Manchester is finally ready to welcome its first-ever Sephora store as the cult beauty retailer heads north.
The huge shop, which officially opens tomorrow at the Trafford Centre, is stuffed full of luxury skincare, haircare and makeup, including several brands that are usually hard to find in the UK.
There are exclusive-to-Sephora brands in store like Makeup by Mario, Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, Topicals, and their own Sephora Collection range of affordable beauty items.
Plus it’s a chance to browse hit names like Glossier, famed for their liquid blushes and ‘Boy Brow’ gels, in person.
Selena Gomez’s Rare beauty, loved by people of all ages for its ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, is also available to shop inside the new Sephora.
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As for skincare, you’ll find Drunk Elephant, The Ordinary, Sol de Janeiro, Supergoop, Sunday Riley, Paula’s Choice, Mario Badescu and loads more.
That’s all alongside classic make-up names like Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder, Lancome, and Benefit.
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There’s also a huge range of fragrance for men and women.
One of Sephora’s most popular features is its minis – tiny versions of some of its best-sellers for those who are a little indecisive, frequent fliers, or don’t want to splurge on a full-sized new product.
And as for haircare, alongside rows and rows of shampoos, conditioners and styling products, are electronic brands like Dyson, Shark and GHD.
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In the heart of the huge new Trafford Centre Sephora is a beauty studio, offering makeovers and skincare including a Manchester exclusive with Grown Alchemist.
If you’re totally overwhelmed by the choices on offer, there are several edits of products arranged around the shop, grouped by concern – so a whole display of the best lip products, another for eyes, and so on.
An Eyes ‘must-haves’ editThe OrdinaryRare Beauty
It’s only the third Sephora to open in the entire country, with the other two both based in London.
Sephora fever seems to have fully gripped the Trafford Centre, which has plastered black and white decor everywhere in celebration of the new arrival.
There’s even a monochrome striped staircase leading to the new store, banners outside, and huge posters hanging from the shopping centre’s ceilings.
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And it’s only going to get bigger after today – to celebrate its launch, 500 goodie bags will be given away to the first people in the queue on Sephora’s official launch day, Thursday 16 May.
Parents praise Aldi for new ‘inclusive’ dolls with birth marks, vitiligo, hearing aids, and more
Emily Sergeant
Parents are praising Aldi for a new range of inclusive children’s dolls that have visible birth marks, hearing aids, and more.
The budget supermarket retailer is known and loved for its range of limited-edition ‘Specialbuys’ on offer each week down its legendary middle aisle, with many flying off the shelves and selling out just as quickly as they arrive, and fans flocking to their nearest store to get their hands on a bargain.
But this week, one of Aldi‘s most recent ‘Specialbuys’ range has seen it receive plenty of praise from proud parents.
Shoppers have taken to social media to share their reactions to the retailer’s new range of Little Town Plush Dolls, which all represent those with a range of different health conditions.
With 12 unique dolls to choose in the inclusive range, some of the conditions represented include those with birth marks, vitiligo, hearing aids and cochlear implants, glasses, and many more – each setting you back just £6.99.
Complete with a magnetic dummy, these plush dolls are designed to encourage care and nurturing for little ones, Aldi says.
Having taken social media by storm since appearing in stores nationwide, one TikToker shared an adorable video of their little girl playing with one of the new dolls, and wrote in the caption: “Thank you for helping my daughter, amongst many others, feel seen. The birthmark/visible differences community is so proud, and so grateful. I hope you know how much of a positive impact you have made for so many children.”
Aldi has been praised for its new ‘inclusive’ dolls with birth marks, hearing aids, and more / Credit: Simon Hadley (via Aldi UK)
Another Instagram user also said: “A shout out to Aldi who are selling dolls for children who don’t usually get a chance to have a doll that looks like them.”
“Seeing yourself represented in a children‘s toy for the first time, and immediately buying it for your future children,” a third satisfied shopper also said on Instagram this week.
As with all Aldi ‘Specialbuys’, once the dolls are disappear from shelves, they’re gone forever, so if you’re keen to get your hands on one, you’ll need to head to your nearest Aldi as soon as possible.
Featured Image – Aldi
Shopping
A fifth of Brits have apparently already started doing their Christmas shopping
Emily Sergeant
A new survey has revealed that a fifth of Brits have apparently already started doing their Christmas shopping this year.
As much as many of us find ourselves running around the shops like headless chickens on Christmas Eve in a bid to buy all those last-minute gifts we forgot, on the flip side of that, we all know a few organised people who like to get their presents bought and wrapped well in advance so they can enjoy a relatively stress-free festive season.
But is October just a bit too early to start? Apparently not for 21% of Brits
According to a new survey by American Express, a surprising number adults who celebrate or shop for Christmas in the UK have already started buying things for the festive period.
A fifth of Brits have apparently already started doing their Christmas shopping / Credit: Heidi Fin (via Unsplash)
The survey found that, when it comes to present inspiration, nearly half (47%) of Christmas shoppers will be getting gifting ideas from their loved ones themselves, while more than half (56%) of the Gen Z age group surveyed claiming they’ll be looking to social media ads, and influencers and content creators, for suggestions.
There’s also varying responses when it comes to the type of presents people are planning to hand out this Christmas – with 87% of respondents saying will buy physical gifts, but 37% choosing to purchase experiences instead.
And it’s not just presents for others on the agenda either, as the research showed that almost a quarter (23%) are planning to get gifts for themselves too.
It’s all according to an interesting new consumer survey / Credit: Lore Schodts (via Unsplash)
Of course though, while many people have already got a head-start on Christmas shopping this year, it seems there’s a good chunk who’ll still be leaving it late.
Four in 10 survey respondents admitted they will probably only finish their festive gift shopping with just one week to go before the big day, while one in 10 (10%) did reveal they will likely risk leaving it until the day before they give them out.
“As we approach the festive period, it’s no surprise to see Brits getting prepared,” explained Dave Edwards, who is the Vice President of Demand Generation at American Express, “with more than 20% of respondents having already started their festive shopping.”