bash were treated to makeovers from members of the Boots Beauty Squad and invited to experiment with the brand-new range of cosmetics in the 17 makeup playground.
This nostalgic brand was one that saw me through high school - from covering my teenage acne with their concealer, to exploring my identity with their must-have eyeliner.
And I was genuinely gutted when they were discontinued, so much so I scrambled to buy as much as I could before it was gone - and I still have an OG ‘the cheek of it’ blusher in my makeup bag.
So when 17 went live on the Boots website, I got in there early and ordered enough products to complete a full face of everyday makeup. But the brand already proved to be as popular as ever, as the £5 eyeshadow palette I ordered was cancelled and refunded due to limited stock!
However, I still managed to create a full face look for less than £45 using these products:
Base
I used the 17. Matte Base Perfection Oil Control Primer to create a base for my makeup. The £3 primer was creamy, containing silica for oil control and offered a shine-free matte finish. Applying the primer, the product felt slightly tacky, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it meant that it wasn’t slipping and sliding around my skin.
I then used the Second Skin Enhancing Concealer in the shade 001 to conceal any blemishes and the dark circles under my eyes, and for a £2 beauty product, you can’t ask for more from it. There are 10 concealer shades available in the range, offering a skin-like finish that doesn’t feel cakey.
Similarly the Second Skin Enhancing Foundation , which is just £5, is described as medium coverage. I’d say it’s more light to medium coverage, but is buildable. For me, three thin layers of the liquid foundation provided a coverage I’d typically wear, and looked healthy with a dewy finish.
The long-lasting foundation is enriched with vitamin E and hyaluronic acid, available in 20 shades.
Eyes and cheeks
I was a big fan of 17 blushes back when I was merely 17 myself, and now, they’ve got both powder and cream blushes.
I went for the cheaper £3.50 powder blush in ‘Coppertone’ which is more pink than the online imagery looked. I was hoping for it to be more of a neutral bronze shade to double up as a contour, but it very much is a flush of colour. That said, the pigment is good and I was able to double it up as an eyeshadow, as my palette had been cancelled on the order.
Back in the day, the 17 liquid eyeliner was the must-have product for smudge-proof black winged liner. I’ll have you know, my drivers licence photo might as well have been a 17 eyeliner advert, as, even if I were wearing no other makeup, I’d wear my eyeliner.
The new £3 17 Eye Flicks Pen has taken a different approach to their applicator, opting for a pen rather than a pot and brush. The tip is nice and thin for achieving a sharp line, and it dries quickly. However, I found that there was some transfer on my hooded lids throughout the day, so I hope they alter the water-based formula so it’s as long-lasting as it used to be.
I finished my lashes with the 1 7 Extreme Extension Lengthening Mascara (£4), which added definition and length to my lashes with their ecofiber formula and nice thin comb.
Brows
To enhance my eyebrows, I used the 17 Brow and Lash Lamination Clear Mascara for £2.50. It’s a real game changer who loves the soap brows and lamination look. The fine comb captures the hairs to brush them where you’d like them to sit, and keeps them in place all day without drying them out.
To add a bit of colour, the 17. Precise Definition Tinted Brow Gel is gorgeous, transforming my brows in just a few strokes of the tiny, precise brush. The gel isn’t too wet, and helps to achieve bold, defined brows at the flick of a wrist for only £4.50.
Just to fill in any sparse areas, I went in with the 17 Full Definition Brow Pencil (£3.50), which creates hair-like strokes to give a fuller brow. Not only that, but I found it to be perfect for drawing on faux freckles, too.
Lips
I finished the look off with a nude lip using the 17 Lip Define Soft Pencil Liner (£2), the £3 Matte Lip lipstick in ‘blushing nude’, and the Lip Boost and Shine Gloss, costing £4.
I also added a tiny bit of gloss to my cheekbones and the tip of my nose to mimic highlighter - because what’s so nice about the gloss is that it’s not sticky at all.
I set the complete look with the 17 Dewy Prep Setting Spray , which smells beautiful and is really lightweight, adding a subtle glowy finish to the look.
The cruelty free range includes day-to-day essentials that’s perfect for Gen-Z beauty buffs. I was able to create a nostalgic makeup look that I would have worn as a teen, updating it for my 20s effortlessly and affordably.
The brow gels and lip gloss are definitely going to find themselves as everyday staples in my cosmetics bag.
Jenna Whittingham-Ward, Head of Beauty at Boots Brands & Exclusives, said: “We believe beauty is for everyone, and affordable cosmetics doesn’t have to mean a compromise on quality. That’s why we’re so excited to bring a fresh, new-look 17 to our beauty-loving customers at Boots.
“We know our customers love to experiment with makeup, and they want to try out the latest looks trending on TikTok without breaking the bank. We’re proud to have created a range of cosmetics in 17 without limits or barriers that’s accessible to all beauty fans across the UK – we just can’t wait for them to try it!”
