Baylis & Harding World Domination

Anyone else noticed that B&H products are everywhere in the run up to this Christmas? Once upon a time they just sold Molton Brown look-alike hand washes but now every highstreet shop, department store, chemist, supermarket is stacked with gift sets mimicking Molton Brown, Philosophy, Cowshed etc. There was a set looking like Philosophy in Lloyds Pharmacy which I might have been tempted to try as it had a gingerbread man bath product but it also had a vanilla stuff which I don't like.

I've only tried the hand washes, now I can't turn without facing stacked of their giftsets, they must really be good at schmoozing the head buyer of these chain stores?

Jude xx

PS didn't post in health and beauty cos this is more a comment of their market saturation.

Yep, I noticed the proliferation of B&H, too.

I bought one of the men's gift sets just to bulk out my husband's Christmas stocking. You can get a ginormous gift set [a lot of stocking bulking!] for only £6 or so.

I also wandered into Molton Brown, and had to have smelling salts and a nice lie down once I clocked their prices.
The cheapest thing in the whole shop was a single bar of men's soap - at £13. I did buy some, but I don't suppose my husband will actually spot the difference between the two.

Please come back to us, Jill Goldsmith, with your overblown descriptions and your MB TSVs!

The final straw was the ad on the telly! I've never tried them as both my son and I (especially son) have sensitive skin and maybe they're ok, but I don't want to run the risk of an allergy.

I agree Akimbo they are everywhere!!!!

Same over here,B&H are everywhere,independent pharmacies,Boots,am sick to the back teeth of them.

Was in Superdrug today & they had tons of the looky likey Philosophy stuff,it's in Dunnes Stores too.

The B and H stuff I`ve used has been ok, in fact I`m using their lavender handcream right now and it smells lovely. I`ve had their bath and shower stuff too and it was fine. I regularly buy their liquid soap and it smells nice and does the job quite well. Good value for money in my opinion and I bought a couple of their handcream/liquid soap duos in a stainless steel stand in a sale somewhere ( I forget where ) and they`ve been handy near the kitchen sink and downstairs loo.

TK Maxx also has loads. I have even seen a cheaper copy of B&H appearing now.

LOL Cheaper than B&H? is that even possible, they must be giving it away.

It's v clever marketing but I'm surprised the brands they mimic let them get away with it, unless they think their target market is a different demographic.

Just in case you can't buy from a shop near you they have a website!

Jude xx

No mention on their website regarding Animal Testing, so it's a no from me.

There was another similar range that I used to buy from T K Maxx by Fitzherbert & Prince called Letters from Brighton in various fragrances - my favourite was the pomegranate. I haven't seen it for over a year - apart from a couple of "unwanted gifts" on eBay. Better quality handwash than B&H, imo.

Boots and Asda both had Philosophy Ginger Bread lookelikies as well as Savers Chemist. I don't think I would pay for real Philosophy these days without the lovely Lee to tempt me. (Old Lee not new Lee)

I am always seeing bits of Philosophy in TKMaxx, bath stuff.

Yeah, Baylis and Harding are everywhere. You used to only find them in Debenhams, and they were sold as cheap alternatives to the more expensive gifts in order to attract a younger clientele, I would say, who would hopefully go on and become good customers. I was tempted by a set containing a dressing gown, slippers and bath foam, I think they only wanted about £20 for it (this was some years back), but on closer inspection, the quality of the gown was horrendous and the slippers were pretty basic...(probably) a couple of bits of cardboard covered in cheap towelling and a couple of bits of towelling stitched along the top, so in all a complete false economy!

I wouldn't buy the stuff, and wouldn't want to receive any either (though I have) as you just know, and the recipient will know that a) You didn't spend much money on them, and b) They probably only remembered your birthday as they were queuing up in the co-op with a bag of spuds and a pint of milk, and saw this stuff on display!

Got my set from a secret santa at work...we were allowed to spend a fiver only..I'll admit, the gift looked beautiful, but in reality, the bath foam was weak, produced very few bubbles and didn't hold its perfume, the bath scrunchie unravelled, and the bath salts...well who uses bath salts?

A brand to avoid imvho! (Not easy, I know!)

i thought the same - saw it in quality seconds the other day.