I was lucky enough to be invited to the ‘intu’ Trafford Centre recently to check out what they have available for us ladies. I must admit I have not been for quite. When the kids were little we were regular visitors as it was a place to take them where it was dry, they could take in the (pretend) lions, look at the statues that were dotted about and I got to have a beautiful lunch in one of the many cafes and restaurants. So I was intrigued to go back, sans kids and take in all it has to offer. Wow, what fun I had.
First up I visited John Lewis to have a complementary blow dry with the new amazing Dyson Airwrap. This service is free to all (how good is that), so if you have a night out on a Friday or Saturday why not book to see the lovely Karen who can give you the most gorgeous curls (and talk you through how to use it). Dyson are known for their innovative approach to technology, and the Airwrap certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s a multi-use styling tool that can create lots of different hair looks, without the need for excessive heat. It can blow-dry, curl, wave, smooth, straighten and volumise, it works across a range of hair types, including straight, afro and curly hair textures. It has four heat settings and three speed settings, the complete styling kit comes with six styling attachments and they all do different things.
Pre-styling dryer: Takes hair from wet to damp, ready for styling.
Soft smoothing brush: Creates a smooth, blow-dry finish. With soft, ball-tip bristles engineered to be gentle on the scalp.
Firm smoothing brush: Creates a straighter style with less frizz and fewer flyaways. With firm bristles engineered to control unruly, frizz-prone hair.
40mm Airwrap barrels: Create and set loose curls or waves. With clockwise and anti-clockwise barrels for symmetrical curls.
30mm Airwrap barrels: Create and set voluminous curls or waves. With clockwise and anti-clockwise barrels for symmetrical curls.
Whilst in John Lewis I was also lucky enough to meet the beautiful Paula from their personal styling team. This again is a complementary service where you can book to spend some time with one of them telling them of your wants and needs around style. The styling suite was lovely and Paula was very approachable and helpful. I decided to have a colour consultation. Colour can have a huge impact on how we look, how we feel and how others perceive us. When we get it right it can transform our look and it’s a wonderful tool for giving us an instant boost. Wearing colours that complement our natural colouring can make us look healthier and younger. Paula asked me about my lifestyle, clothes, make-up, shopping habits and what colours I like to wear and then looked at my skin tone, eye and hair colour. She showed me the range of colours that complement my unique colouring and discussed ways in which I can wear them. This service is given with every styling session and you will learn how to bring the colours from your personal palette into your wardrobe and find out which ones really give you the wow factor. Also discussed were my best neutral shades and how I could use these to create my wardrobe staples. I had such a good time and gained so much knowledge. For anyone interested I was a winter woman.
Next I Visited The Body Shop for a makeover. Again this is a service you can take advantage of as The Body Shop offers free makeovers and skin consultations in store from one of their professional store consultants. They assist you and help you select the right products suitable for your skin type. This is a perfect freebie if you’re planning a night out or special event, or even if you just fancy boosting your mood. So how did the makeover go?
My skin was prepared first. It was cleansed, toned and moisturised. Mitra (my consultant) asked me about my skin and my routine and then chose products that she thought would be appropriate from what I had told her. I am prone to hormonal spots around my chin area and she discussed these fully with me and advised me on products that she thought would be useful. I asked lots of questions and she was happy to answer them all.
Mitra then asked what kind of makeup look I wanted and what products I usually use. The makeup was then applied. The foundation that she picked was spot on! It was an exact match for my skin tone. She applied it using a foundation brush and the result was flawless. The rest of the makeup was also really good. I liked the mascara, eye shadow and bronzer. When the makeover was finished she wrote down all of the products she used so I have them for future reference. The makeover lasted just under an hour and in that time Mitra was fabulous at talking through the product, how she was applying it and why and answered any questions I had. Most of the products used on me were vegan as this was my request. I was very happy with my makeover.
Finally I visited Nailista Brow and Nail bar which is located within (the huge) Topshop. I chose to have their Signature Style manicure. This includes full cuticle removal, file and buff, hand massage and hot mitts, finished with a polish colour of your choice from their huge OPI selection. I went for a classic red. I have to say the ladies were all super helpful and I felt I was really pampered and looked after. The final results were beautiful.
As well as all this I shopped to my heart’s content in Topshop, Warehouse, Oasis, Zara, Selfridges, Marks and Spencer’s, Debenhams and H&m. The ‘intu’ Trafford Centre is definitely worth a visit as it has so much to offer.
Shelley x
P.s; For more details of my fabulous day see my stories on Instagram.
P.p.s; This is a sponsored blog post, but the opinions are definitely my own. How can anyone not enjoy being pampered for the day?
