Last week saw the ZPR girls celebrate with the lovely Joanna Page at the launch of her starring role in Superdrug’s new TV campaign, ‘Take another Look’.



The stunning Institute of Contemporary Arts hosted our soirée and with the champagne flowing the evening kicked off in style with the screening of the new ad introduced by Joanna herself. Recreating that familiar ‘not looking your best’ morning feeling, Joanna proves that a quick once over with some delicious Superdrug products is all you need to go from sleepy to sexy in record time… the ZPR office has taken note and is now well stocked with morning pick me ups!



Meanwhile the TV campaign has now gone live so make sure you keep an eye on the ad breaks to catch a glimpse of Joanna flying the flag for natural beauties everywhere!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV3D47aUG4M

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ZPR Girls go from sex to style...

Last week the ZPR girls went from sex to style. The week started with the exclusive launch of JLS condoms at Superdrug, with hunky Aston taking a whopping 50 per cent lead on sales. This week's bets are on for Marvin to race to the top of the condom charts – we’ll keep you posted .

Turning to the world of style, we're celebrating another sell out collection for Pearl Lowe, this time her coveted vintage inspired black dress with cream lace collar (as seen on the front rows of New York and London ready to wear) which sold out within an hour of going live on Peacocks' website. Daisy wore Pearl's purple dress last night to the premier of Rhyss Ifan's latest flick 'Mr Nice' and already seen a surge in sales this morning. The Lowe's are definitely on an all time high!

Last week our DIY experts swapped their overalls and boots for their LBD’S and Louboutins as they headed down to fashion week for B&Q 's debut with their forest friendly sheds and exotic plants posing on the catwalks of the Antipodium show. Who needs Dolce and Gabbana when you’ve got B&Q?

Meanwhile we’ve been stocking up on our favourite yummy food at Waitrose who is now price matching over 1,000 branded products. We all know where we'll be getting our baked beans from....

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Green Pigs, Peacocks and Newsnight!

This week the ZPR girls from Cardiff to Glasgow have been out there landing national TV coverage. B&Q's Green Pig and its eco installations at HRH's a Garden Party to Make a Difference has landed on national TV every day. Some of you may even have been lucky enough to have spotted the Green Pig out on tour in London yesterday or have received a limited edition green pig biscuit. B&Q's expert older workers were also absolute stars this week on a BBC Newsnight special on the death of the retirement age - the older colleagues were an inspiration to us all!

Peacocks' latest fashion must-haves are centre stage on ITV's This Morning today. And Waitrose's waste not want want survey and new innovative meat packaging sets new boundaries in helping us all to improve our waste credentials.

Meanwhile Superdrug's miracle apple skin care serum fans continue to grow at a rate of one being sold every 10 seconds unlike our wrinkles which are being kept well at bay by an apple a day!

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Z-PR Girls @ Vintage Festival

The Z-PR girls donned their best Vintage inspired outfits earlier this month and headed to the sticks for a spot of fashion and eco friendly wood…



Amongst the Roller Disco and 80s inspired Warehouse stood the B&Q and Greenpeace Skateramp which is made from 100% sustainable wood from B&Q. There to launch B&Q’s new Forest Friendly campaign which encourages people to choose responsibly sourced wood, the ramp was an instant hit with skating enthusiasts and beginners testing out their skills.



On hand to officially open the ramp for the festival goers was none other than legendary DJ and graffiti artist Goldie who stole the show by rendering a skateboard live. With his spray paints spraying and the music blaring, he created a masterpiece that is now on eBay for fans to get their hands on, with all the proceeds going to Greenpeace.



Sunday at Goodwood saw mother and daughter designer duo, Pearl and Daisy Lowe launch Pearl’s Autumn 2010 collection for Peacocks. The designers took a nostalgic journey through the past two decades, presenting their favourite designs to an exclusive soundtrack of the music that has most inspired them including David Bowie, Elliott Smith and Kate Bush. Daisy lead models down the catwalk showcasing Pearl’s vintage inspired autumn collection and the finale was a true family affair when Pearl stepped out in the black silk wedding dress she wore when she married Danny Goffey, and Daisy and Pearl’s four year old daughter Betty showcased their black lace bridesmaid dresses. The show was watched by Pearl’s family, and Daisy’s boyfriend Matt Smith.”



Log on here to see Goldie in action - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY_353oWYuU

Pearl and Daisy Lowe @ Goodwood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv57nmalLvw

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From gorgeous new ranges to golden oldies….

Our whirlwind month of Christmas press shows has now come to an end, and we went out with a bang with B&Q’s event at Sketch last week. Perhaps the most ambitious press show yet; we had a fully assembled kitchen, a column of light from over 100 new lamps and pendants strung up to the ceiling, a fully stocked Eco Shop, the hottest new tool range from JCB, and a futuristic home automation set from Siemens as well as a dedicated Christmas grotto of trees, decorations and a faux snow carpet. If that wasn’t enough we were also joined by interior designers Sophie Conran and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen who mingled with the media and gave interviews about their new ranges and trends for the new season.

Not one to sit back on our laurels, we then went straight into a day of pitching B&Q’s older workforce to the local and national press on Thursday, as we jumped on the Government’s news that the compulsory retirement age will be scrapped, with live broadcasts from Sky News at one store, and lots of local radio interviews across the country. All in a week’s work for us ZPR Girls…

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Christmas has begun at ZPR

And on one of the hottest days of the year we presented Lakeland’s autumn winter and Christmas collections to over 200 journalists.

From an electric cupcake maker that can whip up a batch of treats in under ten minutes, to a toaster that lights up red when the bread is cooked, the Violin Factory was transformed into an Aladdin’s cave with everything that you’ve ever dreamed of for the kitchen and home. Guests arrived in droves from the moment the doors opened, and with celebrities Kirsty Allsop, Aggie MacKenzie and Mary Berry all paying a visit too, this really was the hottest ticket in town for domestic goddesses (and gods).

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It's Christmas!

England are out of the World Cup and Glasto is over so what's to look forward to now? Christmas! July marks the start of Xmas press show mania at ZPR starting next week with kitchenware supremos Lakeland - what will be this year's banana guard or strawberry huller? Well all will be revealed on Thursday as we celebrate Lakeland's passion for product at a stunning venue called the Violin Factory near Waterloo.

Elsewhere on the high street girls are getting giddy for Cheryl Cole's limited edition pink Elnett hairspray can at a Superdrug near you and in the back gardens of Britain families are making the most of the heatwave with paddling pools and trampolines jumping out of B&Q's doors.

At the World's best department store lego jewellery is the latest craze and what else will we be playing with this Autumn Winter? Well you'll just have to wait until all is revealed at the Selfridges PLAY themed press show on 22 July.

And talking of play - will we be celebrating Murray Mania today?

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COME ON ENGLAND!

In between securing world class coverage, ZPR girls are slapping on fake tan and clipping on hair extensions (well Lucy is anyway), ahead of the ZPR world cup party tomorrow at St Barnabas House. With any luck/miracle, we'll be toasting England's (albeit first) victory over cocktails and scrumptious canapés.

Top of tomorrow's world cup party guest list will be B&Q's famous £12 England gnome, adored by celebrities including Elton John and Jonathan Ross and currently challenging media space with Becks and Rooney.

Forget traditional orange segments, half time fodder for Londoners watching tomorrow's match has to be Waitrose's world cup England sandwich. Blighty's most patriotic sarnie costs £3.95, is hand made in Waitrose's Clerkenwell store, and boasts eleven English delicacies including beef, ham, chicken, chutney, rocket and spinach.

Outside of the world of football, Superdrug is ensuring it's a safe summer for Brits, launching the UK's first flat pricing policy on all sun care. This massive new investment is across all factors, formulations and all brands and will cut prices on some products by up to almost £6. Customers can finally reap the benefits of not being penalised for choosing higher, safer, skin protection. Here's to a sun smart summer!

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The Great Escape...

Last week ZPR girls escaped the big smoke to the stunning Limewood Hotel (where Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullum tied the knot) in the fabulous English countryside. Why? To celebrate the launch of Pearl Lowe for Peacocks Spring 2010. Fashion folk and celebrities donned their Hunter wellies for a pony trek in the New Forest and banished city stress in the Limewood’s spa, before donning their glad rags for a sumptuous dinner attended by Pearl, Daisy and Jamie Winstone to name drop a few. There was no official entertainment (outside of the lovely Lisa Moorish spinning her favourite tracks), although Lucy’s inadvertent ‘setting herself alight’ with a tea light did turn a few heads and we’re thinking of entering her for Britain’s Got Talent as our in-house flambé fashionista.

Staying with the world of celebrity, Lizzie Jagger sported her sarong and sun visa in support of Superdrug’s sun care campaign, raising awareness for skin safety in the sun. Whilst being interviewed for The Times, we discovered Lizzie suffered severe sun burn on a family holiday as a child so is passionate about spreading the importance of sun safety. Lizzie looked sensational, and if I look half as fabulous as her mother Jerry at (almost) half her age I’ll be thrilled.

B&Q’s celebrity supporter arrived in the form of Paul McCartney who declared he loves shopping in his local B&Q store for nails (as in the type you drill into a wall, as apposed those of the manicured variety). Perhaps he’s finally got round to putting up his seeming billions of platinum albums my mother’s spent most of her life humming. Jackie sent him his own orange apron to ensure he was correctly kitted out whilst DIY-ing, which he’s since said he likes to relax at home in. Lounge furniture yes, but who’d have thought B&Q would inadvertently go into lounge attire?

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Sizzling into May

First week of May and ZPR is sizzling. Solait’s Factor 50 was in full flow as Sophy paraded a host of scantily clad models onto Millennium Bridge to celebrate the launch of Superdrug’s sun awareness campaign.


For those who would prefer to hide from the sun altogether, yet still sport a sun kissed glow, Flawless Tan is just what the style doctor ordered. We put Rhianne to the test. Departing the office Tuesday night armed with FT’s four easy steps and returning Wednesday morning looking like she’d returned from a weekend in Dubai with not a streak mark in sight – I kid you not.


To the inherent annoyance to the rest of the team, it’s usually only Lucy who whistles whilst she works. This week however we’ve had the pleasure of listening to world champion whistler, David Morris putting us (or at least Lucy) to shame as he joins forces with B&Q’s Trade Point to find the best builder’s whistle (wolf whistles not accepted). Auditions carry on this week, but entries so far are definitely shaping up to show Britain’s definitely got Builders Talent in all areas.


Waitrose, the big cheese in the world of supermarkets got Jacobs crackers at the ready to celebrate coming top in Which Best British Cheese survey. Despite our cheese counters being armed with hoards of cheese from all corners of the globe, it’s our old favourites cheddar and stilton that still come out top.


This week Zaria, Lucy and Sophy will be galloping off to the New Forest with Pearl, Daisy and friends to launch Pearl Lowe for Peacocks’ spring collection at The Limewood Hotel. Until then, tally ho…

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The Sun is Shining

The Sun is shining and so is our coverage! The Front cover of YOU Magazine this weekend with our exclusive shots of Daisy Lowe and Pearl Lowe launching Pearl's latest range for Peacocks - watch out for this fab new range of dresses hitting a Peacocks store near you next month.

And whilst the sun is shining we're all spending time outside and in the garden but did you know that home-owners aged 25 to 34 are unable to name even the most basic plants such as geraniums, lavender or poppies.

But older age groups faired better in the poll – with more people aged 55 to 64 able to identify unusual flowers like lupins, fuchsias and ceanothus (Californian lilac).

The B&Q poll of 2,000 people shows only 29 per cent of younger people know what a lupin looks like, compared to 69 per cent of those over 55. So do you know your geraniums from your onions?

Next update we'll be sharing how you can make the quickest ice lollies ever, what day is safe for you to reveal all and get your legs out of those opaques plus how you can capture all that sun and save money by installing solar panels!

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We've got a Spring in our Step

With the sun finally making an appearance this weekend - the first BBQ's were fired up and bedding plants planted - all made easier by amazing discounts on BBQ's and bedding plants at B&Q.

And if you were getting your legs out for the first time this year - you weren't the only ones as sales of fake tan are on the rise at Selfridges - up 80% YOY.

Meanwhile we unzipped the secrets of the manity case with the news from Superdrug that top ten grooming items for men include an eye roll on and hair dye - how it's moved on from the traditional lynx effect!?

The last couple of weeks has been a tough call between the amount of chocolate arriving at our office and the tasty new pineberry on sale at Waitrose. Perhpas next year as well as chocolate hot cross buns we'll have chocolate coated pineberries.

The WAGs were out in force this weekend at Aintree and a few of us scored a succesful bet or two in the Grand National. Maxi dresses a plenty at Aintree this weekend and if you want to get the perfect WAG look just check out Peacocks new website which launches this week.

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Us ZPR girls love a bargain and top of the fashion hot list this week is the Peacocks £10 designer inspired satchel.

Selling out in the first week it is hot stuff and an absolute bargain compared to the Chloe version which retails for £9,000. The satchel hit headlines all across the country in nationals such as Daily Mail – twice, The Sun – twice, The Mirror, The Guardian, Fabulous magazine many weekly magazines and in online fashion blogs…phew - a real must have this spring. More stock has now arrived so get yourself to Peacocks now before they disappear again…

In the office we would prefer chocolate over veg any day but it would appear the rest of the country are embracing the vegetable and growing their essential 5 a day. The recent sunshine coupled with the continuing march of the Grow Your Own revolution has seen sales of vegetable seeds rise so far this year at B&Q. Last year sales of vegetable seeds rose 30 per cent – and sales so far this spring show this trend is set to continue! The bestselling seeds are the more traditional British vegetables, onion, carrot, peas, beans, tomatoes and lettuce. So follow the trend and lets get gardening…

We all hate bad breath and a survey by Superdrug confirms by how much. It was rated the worst smell coming above smoke breath. Invest in Superdrug toothpaste and mouthwash to combat the problem. Tic tacs at the ready everyone.

The Waitrose team went gaga for Ostrich eggs this week! Apparently, the eggs, which are only available at Waitrose can feed a whole rugby team. We didn’t try one in the office—you need a whole toolbox to crack it open—but we’re sure if we tried to make an omelette out of it we wouldn’t go hungry for days!

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Whilst many would believe that barns and instant tattoos would not sound like the classiest of luxuries, Chanel has proven them wrong. As models elegantly sauntered their way down the hay-laiden catwalk of Chanel’s spring/summer 2010 show, they sported what has become one of the most-sought after beauty trends of the season, the transfer tattoo. We at ZPR have been chomping at the bit to get our hands on these covetable artworks, as Selfridges exclusively launched the tattoos in its own barn setting on Oxford Street. With experts on-hand to apply the tattoos to the eagerly awaiting customers, we dare you to show your allegiance to Chanel with some decorative body bling!

Meanwhile in a little town further south, Katie and the newest members of Superdrug’s St Austell team welcomed hoards of customers through its doors for the first time. Visitors to the White River Place shopping centre were in for a treat, as Superdrug celebrated its opening with fun-filled activities for the whole family. No doubt the men of St Austell will have been flocking to see the cutting of the ribbon…maybe not for the Mayor himself who was on hand alongside Alan Johnson, the Retail Director of Superdrug, but more likely to catch a glimpse of local beauty queen Miss Cornwall who assisted with those giant scissors. The day was a success all round, leaving a very tired Katie to a long train journey back to the big smoke!

Jackie was also out and about last week in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Wondering if she should have sported her twin set and pearls, she visited the education centre of the Women’s Institute to help its members prove that with the guiding hands of B&Q, they need not fear the power tool! This was the first of B&Q’s DIY classes for the WI to encourage women to get out of the kitchen, and tackle the rest of the home. Teaching skills such as mending a leaking tap, applying wallpaper and putting up your curtain rail, the ladies who attended the workshop enjoyed ‘’a fantastic day’’, eager to continue their education. This may leave the men of Abbingdon at a loss…

The Waitrose team announced to top foodie journalists its collaboration with two of Britain’s best-loved chefs, Delia Smith, and Heston Blumenthal. With Delia’s traditional values and Heston’s outstanding creations, this partnership is predicted to set the food world alight. As the pair are set to share their knowledge with budding chefs in advertising campaigns, Waitrose fans should prepare their taste buds now!

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Another 'Bog-Standard Week' For The ZPR Girls...

Early Wednesday morning Zaria, Jenny and Sam turned up at a house in Shepherds Bush to watch Sir Richard Branson and Euan Sutherland, CEO of B&Q being snapped by the paps whilst hanging out of a homeowners loft. Crazy? Well it is all in aid of supporting the Princes Trust Project Start campaign which is aiming to show people how easy it can be to ‘green’ up their homes, whether it be insulating their loft or installing solar lights. Both B&Q and Virgin are companies supporting the charity. Our lovely homeowner Ronnie along with daughter Mallory welcomed B&Q, ZPR, Virgin, the Princes Trust and 14 photographers into their home. You could say it was rather cramped but within less than an hour of the photocall starting everyone had dispersed and travelled back to the office to start the rest of the day! Although we did manage to make a pit stop on the way back for a much needed cuppa!

Meanwhile the Superdrug team got to spend the morning with two scantily clad male models at the Marble Arch store for the launch of Superdrug deodorant on Wednesday. It came off the back of results that men spend more time pampering and grooming themselves. The two boys got their tops off and crowds of women flocked to see what the commotion was, queuing up to do the smell test—one spray of Lynx and one spray of the Superdrug product to see if they could tell the difference. It was a great success despite the snowy weather and the models proved that men might like a bit of pampering but they won’t shy a way from a challenge in the cold—especially if it involves getting their kit off for the ladies.

Over on Oxford Street, Peter Andre launched his new fragrance ‘Unconditional’ to a hoard of screaming fans at Selfridges on Saturday. Dressed for the occasion in a red shirt, Peter met with over 150 lucky fans to sign bottles of his new scent whilst planting pre-Valentine’s Day kisses on their cheeks.

The Waitrose team had a week with an overflowing toilet bowl as the nation went crazy for toilet roll! Having just launched Cashmere infused toilet roll we wrapped it in ribbon and sent it out to test the waters and although some were more enthusiastic than others, everyone’s interest was piqued. People love the idea of bog-standard luxury!

The ZPR girls have started the week off with our fingers firmly on the pulse: last week Selfridges had to get more stock in of the new Chanel Mushroom shade of nail varnish—being dubbed the new Jade—as it was flying off the shelves. By our Monday meeting Kirsty, Sam, Niravta and Nora had already snagged themselves a pot and were flaunting the new ‘It’ shade with understated flair.

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ZPR Spring into Action

A storming success for the beauty team, with 130 journalists tottering their way down to the Haymarket Hotel for Superdrug’s spring/summer 2010 press launch. The Shooting Gallery was filled with Superdrug’s latest beauty, fashion and healthcare products and journalists sat back, relaxed and enjoyed pamper sessions from manicurists, hair experts and make-up artists including Ruby and Millie.

Last week B&Q celebrated Apprentice week. The scheme (in association with the National Apprenticeship Service), provides 130 employees with many new talents and skills. People of all ages are welcomed into the scheme, from 18 year old Adam Wilson from Chesterfield to Terry Robinson, who at the ripe age of 70 years old isn’t ready to hang up his orange apron just yet!

The Waitrose Menu From event at the John Lewis Bistro cooked up a storm. The chefs, Pierre Koffmann, Bryn Williams and Antony Demetre, served a mouthwatering banquet to food journalists including Goat’s Cheese and Beetroot Tart, Scallops with Black Pudding, Shepherd’s Pie (my favourite), Beef Bourgignon, and Braised Oxtail. The event proved Menu From is changing the face of ready made meals—the food was delicious, no one would ever know it wasn’t home made.

Over at Selfridges, ladies are saying “if you’ve got it flaunt it”, as the underwear as outerwear trend reaches new heights. Sheer bodies from top designers including Stella McCartney and Damaris have been flying off the shelves, leading to a soar in sales of nipple covers for women who want to sport the trend but hide the essentials.

Further north at Selfridges’ Trafford Centre, women flocked to catch a glimpse of the man of the moment, Peter Andre. He made a special appearance at the store to sign bottles of his new fragrance, Unconditional. Peter told of his excitement about launching his perfume for the sexy and sophisticated woman, a definite must-have. With over 200 customers attending the event, Peter Andre proved a favourite of the nation, and Selfridges!

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A SPADE IS A SPADE

After launching the world’s most expensive ham last Monday (how much I hear you say? let’s just say it was a ham and a leg), Selfridges went back to the seventies the following day, re-creating iconic sit com Are You Being Served in a one off charity sale in honor of the late Wendy Richard. Wendy’s ex colleagues put down their scripts and travelled to her favourite store to help sell her memorabilia in aid of Lady Taveners charity. The event was a magnificent success, featured on BBC’s lunch time news, Radio 4, Radio 2, live links throughout the day on Five live and a host of print coverage the following day, showing scenes of Mr Rombold sending the tills a ringing, June Brown donning a purple wig and James Alexandrou serenading Natalie Cassidy during her break from Strictly on Ice.

Thursday we painted our fingers a fashionable shade of Jade green, to celebrate Alan Titchmarsh joining forces with B&Q, launching a campaign to Get Britain Gardening. Despite my confusing a rake for a shovel (it could have happened to anyone), the photo call with Alan and B&Q’s CEO Euan Sutherland at the retailer’s flagship New Malden store was a blooming success. After the photographers left to wire their images of Alan encased in a tropical greenhouse, we whizzed our way to the Haymarket Hotel for B&Q’s spring/summer press show. 130 journalists were bowled over as the Haymarket’s pool area was transformed into a tropical haven, spilling with exotic plants, designer inspired garden furniture, state of the art sheds, the coolest barbeques and everything your summer heart would desire. I was tempted to take a dip in the pool but decided against, as it would have ruined Jenny’s floating petal display. The event and subsequent coverage were world class, with Alan’s collaboration landing in titles ranging from the FT to The Sun to USA Today.

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Happy New Year!

Well here it is, 2010! As we ZPR girls return from our festive holidays, we enter into a New Year with high hopes for fantastic coverage, and slightly lower hopes for our waning New Year’s resolutions. Whilst most of the girls have stuck to the cardinal rule of no rules, Jackie is living for the moment, and Rhianne is planning for an exciting 2010, with a possible audition for the X-factor!

Whilst the country has been caught in the big freeze, B&Q has been aiding the nation as they brave the cold. From rock salt to shovels and wellies the big freeze is certainly having an impact on weather related products. In the last three weeks compared to last year sales of rock salt are up 150 per cent, shovels up 200 per cent and wellies up 120 per cent.

However it seems that no amount of snow could drive those keen shoppers away from their favourite time of the year, the January sales. With fantastic deals to spruce up your home for the New Year with B&Q, treating yourself to those beauty essentials at Superdrug, and fabulous fashion deals at Peacocks, our clients proved that you can’t beat a good bargain.

It has been a strong Christmas period for each of our clients as we successfully reported fantastic sales not only with those hotly anticipated sales, but right up until the crucial last days before Christmas which saw many of you rush to find those last-minute gifts as panic buying ensued!

As we look back to the Noughties, we celebrate the nation’s ultimate celebrity beauties as Superdrug named the beauty icon of not only the year, but the decade. With previous winners including the nation’s beloved Cheryl Cole, the annual poll left us fighting our corners for our favourite celebs. It turns out the poll which questioned 3,000 people, asked once again if we were Team Aniston or Team Jolie. With her famous pout and enviable locks, Angelina Jolie trumped Jennifer Aniston to the top spot. As the list of top 20 icons compiled women from young stunners to ageless beauties, Superdrug proved that women of all ages can get the look of their favourite icon.

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