Desert Island Stores: Daisy Kelly, founder and CEO of Glow For It
In this latest instalment of TRB’s Desert Island Stores series, Glynn Davis chats with Daisy Kelly, founder and chief executive of Glow For It.
The store you remember from childhood?
Subscribe to TRBWithout a doubt, Boots. It feels like it’s been there for every stage of my life. From buying my first skincare products and makeup, to my first period, and even getting my eyebrows done for the first time at the Benefit counter in Boots Watford. Shopping there with my mum always felt like such a treat. It was one of those places that made you feel a little more grown up every time you visited. Even now, walking into a Boots store brings back that same sense of excitement and nostalgia, which is incredibly special.
Most inspirational store to your career?
It has to be Boots again. When I first started Glow For It, seeing our products on Boots’ shelves felt like an impossible dream. Fast forward a few years and we’ve gone from being stocked on the Trending on Socials stand in around 50 stores to being available in more than 400 Boots stores nationwide. Boots took a chance on us at a really important stage of our journey, and I’ll always be grateful for that. Seeing Glow For It in-store still gives me a genuine pinch-me moment and I’m excited to continue building on the partnership.
Most frequently used store?
I’d have to say Space NK. I’m completely beauty obsessed, so I probably visit more often than I’d like to admit. I love how curated the assortment is and how easy it is to discover brands and products you may never have come across otherwise. The experience always feels elevated – from the store design to the knowledgeable team and it’s somewhere I genuinely enjoy spending time, even if I only pop in for one product and inevitably leave with five.
The store you wished you’d created?
Definitely Space NK. If I could have created one retailer it would be Space NK. I’ve always admired Nicky Kinnaird’s vision of creating a destination where customers could discover niche, innovative beauty brands long before ‘beauty discovery’ became a trend. She completely reimagined how people shop for prestige beauty, and as the founder of an emerging beauty brand, that’s incredibly inspiring. They’ve built more than a shop, they’ve built a destination for beauty lovers.
Your overall favourite store?
Liberty London. It’s one of those rare stores where the experience is just as memorable as the products. From the beautiful Tudor building to the incredible brand mix, every visit feels special. I could easily spend hours wandering through every floor, discovering new brands, admiring the merchandising and simply taking it all in. Whether you buy something or not, it’s an experience in itself, and that’s what great retail should be.
The store you’d like to take to the desert island?
I’d have to cheat slightly and say TikTok Shop. You can genuinely find almost anything on there, from beauty products and groceries to the most random things you never knew you needed. It’s become one of the biggest discovery platforms in retail, and I love how it makes shopping feel entertaining rather than transactional. If I was stranded on a desert island, I’d hopefully be able to order everything I’d need to survive…and if nothing else, I’d have plenty of content to keep me entertained while I waited to be rescued!
