HOUSE OF FRASER THROWS A SPOTLIGHT ON BEAUTY
House of Fraser is a one-stop-shop for everything for so many people, so when I heard that they were launching Beauty Spotlight – a revolutionary in-store beauty concept that aims to shine a light on the latest innovations in beauty products - I was more than a little excited.
This concept, a first for the group, aims to bring together an expertly curated selection of products chosen by bloggers and industry insiders which will constantly evolve to keep up with the hottest new launches. Commercially, it allows small brands access to the House of Fraser customer base without the massive expense of a concession – and I like that element of giving the small guys a chance.
As a self-confessed beauty addict who loves trying out the latest pioneering brands, this concept of bringing all of the freshest and most innovative products on the market together in one designated counter definitely has all the ingredients for a winning recipe!
With glossy marble-effect countertops and fun floral prints The Beauty Spotlight counter is aesthetically very pleasing. All the products are easily accessible and trying is compulsory! At the launch, I met with experts from each of the brands who were able to talk me through the different products, before giving me a tailored prescription suited to my own beauty needs. All of the consultants were very friendly and welcoming and immediately put me at ease. Their indepth product knowledge was invaluable and I would definitely recommend speaking to the different specialists from each brand in order to get products tailored to your own skin needs.
I tested the celebrity-favourite Glow Tonic (£18) from London brand Pixi skincare which leaves skin looking radiant (great if, like me, getting a full night’s sleep is practically unheard of as it gives you that “I’ve just had 8 hours sleep” look!). Also, all of the Pixie skincare products have beneficial plant-based ingredients meaning you can apply them guilt-free knowing you are adding nothing but gooey goodness to your skin!
I also tried the Hyaluronic Acid (£6) from The Ordinary – a Deciem brand. In summer my skin can often become dehydrated, so Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is the perfect anecdote, giving skin multi-depth hydration with visible plumping. The Ordinary also do a 100% organic cold-pressed rose hip seed oil (£9) which smells absolutely divine and is definitely on my wish-list!
Zach from Colour Wow (a hair care line created specifically for coloured hair by beauty innovator Gail Federici, acclaimed hairdresser John Frieda and their team of professional experts) was on hand to style hair and showed me three innovative bionic leave-in tonics (£22) that treat problems associated with colour-treated hair; dryness, breakage and thinning. I was already a fan of WOW having used their powder root touch up products, but the new tonics were fantastic!
There were also award-winning face masks from Nugg (from £3.50) that come in a handy portion-sized pod with each mask targeting different skin care needs (They also do a 100% natural and vegan lip mask leaving lips soft and kissable!) I bought a fab new amazeballs NARS glitter eye shadow/liner and the best metallic shimmer product ever in the form ofthe ICONIC metallic illuminator - both of which I used in Ibiza that night (yes, I flew out right after the launch afternoon). Actually I use the ICONIC almost every time I put on make up and drop a droplet of it into my foundation every time. I have just found out that it is limited edition too, so I have made a note to stock up while I can!
Besides the brands I’ve mentioned, Beauty Spotlight counter customers will also be able to stock up on must-haves from Stila, all the Deciem family brands as well as beauty-staples such as Tangle Teezers, Spectrum brushes, Invisibobbles and Eyelure false eyelashes. In short, Beauty Spotlight is the ultimate destination for shoppers who are looking for the latest in make-up, hair and beauty, I left feeling that that this is exactly what beauty lovers have been waiting for.
And of course, after browsing the various items on offer I left with my bag a little heavier and my purse a little lighter. Standard.
Love Cathy x
*As well as the fab in store counter in Belfast, all of the Beauty Spotlight items are also available at www.houseoffraser.co.uk meaning you can easily order your favourite items online if you cant get to the store.