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.
McDonald’s is launching shareboxes of mini hash browns in the UK next month
Emily Sergeant
McDonald’s is launching loads of new limited-edition items to its UK menu next month, but all eyes are on one thing.
One thing. Three words… mini hash browns.
Hash browns are an integral part of British cuisine at this point, right? Those little crispy potato creations prove time and time again to be an ideal snack for anyone who finds themselves a bit reliant on fried food to get through a hangover from hell, or merely just to wake up on a lazy Sunday morning.
McDonald’s is already pretty well-loved for its hash browns, but the fast food chain is set to take that love up a notch as it’s set to add mini bitesize versions to the menu next month.
McDonald’s is adding loads of new items to its menu for autumn next month / Credit: Geograph
With autumn now officially here, McDonald’s is updating its UK menu for the new season, with the McRib, McCrispy Deluxe, and the return of the Double Big Mac all sounding set to be fan favourites, as well as seasonal sweet treats like the Toffee Apple Pie, the M&M Halloween McFlurry, and Toasted Marshmallow Lattes.
Foodie fans on social media also seem to like the sounds of the new Smokey Caramelised Onion Bites too, which look like little onion rings.
But nothing quite beats the anticipation for the new Mini Hash Browns.
The star of the new autumn menu has to be the mini hash browns / Credit: McDonald’s
Set to be available in individual portions of five for £1.49, or Shareboxes of 15 for £2.99 if you’re feeling a little more peckish, the Mini Hash Browns are the same golden crunchy and fluffy potato goodness that Maccies is known for, but in a new and fun style.
McDonald’s is hoping this tiny take on the classic hash brown will be the perfect treat to “brighten your morning”, whether you’re on-the-go, or enjoying a leisurely breakfast.
Mini Hash Browns will be available exclusively during breakfast hours (6am-11am) for a limited time only from Wednesday 16 October.
Featured Image – McDonald’s
Shopping
Co-op has launched a 24-hour grocery delivery service in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
Co-op has just launched a new grocery delivery service in Manchester city centre that’s running 24-hours a day.
In a bid to “respond to growing demand” for quick and easily-accessible groceries from consumers, such as shift workers, parents of young families, and late-night revellers in particular, the supermarket retailer has decided to begin offering 24-hour grocery delivery services in three major city centres – London, Leeds, and of course, Manchester.
It comes after new research from Co-op apparently shows that more than 40% of online shoppers would use an 11pm to 5am delivery service if it was available.
This figure then rises to around almost one in two consumers who are aged between 18-44, with the service believed to be most popular for Gen Z shoppers aged 18-24 (52.3%) out of everyone.
Co-op has launched a 24-hour grocery delivery service in Manchester city centre / Credit: Co-op (via Flickr)
he new research also revealed than an estimated six million UK adults believe the main reason they would use the extended 24-hour service if it was available to them would be due to their work pattern or their shifts.
Co-op says it’s launching the new service this month in places where there is strong online grocery demand at “non-traditional times”.
Stores have been selected based on the local demographic, a concentration of delivery driver availability, and where the premises is already staffed around the clock for replenishment purposes.
Groceries will be delivered through Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo / Credit: Co-op (via Flickr)
Groceries will be delivered through Co-op’s e-commerce partners Uber Eats, Just Eat, and Deliveroo.
”Meeting the needs of our customers is at the heart of our approach,” explained Chris Conway, who is Co-op’s E-Commerce Director, as the new 24-hour service was announced.
“We focus on ease, speed, and convenience from our local stores, which are well placed in the heart of communities, and as societal behaviours including changing lifestyles and shift working are increasing, so is the requirement for online groceries to be delivered quickly and conveniently at non-traditional times of the day.”